The Olympic rowing champion Hamish Bond says he's too inexperienced as a cyclist to know whether the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games time trial course will suit him.
Bond is competing in his first Commonwealth Games and has spent the past two weeks riding the course about 40 times to learn its intricacies ahead of today's competition.
Bond gave up rowing after the 2016 Rio Olympics where he defended his pairs title with Eric Murray.
"I'm still not experienced enough where I can honestlty tell you what suits me or not," said Bond.
Hamish Bond Photo: Photosport
"I don't feel bad about (the course) or daunted by it...it's not overly technical but you will have to have your wits about you."
"it's an interesting course. It's certainly not just a flat out and back one. There are a number of hills...there's one particular pinch about two thirds of the way through the race where you may see a few people cracking and crawling up if they haven't saved enough gas in the tank to get up the climb."
Bond is confident the Gold Coast heat and humidity won't get to him over the 38.5km race.
"Usually I'm not a fan of the heat but I haven't found it be too much of a problem. I guess with cycling you are creating your own breeze."
The biggest problem he seems to have had in his buildup is the locals.
"A yells from yobbos as you are out riding ...But if you are wearing lycra anywhere you are in line for that once in a while."
By the some token Bond said with so many New Zealanders living on the Gold Coast there has also been plenty of support as the Games got closer.
"I've certainly had plenty of people yelling out the window 'go New Zealand and go Kiwi' so having that support when you are riding in what you'd consider enemy territory has been pretty cool."
