KAILUA-KONA — With the beginning of a new year comes a new race season, and for die-hard cyclists on the Big Island it always starts with The Prologue.
On Saturday, the Hawaii Cycling Club’s (HCC) 2025 racing season officially kicked off with the highly anticipated Prologue 10-mile Individual Training Time Trial on Queen Kaahumanu Highway, giving 28 riders a perfect opportunity to assess their early-season fitness. With a field of participants ranging from seasoned racers to recreational riders, the event once again proved to be an exciting way to ring in the new year.
“The Prologue is the first event of the new season and a great way to start the new year to find out where your fitness level is at,” said Hawaii Cycling Club president, Franz Weber. “We have more participants from the mainland, who enjoy the opportunity to ride outside without having to wear winter clothing. We also had our longtime regulars who came out to challenge themselves.”
Weber added that this year’s Prologue was particularly fast, thanks to nearly perfect conditions. With cooler temperatures, low humidity, and almost no wind, riders were able to push their limits toward better-than-usual times. A greater number of participants managed to break the 20-mph average speed barrier; an impressive feat given the rolling terrain.
The course, which started at the bottom of Kaiminani Drive and finished near the Scenic Point Lookout for a total of 400-feet in elevation gained, featured several climbs that can be especially punishing if accompanied by strong headwinds. Fortunately, the weather cooperated which made for a smooth and fast race day.
Once again, Waikoloa’s Daniel Hill emerged as the overall champion by crossing the finish line with an impressive time of 22 minutes and 26 seconds for an average speed of 27.1 mph. Keeping it consistent and in second place again from last year was Hilo’s Leonard Bisel, who crossed the line in great time of 24:04.
Third place overall and first in the women’s division was Kamuela’s Nadia Leach, who finished in an impressive time of 27:32. Behind her to secure the second and third female podium spots were Britni Bakk from Point Roberts, Washington and Antoine Issa from Kingston, Washington, who finished with their times of 27:43 and 28:05 respectively.
Beyond just being a time trial, the Prologue sets the stage for the rest of the year and the Hawaii Cycling Club has an exciting season lined up. Cyclists can look forward to a well-balanced mix of short and medium-distance time trials which will allow them to test different aspects of their endurance and power. The much-anticipated Kiser Dragon event, known for its relentless series of 10 short climbs, will also make a return on March 29th, promising yet another grueling but rewarding challenge.
But perhaps the biggest change for 2025 is the introduction of the Gran Fondo which will replace the traditional Century Ride. This scenic new course will take riders all the way to Honokaa and wind through the breathtaking Old Mamalahoa Highway in East Hawaii. Weber said cyclists will have the option to choose from various distances — ranging from 40 miles to well over 100 miles — ensuring that riders of all levels can take part in this exciting new adventure.
“As always, HCC tries to make their events fun and interesting for all fitness and experience levels,” Weber said. “Whether you average 27 mph, or 13 mph, ride a high-end tri-bike or an entry-level road bike, you will always find a place within the Hawaii Cycling club community.”
