Two-time national road champion James Fouche and home town hero Josh Burnett shape as the pre-race favourites for the 68th edition of the SBS Bank Tour of Southland.

First contested in 1956, New Zealand’s most enduring multi-stage cycle race gets underway on Sunday, November 3 and concludes back in Invercargill’s Gala St six days later.

Fouche, 26, who rides for Spanish UCI Pro Team Euskaltel–Euskadi, and 24-year-old Josh Burnett, who starts a two-year deal with Spanish Pro Continental team Burgos BH this summer, will line up for Central Benchmakers-Willbike and Creation Signs-MitoQ-NZ Cycling project, respectively.

Both were formerly members of the now-defunct Black Spoke team, with Burnett launching himself onto the national stage when he became the first local since Doug Bath in 1994 to win the Southland tour in 2022.

Burnett is excited to be back racing his home event after conflicting commitments meant he was a spectator last year.

“My first tour no one really knew who I was, the second one I was being marked, but this one I know I’ll be fully marked and the expectations will be on our team. It’s something we’ve talked about a lot already and we know what we are going to have to do,” he said.

“It definitely changes how we are going to race, but we’ve got a team which is built to race that way so I think we should be ready for it.”

A key aspect of this year’s race is the extension of the gruelling fourth stage, which has had its Remarkables hill climb extended to 10km, with a section of gravel to finish.

For Burnett, who won the Gravel and Tar UCI event last summer, going uphill and going offroad does not faze him.

“It fits me really well. We’ve been up there and checked it out and it’s a long way up there. I think it’s definitely going to shock some people about how hard that climb is. I’ve got my eyes open and I’m very aware of how hard it is.

“You’ve got to be a bit more mindful about where to use your energy. It’s definitely trickier than a climb like Bluff which is relatively short and you can go full gas. You’ve got to monitor and pace yourself a bit more on a climb like the Remarkables.”

Race director Glen Thomson is excited to see how the peloton copes with the extended climb, which is a full 4km longer than last year.

“I feel like the riders are ready for it. This race is dictated by the environment and we haven’t seen that (weather) in the last couple of years so stretching a bit deeper into that climb and hopefully we do get some more wind to mix it up as well. Fingers crossed we’ll get some roaring southerlies,” he said.

“It’s going to be awesome to have Josh Burnett racing and on a rival team to him, is James Fouche who this race really suits because he’s a terror for always wanting to get down the road, he’s just an attacking rider. Fortune favours the brave in this race.”

This year’s race sees a return of the Japanese national endurance team, this time with a full six-rider contingent. They recently raced for bronze in the team pursuit at the world track championships and continue to make massive improvements under legendary Swiss cyclist Daniel Gisiger.

In a nod to the past, the Japanese team and C Brown Builders-Olphert Contracting will be based in the central Southland township of Winton, the base from which tour legends Brian Fowler and Graeme Miller once launched successful campaigns.

This year’s race will also remember one of the great characters of New Zealand cycling, Ken “Laz” Lasenby, from Timaru.

Lasenby passed away earlier this year and his Geraldine Cheese employers have opted to sponsor the Over 35 category and feature his face on the jersey.

“I think it was going to be Laz’s 25th tour in a row, and he’d ridden the tour back in ‘68 I believe,” Thomson said.

“To give Laz a lap around Southland is special. He was always out there to help everyone, he wasn’t ruthlessly worried about who was going to win all the time.”

CLICK HERE for more information on the 2024 SBS Bank Tour of Southland.