26 Oct Libby Is Back For Bigger And Better In 2019
Libby Arbuckle is keen to further extend her experience and re-signs for a third year for Mike Greer Homes Womens Cycling Team for 2019. Arbuckle was the 2018 Oceania U23 Time Trial Silver Medallist and 2018 New Zealand U23 Time Trial Bronze Medallist and had several top ten finishes in the very competitive criterium racing in North America as part of the MGHWCT Tour Of America Dairylands, BC Super Week and Intelligentsia Cup.
Since Libby started with MGHWCT 2 years ago she has been a critical part of the team. Libby loves creating breaks and setting a hard pace in time trial mode of the front of any race. Libby’s technical riding skills are second to none, a fearless descender and aggressive rider in tight technical circuits. As a first year U23 in 2018 Libby had her first taste of serious international racing in the North American criterium scene, finding her feet fast and contending most races at the business end of the field, with several top 10 finishes in her last series at the Intelligentisa Cup.
Team Manager, Patrick Harvey was impressed from the start with Libby’s selfless approach to racing and buy-in to the team culture. “Libby is always keen to give her most to the team. Give her a job and you know that she will give 100% to delivering the results. Libby is one of the best time trialist’s in the country and uses this is a weapon she puts to good use off the front in road races often knowing that although her chance of staying away is slim this will be helping her team mates back in the bunch. The best example of this was the Oceania Road race where Libby spent 2/3 of the race of the front in atrocious weather conditions, setting her team mates up for a clean sweep of the U23 Category.”
Harvey believes Arbuckle will come into her own when the team embark on a campaign to Europe in 2019. “We are very excited for Libby heading into this season when the team take on UCI races, kermesse and crits in Europe during May, June and July. With Libby’s technical skills, her fearless bunch manoeuvring and bike handling combined with her raw power will come in handy for the team when they take on some of the toughest races and women in the peloton while racing in Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium and Czechslovaki next year.”
To get a further insight into our riders we asked a few questions, here is what Libby had to say:
Why do you love cycling?
I love cycling as it allows me to challenge and push myself harder everyday. I also enjoy the variety of races as every road race and time trial course is different and how there are both team and individual races. Through cycling I have been able to explore places all over the world and become a part of a huge, friendly community.
What are your most memorable experiences so far in your cycling career?
“One of my most memorable experiences so far in my cycling career would have to be racing in the criterium series in the US and Canada with the Mike Greer Homes Team. The races were on a completely different level than anything I had done before, super hard and fast but so much fun. The atmosphere at every race was insane. I learnt so much over the month of racing and even managed to come away with a couple top 5 places. Being able to escape the New Zealand winter was also a bonus.”
Who is your cycling idol?
“Annemiek van Vleuten”
Who best represents the type of cyclist you would like most to be like?
“Ellen van Dijk”
What is the ultimate race you would like to experience?
“Any of the one day classics or the worlds ITT and TTT”
What is your favourite Womens UCI team?
“Boels – Dolmans Cycling Team”
What is your favourite indulgent food?
“Peanut Butter”
What do you hope to accomplish with MGHWCT in 2019
“I hope to improve as a team rider and continue to learn and gain experience racing in both New Zealand and over seas”