The Cycle Turismo Team

Maxine Elliott

Max prefers the term "expresso cruise" when characterising her riding.

She has often expressed a real fondness for many of the après-cycling activities offered as part of a Cycle Turismo tour. As self appointed "quality assessor", Max is always willing to put herself on the line for the company and our customers when the sampling of gourmet food, fine wine or quality accommodation is required. Max is an executive for a large New Zealand Company during 'normal' work hours, and has used this experience to instil a customer and quality focus throughout Cycle Turismo.

Favourite Ride:

"I like the last 500 meters of the Vineyards and Vistas ride." (That's actually the flat driveway of her favourite winery!)

Favourite Tour:

Marlborough Delights

Favourite wine:

"That's easy: just about any Sauvignon from Marlborough. No, no it would have to be a Pinot Grigio from Martinborough. Or maybe a chilled rosé. But at night, it would have to be an Otago Pinot Noir. Well actually..."

Pip Davis

Pip is an endurance athlete. She has ridden, mountain biked, run and paddled all of New Zealand’s famous endurance events. She has conquered the internationally renowned "Coast to Coast" multisport race; New Zealand’s longest mountain bike event, the "Motatapu"; the hardest one-day road-cycling race, aptly named K2; and numerous others.

What is perhaps surprising for such a focussed endurance athlete is that she does these events with a grin from ear to ear whilst chatting to the other competitors from start to long after the finish. In fact, Pip has mastered the delicate art of pushing herself hard enough to actually finish, while ensuring that she doesn't run out of that important breath required to continue her conversation!

For fun she prefers long distance rides, especially those where frequent refuelling en-route is required. This gives Pip the chance to chat with the other cyclists, have a coffee, and to chat some more. As a bunch favourite, she will never fail to entertain you, inform you, and if required, distract you should you be challenged by the impending slope ahead. Pip is a favourite host and guide for Cycle Turismo's "Women's only" tours.

Pip works for a major Broadband provider in New Zealand, where she is, rather appropriately, the Communications Manager!

Favourite Ride:

"The Puketapu loop (in Hawke's Bay). Does anyone want to go around again?"

Favourite Tour:

North Island Indulgence

Favourite wine:

"Oh, just the one glass please, I've got a training ride this afternoon..."

Damian McKeown

We at Cycle Turismo are often overheard talking about the "McKeown Training Systems". This is what we call a casual afternoon ride whenever Damian turns up. Though he never raced in his younger days, you'd never know it to meet him. He's obviously fit; he's lean and is always keen to be first to the top of every hill. He'll disarmingly encourage you to keep up – until you pop of course, and then he'll slide away gentle into the distance.

Always the first to put up his hand for the Cycle Turismo European tours, no mountain pass is too high or too hard. He once famously said of Alpe d’Heuz: "is that it?". When he's not flying up slopes, he's an award winning architect in Auckland.

Favourite Ride:

"Passo Gavia, or Stelvio. Mortirolo wasn't so bad"

Favourite Tour:

2 week Dolomiti Mountain Passes in Italy

Favourite wine:

"Si, un bicchiere di Chianti per favore?"

Philip Abernethy

Phil is a "real" cyclist. He tells us this as he unashamedly thrusts forward his bare (apparently waxed) lower limbs.

With over 25 years of racing and recreational cycling, he's ridden road bikes, mountain bikes, BMX’s, touring bikes, tandems and the occasional mechanical bucking-bull. After 15+ years working in the corporate arena as a marketer and management consultant, Phil has changed gear and is now a cycling motivator and guide, preferring to help others reach their own personal cycling goals. When he isn’t on the bike he likes to work with customers to develop their own tours and is our resident custom-tour coordinator.

Favourite Ride:

"The tablelands loop in Wairarapa. You just appreciate New Zealand more after this ride"

Favourite Tour:

North Island Indulgence

Favourite wine:

"Another Chardonnay?"

Andrew Nickels

At 6 foot 4 inches tall, young Andrew should be playing basketball (except that he can't catch, pass or jump!) or playing as a flanker in New Zealand's national sport of Rugby (except that he can't catch, pass or jump!)

Turning his attention to cycling he has made significant strides over the last few years and has proven to us all that he can indeed catch and pass (catch up to us and pass us by, that is) and has jumped to the top spot of the Cycle Turismo list of super-domestiques (cycling's version of team-mate and helper). Whether he's leading you into a headwind, carrying your spare drink bottle or dispensing local knowledge or directions, he'll impress you with his easy going, kiwi style. He is clearly someone to look up to.

Favourite Ride:

"I like the Tuki Tuki river valley loop"

Favourite Tour:

North Island Indulgence

Favourite wine:

"ahhh,… can I have a beer?"

Simon Hammond

This man is a cycling colossus, and an ex-professional European-based triathlete; though he’s not yet mastered gear changes on the bike after 20 years of practice!!! He actually prefers single speed bikes, whether riding on the road or mountain biking; and when he does have a derailleur, it’s on the back of a racing tandem - thats Simon (the "pilot") and Glen (the obscured "stoker")  finishing the 2010 Lake Taupo Challenge)  

A pure climber, entertainer and talker, he’s often doing all three at once, leading to the chant: “Shut up Simon” from fellow (exhausted!) riders’ through-out the European alps.

Now a family man, with two lovely daughters under 3 years old, he’s focusing on raising the next two Sarah-Ulmer-type world champions. 

Favourite Ride:

“Hey Phil – want a rematch on Stelvio?”  (at over 2800m high, it’s a legendary climb in Italy)

Favourite Tour:

“the short tours work best for me now, so I can get back to my family, and make sure they’re sticking to the training plan” 

Favourite wine:

A cheeky young valpolicella classico!