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Scody 2009 Australian Open Road Championships Entry is open
Thrilling cycling action is set to return to Ballarat in January with Australia’s premier cycling event - the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships.
This prestigious event will be held from Wednesday 7 – Sunday 11 January and will incorporate six events, including the elite men’s open road race.
Ballarat won the right to host the event from 2007 – 2009 after intense competition and rival bids from other cities in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. The Australian Cycling Federations decision to return the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships to Ballarat is endorses Ballarat’s capacity to host premier cycling events and the quality of the Buninyong course.
Once again the Championships are expected to attract a world class field including Australia’s current Tour de France cyclists Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady and Baden Cooke, along with Australia’s top female cyclists, Kate Bates, Sara Carrigan, Oenone Wood and Kathryn Watt.
The 10.2km Buninyong circuit is highly regarded as the ultimate road race circuit for competitive road cyclists because of its mixture of uphill climbs, fast winding downhills, fast flat sprint to the finish line and excellent shaded spectator points.Australia’s top cyclists will tackle the gruelling uphill Buninyong circuit, situated just minutes from the heart of Ballarat.
Cadel is a no-go for the Giro d’Italia
Despite claims by the organizers of the Giro D’Italia Cadel Evans will not be riding in the event. Evans is quoted as saying “They announced I would be riding because they want publicity for their race. I have never said I would ride the Giro”.
Cadel is focusing on his preparation for the Tour de France where he hopes to claim victory after finishing in second place for the past two years. Cadel sees Alberto Contador as his greatest obstacle to him achieving his goal in next years event.
Dirt Works Race Entry is Open
The Dirt Works 100km Classic is back for the fifth consecutive year on the 3rd May 2009. With a limit of 1300 riders on the entire filed and a strict limit of 700 riders on the 100km course, entries will go quickly. Make sure you register early as the event normally sell out months in advance.
Stay tuned for course information and use the link to enter this great event. http://www.maxadventure.com.au/dirtworksclassic/
Help increase funding for bicycles in Victoria
The Victorian Transport Plan (VTP) was released on Monday the 8th of December with only a tiny commitment to bikes. The $40 billion transport plan was only able to find an additional $800 000 a year for bikes.
The bicycle component of the Plan will be launched in February. Please write a couple of lines to the Premier today and encourage him to announce a bike budget of at least $30m a year over six years when the Bicycle Plan is launched.
You can change John Brumby's mind by writing him a short note in favour of a bigger bike budget.
Funky Bunch completes the Oxfam Trailwalker
Congratulations to Cycle Central’s team Funky Bunch on the completion of the Oxfam Trailwalker. The team showed tremendous dedication and tenacity to the cause when two members of the team needed to drop out on the second check point due to injury and illness. The remaining boys Pete Carter and Andrew “Roo” Lonngren continued on picking up several new partners to complete the race in 25 hours and 27mins and finished in 97th place. The boys did a fantastic job and even gave some army boys a run for their money. Funky Bunch raised $3000 for a fantastic cause and had a great time along the way we couldn’t have hoped for a happier ending.
The Oxfam Trailwalker
Cycle Central are proud supporters of the Oxfam Trailwalker in Sydney for 2008. The Oxfam Trailwalker is the world's greatest team challenge. And it's also one of the toughest. The challenge is to get our team of four across 100km of Australian bush in less than 48 hours. Our team Funky Bunch is aiming to finish the event in 18 hours and has already passed their original target of $2000. We are now aiming for $5000. The money raised is used to support Oxfam’s work in 26 countries including Indigenous Australia. Every cent counts and will make a tremendous difference to people’s lives. Unlike other organisations Oxfam tells you where you money is going and with 81% going to programs, 15% to fundraising and only 4% to admin you know that your donation is going to make a difference. So please follow the link to Cycle Central’s team Funky Bunch and make a donation and help us make a difference.
http://www.funkybunchoxfam.com
Changes to NSW Road Rules
There have been some recent changes to the NSW road rules, which all riders and drivers need to be aware of.
Bicycle storage areas at intersections:
Some interserctions at traffic lights now have bicycle storage areas. These are painted sections on the road which allow bicycle riders to stop at the lights in a safe buffer zone in front of the cars. This area is safe for riders as drivers are not allowed to have any part of their car in the safety buffer zone if the traffic lights are red. If cars disobey this rule they will receive a heavy fine $324 normally and $405 if you are caught in a school zone.
Hook turns by bicycle riders:
If a bicycle hook turn storage area has been provided to riders and a rider chooses to do a hook turn at an intersection they must do so from the provided area. Riders need to keep to the left when travelling across the intersection to enter the hook turn storage area then wait in the hook zone area until the light to cross turns green or it is safe to cross.
Keeping off painted islands:
You can only drive or ride on painted areas for up to 50metres if you are entering or exiting a road or entering or turning lane that begin immediately after the painted island. If the section of painted road is surrounded by double lines you still must not drive on it.
For more information on NSW road rules visit:
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/roadrules/2008nswrrulechanges.html
Tour de France Stage Five
Fantastic team work saw Team Columbia's Mark Cavendish win the 5th stage of the Tour de France. Cavendish was part of a three man break away group and in a sprint finish passed Spain's Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Germany's Erik Zabel (Team Milram) who were placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.
In the words of Cavendish “I could only win with guys like that". Team Columbia took control of the 5th Stage of the Tour de France with Marcus Burghardt and Thomas Lövkvist while the speed work was done by Adam Hansen, George Hincapie, Bernhard Eisel and Kim Kirchen in the final 10 kilometres. Hincapie led from 1600 metres, Kirchen took over into the final kilometre while Eisel eased off the gas to gap his captain's rivals.
The next stage will see riders race 195.5km from Aigurande to Super Besse. This leg of the race will see the riders taking on some hills with two fourth category climbs in the first half and two second category climbs up to the finish.
Tour de France Stage Four
26 year-old Gerolsteiner rider Stefan Schumacher recorded a time of 35'44" to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France. This victory also saw Stefan Schumacher move into first place overall in the Tour de France race standings. Whilst the stage three winner Kim Kirchen put in a fantastic effort with a time of second at 35'54" the young German was too strong for him. Briton's David Millar came in third at with a time of 36'02".
In the words of Stefan Schumacher "It's extraordinary to be on the podium in this jersey, because this is the Tour de France and everybody dreams of wearing this jersey. Also, the moment on the podium, you see it 1,000 times on television and then you're there yourself, it's impossible to imagine."
Stage five will see the rider’s race 232km from Cholet to Châteauroux. This stage is the longest in the Tour de France but with no designated climbs it is not regarded as the toughest. Again this is where the sprinters have a good chance of shining, although keep your eyes open for a break away group.
Tour de France Stage Three
The third stage of the Tour de France was taken out by Samuel Dumoulin from Team Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone. The four man break away group added to the excitement of this stage with William Frischkorn,
Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel and Paolo Longo Borghini finishing second, third and fourth.
In the words of Dumoulin "We got into a good break and we really worked well all day to stay away," stated 27 year-old Dumoulin of Team Cofidis. "It is really a fantastic experience."
Romain Feillu from Agritubel is the new overall leader of the Tour de France.
Tonight’s stage is time trail stage which will see the riders racing 29.5km from Cholet to Cholet (ITT). The stage route, as well as being short, is very flat so – weather permitting – speeds should be high. The stage should appeal to the specialists, but gaps should be small so none of the favourites for the overall classification will be able to take too much time out of their rivals.
Tour de France Stage Two
The second stage of the Tour de France was taken out by Thor Hushovd in an up hill sprint victory to the finish line into Saint Brieuc. Thor Hushovd rides for Crédit Agricole and his latest victory now brings his total to six career stage wins in the Tour de France.
In the words of the great Norwegian "It was a really hard sprint, with the wind in the finale and in the climbs, but I knew it was a sprint that fits me well".
In this tight stage Kim Kirchen Team Columbia finished second with fellow team mate Gerald Ciolek coming in third.
Currently the overall winner is Kim Kirchen from Team Columbia.
The next stage sees the riders traveling 208km between Saint-Malo and Nantes.
There are no classified climbs on this route which should allow the sprinters to shine again. The stage begins on the small roads of Brittany before the riders head south on the fast, wider roads in Nates.
Tour de France Route
Check out the Tour de France route in the video below.
Epping road breakfast
On the 24th of June from 7am-9am at Fleming Park Willoughby Council and Bicycle NSW are getting together to provide a free breakfast for cyclists. The breakfast is in celebration of the opening of the new Epping Road to Lane Cove cycleway. Come start your day with a hot coffee and some delicious savoury delights and find out more about the new cycleway.
Dreams on Wheels exhibition - Sydney
The Dreams on Wheels exhibition showcases the Danish culture of cycling and innovative Danish bicycle design. This exhibition marks the re-opening of the Royal Danish Embassy in Canberra and is a partnership between the Embassy and the City of Sydney. The exhibition is being held at the University of Technology Sydney and the entry is free. Weekday opening hours 9am-6pm, Weekend opening hours 10am-4pm.
For more information please visit:
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/holding.html
Tour de France Breakfast Series 2008
Tour rider Henk Vogels will be heading down under to give us an insight into what happens behind the scenes on the Tour de France at three breakfasts held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Also supporting Henk will be Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute who will give you valuable information on health issues and also provide you with a heap of reasons why you should be spending more time on your bike.
The breakfasts are taking place on:
Melbourne
Date: Tuesday 8 July 2008
Venue: Melbourne Park Function Centre
Time: 7:00am for 7:15am
Sydney
Date: Thursday 10 July 2008
Venue: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont Point
Time: 7:00am for 7:15am
Brisbane
Date: Tuesday 15 July 2008
Venue: Members Dining Room, Suncorp Stadium
Time: 7:00am for 7:15am
For more information on the Tour de France Breakfast or to down load your registration form please visit:
http://www.bv.com.au/join-in/41331/
City of Sydney Spring Cycle entries open soon
The City of Sydney Spring Cycle will take place on the 19th of October. Entries for this event will open on the 10th of June.
This is a fantastic annual event open to all ages and levels of riders. Take in the spectacular sites that Sydney has to offer as the ride takes you to places like the Harbour Bridge and Olympic Park.
This years ride also has two new routes, Ride Blacktown and Ride Liverpool in addition to the traditional Ride North Sydney. Or maybe you’d prefer to Ride The Park, a more gentle 7km around Sydney Olympic Park - ideal for families.
The City of Sydney Spring Cycle is proudly supporting the MS Society. The MS Society provides programs and choices to people with Multiple Sclerosis, including a range of residential facilities, social support programs, accommodation support services, attendant care in private homes, involvement with regional centres and country link programs. These services are vital to maintain the independence and dignity of people with MS.
For more information on the Sydney City Spring Cycle visit:
http://www.springcycle.com.au/
Ride Australia's widest bike path and raise money for cancer.
On Sunday June the 15th riders will be given the opportunity to ride the new Eastlink motorway and take part in the festivities of the EastLink Roadshow.
The motorway will be car free for the day allowing riders of all levels to come along and enjoy the day in a safe environment. You will also have the opportunity to raise money for Cancer Council Victoria. If you enter before June the 6th you will go in the draw to win a new Argon 18 Plutonium road bike valued at $1499 and a host of other prizes.
For more information visit:http://www.bv.com.au/great-rides/41339/
The Climate Ride
Climate Action Coogee has initiated plans for a Climate Ride to Canberra Parliament House culminating on September 1 to support the Climate Protection Bill, drafted in late 2007 by climate action groups around Australia.
Groups will leaving Sydney on 30 August and cycling all the way to Canberra. If you would like to support the Bill but don't feel that a 239 km ride is possible for you, please join them for the last 5 km only, where they will ride from near/at the Canberra Bicycle Museum [TBC] to Parliament House.
Their current plan is that non-Sydney bicyle and climate (other other!) groups either join the ride from Sydney, or organise their own route using the http://www.bikely.com/
website, to meet the convergence in Canberra at a designated spot ~5km from Parliament House for the final leg.
So there are 4 ways you or your cycling group can be involved:
Handing out, and mailing back, postcards once signed (15 000 new ones to be printed by next week);
Joining the last 5km of the ride at Canberra to Parliament House;
Joining the Sydney to Canberra ride; or
Organizing their own ride from their local area, and doing 1) as well.
Ride of Silence 2008 Adelaide
The Adelaide Ride of Silence is for everyone. We’ll ride relatively slowly - at about 15-20km/h - over the 8km route. We’ll ride as silently as possible to commemorate bicycle riders killed or injured on our roads. At the same time many other communities across Australia will hold Rides of Silence - you’ll be part of a National event!
Ride Details
Where: Victoria Square, (immediately to the East of the tram stop)
When: May 24th Please arrive by 9am. Ride leaves at 9.30am SHARP.
Support: The ride will be escorted by SAPOL. There will be several volunteer Marshals at the assembly in Victoria Square and riding with the group.
The Route: Starts in Victoria Square (in a closed road lane), heading along King William Street South (in right-hand lane), turn right on to South Trc. (left lane), left onto Anzac Highway (left lane & bicycle lane). At Glenelg we’ll turn right at the lights on Adelphi Trc, then left through the car park on the left and straight onto the grassed area. We’ll have a short address to finalise the ride and then off for coffee or ice cream (or more riding)!
Ride of Silence 2008 Southern Highlands
On Sunday the 25th of May at 7:30am Southern Highlands Cyclists will join a world wide procession to raise awareness that cyclists, pedestrians and motorists all share the road.
The ride is to:
To honor cyclists killed or injured while cycling on public roads including two local riders Ben Mikic in 2007 and Leigh Williamson in 2003.
To raise awareness that we all share limited transport and transport infrastructure.
To encourage us all to use the roads in a safe and considerate manner.
To highlight the urgent need for suitable safe infrastructure for cyclists.
Rides of silence will roll across 250 cities in North America, Europe, Asia and other countries on or close to this date.
The ride will take place at a slow pace (max 20kph) in a silent procession to honour cyclists killed or injured while cycling on public roads.
The ride leaves from the Bowral Swimming Pool Car Park and goes to Moss Vale and back.
A Cycle Central rider was riding on the back of Mt Coot-tha when they noticed a film crew roll up. As they passed them it became clear that one of them had a radar gun hidden behind his back.
When our rider descended they had the camera rolling and the radar out. When asked, the camera men reported they were doing a story about cyclists and speed after last weeks crash in Sydney. Our rider asked them if it was a good news story or bad news story for cyclists and they were told that they would have to wait for the story to be aired.
Please make sure you stick to the speed limits in this area and also watch out for them on the river ride.
Six facts about cycling
Over 50% of car trips in Australian cities are under 5km and 30% are less than 3 km, an
ideal cycling distance
The majority of children’s car trips to school are less than 3km.
Transport is responsible for 34% of household greenhouse gas emissions
According to Medibank Private, if more Australians were physically active for just 30
minutes a day, the Australian healthcare system could save $1.5 billion a year
Government spending on road related expenditure exceeds $7.5 billion a year with only
$100 million (approx) spent on cycling infrastructure.
Australians currently riding to work save $72 million annually in traffic congestion.
Bicycles outsell cars in Australia
Australia is experiencing its biggest bicycle boom in the nation’s history, with recent figures showing a record 1.47 million bicycles sold in 2007 – outselling cars for the
8th consecutive year.
Cycling has become the 4th most popular physical activity with more than 1.6 million
Australian adults cycling in 2006, an increase of 17% from 2001. Recently released Census
figures show that many Australians have also rediscovered the bicycle as a great way to
commute, with cycling trips to work growing at an average 22% across Australian capital
cities; with Melbourne soaring 42% between 2001 and 2006.
Ms Speidel, the program director of the Cycling Promotion Fund views these changes as:
“Australians want to become more active and are looking for practical ways to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions. Cycling offers an accessible and popular way for people to not
only look after their body but also the planet and it is terrific to see so many Australians
taking up cycling”
Ride2School Art Competition
presented by the
Department of the Environment and NSW Environmental Trust
Due to popular demand and to give schools time to get their work done, Bicycle NSW is extending the closing date of the competition to May 30th 5pm.
The competition is being promoted through your ABC Local Radio breakfast programs. This is a school competition, for schools that are in the "Hands Up" part of the Ride2School program which calls for schools to create an A3 POSTER, which "best depicts how your students use bikes, walking, skates or skateboards as a healthier means of transport". To be eligible schools must register with Bicycle NSW. For information please visit http://www.bicyclensw.org.au/R2SHandsUp.asp
Gear Up Girl wrap up
The Gear Up Girl ride saw the ladies riding from Cronulla to Homebush Bay. With fears for the weather after a stormy night the day turned out to be perfect with the riders basking in the sunshine. Close to 850 ladies took part in the 55km ride with the first riders through receiving a free helmet. A big thank you to the volunteers, Bicycle NSW and the NSW Police for making this ride such an enjoyable and safe event. Congratulations to all the participants you rode fantastically. Also a big thanks to our Cycle Central team member who volunteered as a route marshal on the day.
2008 Australian Solo 24hr MTB Championships - Entries now open.
The 2008 Australian Solo 24 Hour Mountain Bike Championship will be held on the Easter long weekend at Canberra's Majura Pines in the ACT. The event will be staged by Canberra Off-Road Cyclists from the Innabaanya Guide Camp.
Camping is available onsite with hot showers and full town facilities. The Australian jerseys are up for grabs, plus cash prizes and are qualifying spots and air tickets to the 2008 24Hrs of Adrenalin World Solo Championships to be held in Canmore, Alberta in late July. This is the last 2008 Worlds qualification race in Australia.
New for 2008 is the introduction of an Open 6+6 Hour race for solo riders who don't wish to ride 24 hours, or who don't have the necessary lights - 6 hours Saturday afternoon, rest overnight and 6 hours Sunday morning.
2008 World MTB Championships
The following cyclists have been selected to represent Australia in the World Mountain Bike Championships to be held in Val di Sole, Italy 16 – 22 June.
Elite and U23 men and women Cross Country, Downhill and 4X selections will be finalised by the 20 May.
Congratulations to the riders already selected:
Mountain Bike: Charlton Durie (NSW) Rebecca Henderson (ACT) Luke Fetch (VIC) Robbie Hucker (VIC) David Johnston (NT)
Downhill: Dylan Prohm (NSW) Caroline Buchanan (ACT) Matthew Vincent (ACT) Shaun O’Connor (NSW)
Dirt Works Challenge
All 100km places in the Dirt Works challenge have been filled and it is now sold out.
Be quick to enter the 50km Challenge as places are filling up fast.
To enter the Dirt Works Challenge please click on the link: http://www.maxadventure.com.au/dirtworksclassic/
Australian champions move one step closer to fullfilling their Olympic dreams
Dellys Starr's win at the National Mountain Bike Series held in the Alpine district at Mt Beauty obtained her a position on the shadow Olympic team for Australia. Chris Jongewaard is already one of three males on the shadow team along with Dan McConnell and Sid Taberlay.
In mid-January the UCI announced that Australia would have one position for a female and one for a male at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
