World-class cycling returns to the coast

THE Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will mark 10 years since its inaugural race next week, when the world’s best cyclists return to the region for five days of electrifying racing through some of the state’s most scenic roads.

The action will kick off on Wednesday, January 29 at 11am in Lorne with the elite women’s teams taking on the mid-week Surf Coast Classic for the first time, a precursor to the main race which will be held on February 1.

The fast-paced point-to-point competition will take riders on a challenging course through the rolling roads of the Surf Coast Shire, including a 10km uphill climb inland towards Deans Marsh, before entering Torquay for a thrilling sprint finish by the beach.

For race founder and Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, it is this event that he is looking forward to with the most amount of interest.

After the success of its debut run last year, the elite men’s teams will hit the bitumen on Thursday, January 30 at 11am for their own edition of the Surf Coast Classic, following a similar path as the women’s race through the region.

From 5.30pm on Friday, January 31, hundreds of young riders and their families will take on a 2km circuit along the Geelong waterfront for the GeelongPort Family Ride, before cycling enthusiasts gather for the TAC People’s Ride on Saturday, February 1 for their chance to ride on the same roads as the professionals.

The main events will be held over February 1 and 2, with both the men’s and women’s peloton racing in the reverse direction, replicating that of the event’s first races in 2015 and giving fans more opportunities to see the riders up close.

Last year’s event brought 140,000 spectators into the region over just three days, generating an economic benefit of $18 million for Greater Geelong, and tens of thousands of spectators and participants are once again expected to descend on Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast.

Evans said the event had always had a community and region first approach, with local coffee shops topping the list of those set to benefit.

“Every coffee shop I go to loves it because the coffee shop per visitor in the cycling market’s very good – I think, disproportionately high in favour of the coffee shop,” he laughed.

“We want to not just promote the region to the world, but also bring in those interstate visitors, overseas visitors to everyone from hotels to local business and so on.

“To make it to 10 years means we’ve made an established event.”

“If I think back to 10 years ago – where we were, where we hoped to get to – I’m very, very proud, and especially happy and satisfied with how well the community’s become involved in it.”

He thanked the community for their ongoing support for the race and encouraged everyone to remain patient on the roads throughout the festival.

“If we’re out driving and see a group of riders, they’re elite athletes,” he said.

“Let’s just have a little bit of patience towards the visiting teams that are here and be accommodating towards them, as we would wish them to be accommodating to us if we were visiting their countries.”

Looking to the future, Evans hopes to see the race that bears his name continue on its same trajectory, becoming an even bigger part of the opening of the international cycling season.

And for him personally, his goal is to still be lining up for the People’s Ride when he’s 80 years old.

“That’ll be the last one I do,” he said.

For more information, head to cadelevansgreatoceanroadrace.com.au