Local to feature on global stage for UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

JOHANNA Clark’s bucket list is about to become shorter, as she tackles two world title events within three weeks.

The Torquay triathlete will compete in the Surf Coast Shire council-supported UCI Gran Fondo World Cycling Championships in Lorne from October 16 to 19. She will then fly to Spain for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in November.

“There aren’t many 70.3s in Australia you can do, so because the Geelong one is right on my doorstep, I thought I’d do it again in March,”she said.

“I won my age group and earned a qualifying spot for Marbella in Spain, so now I’m counting down to my second 70.3 world championships.

“Mix that in with this amazing opportunity to put on the Australian suit for the UCI World Championships in Lorne, and I’m living my dream. The bucket list is getting ticked off.”

While the pandemic meant Johanna’s Ironman world championships debut in New Zealand fell through in 2020, there was a silver lining to the Taupō event being pushed back to 2024.

 

“Amy’s Gran Fondo was a lead-up race for Taupō and one of my girlfriends said that we should do Amy’s because it would be great preparation,” she said.

“So I did, and I managed to get the last qualifying spot for the Gran Fondo World Championships.”

The Surf Coast will welcome the world’s best amateur road cyclists for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, which will coincide with Amy’s Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo.

Amy’s Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo is one of the most respected, long-standing events on the Surf Coast Events calendar.

Johanna said the 131km UCI world title road race would be ideal preparation for Spain.

The naturopath and mother-of-three believes the preparation is just as exciting as the races themselves.

“The long training sessions, the setbacks, the discipline, and the quiet wins that no one else sees — that’s where the real growth happens,” she said.

“As parents we so often pour all of our energy into helping our children achieve their goals, but it’s just as important to keep chasing our own.

“My hope is that more women, in particular, will start seeking out adventures in our beautiful backyard and discover just how strong and alive it can make you feel.”

Swims at Cosy Corner and RACV Torquay, rides along the Great Ocean Road, and runs on The Esplanade are just some of Johanna’s regular training spots.

“To now be part of these world championships events and compete against the best is amazing.”

Mayor Mike Bodsworth is excited for all the cycling action.

“This year’s Amy’s Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo will be especially memorable, as it runs alongside the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships,” he said.

“I’m thrilled that recreational riders will be tackling the truly unforgettable course on the same day as the world’s best.”

For more information, head to surfcoastevents.com.au

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