Police say an 11-year-old boy who was hit by a car as he was riding his bike in Paeroa, is in a critical condition and undergoing surgery at Waikato Hospital.
The accident happened shortly before midday on Sunday on Rotokohu Road.
Police say emergency services struggled to reach the boy because the Battle of the Streets Bike Race event made the town very busy.
They say it's too early to say whether the driver involved will face any charges and that State Highway 26 has now re-opened.
