While it was in Tokyo that Ellesse Andrews emerged onto the Olympic scene, it was in Paris that she established herself as the one to beat in world track cycling.

Silver in the team sprint, gold in the keirin and topped off with a gold in the individual sprint it was historic Games for the 24-year-old as she became the first woman to complete the sprint/keirin Olympic double.

Andrews’ three medals took New Zealand’s tally to 14 from 17 Olympiads; an impressive strike rate for a nation whose most-Googled Olympic statistic is the medals-per-capita table.

The four-time Olympic medallist told Mike Hosking she feels New Zealand’s prowess in cycling comes from people up and down the country who are passionate about the sport, not just in its spiritual home of Cambridge.

“I think with cycling in New Zealand it’s not just about Cambridge, it’s not about that hub it’s about the whole country and what cycling means to the whole country.

“I have grown up in various different areas around New Zealand. Wanaka being one of them, [it’s] amazing for mountain biking, you know. So I would get on my mountain bike as a kid and I’d sprint [against] my parents and that was so much fun and that’s what made me excited.

“Moving down to Invercargill where I tried track cycling, they have an absolute passion for cycling there. They love it and so the Southland programme really, really helped nurture me Canterbury the same, there’s just so many local legends in Canterbury that are just so passionate about what they do.”

On Cambridge, Andrews said having a genuinely world class facility to train at gives the New Zealand team a real shot at competing with the best in the world, along with the buy-in from the local community.

“Moving into Cambridge, where I moved when I was 16, [it’s a] similar thing, you know, we have that facility there - it’s world class. I have people who support me, sponsors, the facility, the community, everything there is just so special.

“And so I think it’s the tight knit community and it’s the passion that’s within that community.”

LISTEN ABOVE 

While it was in Tokyo that Ellesse Andrews emerged onto the Olympic scene, it was in Paris that she established herself as the one to beat in world track cycling. 
Silver in the team sprint, gold in the keirin and topped off with a gold in the individual sprint it was historic Games for the 24-year-old as she became the first woman to complete the sprint/keirin Olympic double. 
Andrews’ three medals took New Zealand’s tally to 14 from 17 Olympiads; an impressive strike rate for a nation whose most-Googled Olympic statistic is the medals-per-capita table. 
The four-time Olympic medallist told Mike Hosking she feels New Zealand’s prowess in cycling comes from people up and down the country who are passionate about the sport, not just in its spiritual home of Cambridge. 

“I think with cycling in New Zealand it’s not just about Cambridge, it’s not about that hub it’s about the whole country and what cycling means to the whole country. 
“I have grown up in various different areas around New Zealand. Wanaka being one of them, [it’s] amazing for mountain biking, you know. So I would get on my mountain bike as a kid and I’d sprint [against] my parents and that was so much fun and that’s what made me excited. 
“Moving down to Invercargill where I tried track cycling, they have an absolute passion for cycling there. They love it and so the Southland programme really, really helped nurture me Canterbury the same, there’s just so many local legends in Canterbury that are just so passionate about what they do.” 
On Cambridge, Andrews said having a genuinely world class facility to train at gives the New Zealand team a real shot at competing with the best in the world, along with the buy-in from the local community. 
“Moving into Cambridge, where I moved when I was 16, [it’s a] similar thing, you know, we have that facility there - it’s world class. I have people who support me, sponsors, the facility, the community, everything there is just so special. 
“And so I think it’s the tight knit community and it’s the passion that’s within that community.” 
LISTEN ABOVE

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Ellesse Andrews: Kiwi Olympic Cyclist on her success in the 2024 Paris Games and cycling in New Zealand

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.



Migration: 3/10

We are still leaving in record numbers. Young New Zealanders deciding this ain’t the place for them. It is a startling and ongoing indictment.



Oil: 6/10

That’s a good thing too. Between the price and the dollar, it's trended in the right direction. Fill your boots.



The NFL season: 8/10

Continues to get bigger globally every year. I'm obsessed with it. It is elite sport at its best.



The IRD: 3/10

Taking our stuff and flicking it off to big tech without asking us is dumb and rude and needs stopping.



Australian rules: 3/10

Governments pretending they can solve problems that haven't been solved anywhere is wasteful. If Australia successfully bans kids from social media I'll eat Rawiri Waititi's hat.



Donald Trump: 2/10

He is his own worst enemy.



LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. 
 
Migration: 3/10 
We are still leaving in record numbers. Young New Zealanders deciding this ain’t the place for them. It is a startling and ongoing indictment. 
 
Oil: 6/10 
That’s a good thing too. Between the price and the dollar, it's trended in the right direction. Fill your boots. 
 
The NFL season: 8/10 
Continues to get bigger globally every year. I'm obsessed with it. It is elite sport at its best. 
 
The IRD: 3/10 
Taking our stuff and flicking it off to big tech without asking us is dumb and rude and needs stopping. 
 
Australian rules: 3/10 
Governments pretending they can solve problems that haven't been solved anywhere is wasteful. If Australia successfully bans kids from social media I'll eat Rawiri Waititi's hat. 
 
Donald Trump: 2/10 
He is his own worst enemy. 
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW

Mark the Week: Donald Trump is his own worst enemy

Is it possible one of the great mistakes of the modern era has been made around our cities?

There are increasing areas of life in which the theory, the promise, or the dream is not only not coming to pass, but it's possible it never will

The EV industry globally is in a major state of flux. Any number of large producers have not only promised to stop selling engines by 2030-ish, they’ve now realised that’s not real so have had to back track. But they've also realised that all the money they didn’t spend on the next generation of engines has been lost and they now have to fill the gap.

Renewables are in a similar place. Larry Ellison this week told investors AI is so crazy when it comes to power consumption that they are building a data centre that will be run by three small nuclear reactors.

The world largely doesn’t have such reactors right now and it certainly doesn’t have the renewable capability to run data centres.

Then to downtown New Zealand. Reform of city centres was predicated on several theories; essentially, we wanted to save the planet while living like Europe.

What we have ended up with is downtown Auckland, downtown Tauranga, and downtown Wellington all, if not destroyed, certainly in a state no one is proud of.

As the bike lanes, bus lanes, and lack of parking has taken its toll, the businesses have closed, people have gone home to never come back, the malls have popped up in suburbia, and the CBD is shot to pieces.

We weren't Europe, aren't Europe, and never will be Europe.

Do we live in an age where the concept of the illusion, of what could be, is driven by the bandwagon of the day? Something the ideologues leap on board, with no real insight as to what might actually be required for it to come to pass?

It's driven by good intention but appalling planning, urged on by NGO's and the like who need a buzz phrase or agenda to keep pushing to maintain relevance and, often, funding. People who want to be on the perceived right side of the hot new trend, and it all comes at a huge cost.

These so-called downtown areas of tomorrow. Just when is tomorrow? When is Wellington going to be the pedestrian magnet, the cobbled hub?

When does Auckland wear itself out with all the new outlets opening in Queen Street?

When does Tauranga cut its umpteenth ribbon on the mecca that is the revitalised CBD, drawing fans from near and far?

Or was it simply a good picture on a whiteboard that will never in fact happen?

Is it possible one of the great mistakes of the modern era has been made around our cities? 
There are increasing areas of life in which the theory, the promise, or the dream is not only not coming to pass, but it's possible it never will 
The EV industry globally is in a major state of flux. Any number of large producers have not only promised to stop selling engines by 2030-ish, they’ve now realised that’s not real so have had to back track. But they've also realised that all the money they didn’t spend on the next generation of engines has been lost and they now have to fill the gap. 
Renewables are in a similar place. Larry Ellison this week told investors AI is so crazy when it comes to power consumption that they are building a data centre that will be run by three small nuclear reactors. 
The world largely doesn’t have such reactors right now and it certainly doesn’t have the renewable capability to run data centres. 
Then to downtown New Zealand. Reform of city centres was predicated on several theories; essentially, we wanted to save the planet while living like Europe. 
What we have ended up with is downtown Auckland, downtown Tauranga, and downtown Wellington all, if not destroyed, certainly in a state no one is proud of. 
As the bike lanes, bus lanes, and lack of parking has taken its toll, the businesses have closed, people have gone home to never come back, the malls have popped up in suburbia, and the CBD is shot to pieces. 
We weren't Europe, aren't Europe, and never will be Europe. 
Do we live in an age where the concept of the illusion, of what could be, is driven by the bandwagon of the day? Something the ideologues leap on board, with no real insight as to what might actually be required for it to come to pass? 
It's driven by good intention but appalling planning, urged on by NGO's and the like who need a buzz phrase or agenda to keep pushing to maintain relevance and, often, funding. People who want to be on the perceived right side of the hot new trend, and it all comes at a huge cost. 
These so-called downtown areas of tomorrow. Just when is tomorrow? When is Wellington going to be the pedestrian magnet, the cobbled hub? 
When does Auckland wear itself out with all the new outlets opening in Queen Street? 
When does Tauranga cut its umpteenth ribbon on the mecca that is the revitalised CBD, drawing fans from near and far? 
Or was it simply a good picture on a whiteboard that will never in fact happen?

Mike's Minute: The ideology for our cities will never be reality

For the first time ever, civilians have stepped out into space.

Billionaire Jared Isaacman and company crew trainer Sarah Gillis have achieved the first commercial spacewalk outside their SpaceX capsule while in orbit.

The pair were testing new spacesuits, designed to be low-cost and easy-to-manufacture for future missions flying to the Moon or Mars.

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the mission is likely to have tallied into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

LISTEN ABOVE

For the first time ever, civilians have stepped out into space. 
Billionaire Jared Isaacman and company crew trainer Sarah Gillis have achieved the first commercial spacewalk outside their SpaceX capsule while in orbit. 
The pair were testing new spacesuits, designed to be low-cost and easy-to-manufacture for future missions flying to the Moon or Mars. 
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the mission is likely to have tallied into the hundreds of millions of dollars. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Ellesse Andrews: Kiwi Olympic Cyclist on her success in the 2024 Paris Games and cycling in New Zealand

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