Clock is ticking towards 100 Mile Classic

The Limestone Coast will welcome some of the best riders in Australia for the She’s Apples 100 Mile Men’s Classic and the Pristine Skin & Laser Clinic, Fennell Forestry and GT Bobcat 111km Women’s Classic, to be held on May 20. First held in 1933, this race is one of the longest running races that is still handicapped. This is the 86th running of the 100 Mile Classic for men. Held over 100 miles (or 160km), this race attracts the finest riders in Australia including members of the Australian Olympic teams. Mount Gambier Cycling Club is proud to host this event, with thanks to SA Police and the Mount Gambier City Council and the many sponsors.

With more than $14,000 in prizes to be shared amongst the riders over the weekend, this race attracts a high quality field. As a handicapped race, the entrants will be grouped and leave at different times with the hope that they will all arrive together at the finish line. The first riders will leave from White Avenue, near Millard Street, at 10am, with the fastest group leaving approximately 60 minutes later. From there the riders proceed along White Avenue and Benara Road, turning on to the Kongorong –Tantanoola Road to Millicent. At Millicent the riders turn at Short Street, and return along Millicent Road to Glencoe via Mile Hill Rd. On leaving Glencoe, riders proceed along the Kangaroo Flat Road to Millicent Road then along Jubilee Highway West to Tollner Road, White Avenue and Grant Ave. Riders continue down Bay Road to Port MacDonnell and then turn for the return to Mount Gambier. The finish will be on Bay Road near the police station, at approximately 2.30pm.

The women’s classic is held as a race within a race, with the females racing in their own handicapped groups for their own 111km race, starting at a similar time to the men. This is the 5th iteration of this race, first organised by the Mt Gambier Cycling Club in 2018, and with increased sponsorship from Fennell Forestry and GT Bobcat, along with the continued support of Pristine Skin & Laser Clinic, the prizemoney for the women’s race includes $2000 for the winner, one of the richer purses in Australian cycling.

Once again, the cream of Australia’s female riders are expected to attend, including hopefully the riders from Team Bridgelane who recently took out the top four places of the Grafton to Inverell race. There is prizemoney for the first rider to cross the line, as well as for the fastest time.

The Fennell Forestry, GT Bobcat and Pristine Skin and Laser Clinic Women’s 111km Classic will start from the same place, again with the riders handicapped according to their projected speed. The ladies will follow the same course as the men out to Millicent and back, until they arrive at the corner of Bay Rd and Grant Ave where they will turn left. The finish will be on Bay Road near the police station, at approximately 2.15pm.

Crowds are more than welcome to cheer on the riders. Some good places to watch the riders will be as the groups come through Millicent; or at the top of Range Hill; as the riders head up Grant Avenue; or as the groups start coming together near the Bellum Hotel.

Of course, the thrilling downhill finish past the Blue Lake and down Bay Rd will see the riders reaching amazing speeds in the race to the line.

The junior riders will not miss out, with the running of the ASW Lawyers Junior Classic at 9am. The U11/13 riders will race a 10km course (5km out and back) along Caroline Rd at Yahl, with the U15/17 riders tackling a 40km out and back course that takes them from Yahl to the Border rd and return. This course is familiar to our local riders, and we look forward to sharing the road with young riders from around the state who will be looking to participate particularly in the Kermesse on Sunday which forms part of the SA Junior Road State Series.

On the morning of May 21 will see the Blue Lake and John Watson Drive closed as the riders tackle laps around the Blue Lake for the MGA Insurance and Native Plant Wholesalers South Australian Kermesse Championships.

Junior racers will tackle from 3 to 5 laps of the 3.6km Blue Lake circuit from 8am, while the Senior races will begin from 9am, culminating in the Mens (75 minutes + 2 laps) and Women’s (50 minutes + 2 laps) Open Championships. The start/finish line will be on John Watson Drive, between Crouch St South and Sunnyside Drive.

The close quarters racing should be enjoyable to watch, and the public is welcome.

Cyclists are notoriously late in entering, and have until May 14 to sign up, but confirmed local starters include Colin Weatherill, and former winner Matthew Opperman. Patrick Langsmith and Sarah Dally are also two local young riders who have signed up to race for the first time in their respective events.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISSY OPPERMAN

COUNTDOWN TO THE 2023 100 MILE CLASSIC: (Above main) Scratch bunch for 100 Mile Classic on the chase in 2023 (above top row from left) 2023 100 Mile Classic winner – Arturs Markovs crossing the line & 2023 limit bunch 111km Pristine Skin and Laser Clinic Womens Classic and (bottom row from left) Fastest Female – Chelsea Holmes (right) with Tina Opperman & 2023 First Mount Gambier rider home – Rob Mann with City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM.