Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail marketing manager Jason Menard.
The Alps2Ocean Cycle Trail is already breathing new life into South Island towns despite not being finished.
In its first summer last year the 300 kilometre trail, which runs from Aoraki Mount Cook to Oamaru, attracted 7000 riders.
The $6 million cycleway is only half built and still relies for the rest on existing sealed roads.
Mr Menard says the investment is already paying off, breathing life into towns which had their heyday back in the construction days of the Waitaki valley's hydro-electricity dams.
He says the trail is sure to grow, especially when the full off-road trail is completed in the next few years.
Ian Telfer rode a part of the trail with the cycle way's marketing manager, Jason Menard.
A group of Australian and Spanish riders doing the Alps2Ocean cycleway down the Waitaki Valley.
