Elite riders to converge on region this weekend

THIS weekend riders from around Australia will converge on the Blue Lake City to participate in the 88th running of the 100 Mile Cycling Classic weekend, consisting of the 100 mile Classic for Men and 118km Classic for Women on the Saturday and the State Kermesse Championships around the Blue Lake on Sunday.

A Junior Tour will also be held for U13-17 riders incorporating a Time Trial and Road Race on the Saturday, and the State Kermesse Age Championships on the Sunday.

The route this year will be the same as last year’s event, which received positive feedback from all stakeholders in terms of rider safety and lessening the amount of time on the Princes Highway.

It still incorporates key spectating spots such as the ride up the western side of Mile Hill towards Glencoe, over Grant Avenue, and between the Valley and Blue lakes before the speedy run down Bay rd to the finish line.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship, once again this year the winners of the Men’s 100 Mile Classic and the Women’s Classic will receive equal prize money.

Racing begins at 8am as the Junior riders, from Under 13 to Under 17, tackle a new course in the Moorak area. Local riders include Miles Kroon, Amelia Milne, and Molly Opperman.

Beginning with a Time Trial, the riders will then ride in their respective age groups around a 9.8km course from the Moorak Primary School, along Yells Rd to Lock Rd, turning left at Wyndham Rd and back down Telford Rd for either a another lap or a finish at the bottom of the hill near the Primary School.

Once the Junior races have been completed, attention will be drawn to the BMX Club in preparation for the men’s and women’s handicaps to begin.

In cycling handicaps, each of the riders need to complete the course, but some are given a head start before the faster riders begin their chase. In this case there is usually up to an hour’s gap between the first riders to begin and the final group.

The women will be racing their own race, and will be grouped separately to the men, with the plan being that they will finish their race about 15 minutes before the men’s race comes charging down Bay Road to the finish line in front of the Police Station.

Both races will start at Millard Street and quickly join White Avenue/Carpenter Rocks Road.

They will follow this road all the way into Carpenter Rocks, turning around at the General Store and coming back along Carpenter Rocks Road until turning left onto Kongorong/Tantanoola Road.

This could be the first chance to see the cohesion of the groups chasing each other.

The riders will then head into Tantanoola before turning right at Kennedy Avenue, right again onto the Princes Highway, and then left in order to tackle Range Hill.

There will be a feed zone heading up the hill, which may allow the riders to take on more fuel for their race, before the riders zoom into Glencoe.

Taking a left turn at Medhurst Street, this year the riders will come back to Mount Gambier along Wandilo Forest Road, before turning right onto Wandilo Road, and right again at Sassanowsky Road, rejoining the highway at Compton for the short run to Tollner Road.

With a right again at White Avenue before a left at Carinya Gardens, the riders will have one last chance to stock up on fuel before the final 50km stretch as they ride past the Blue Lake Golf Club.

Here the paths of the race diverge, with the men’s race turning right at Bay Road to continue down to Allendale East, turning around at the Area School and riding back to Mount Gambier, up past the Blue Lake and into the finishing chute, whereas the women will turn left at Bay Road and miss the Allendale East leg.

More than 80 senior riders have signed on to race the 100 Mile Classic, including local riders Dan Whitehead and Dave Bryant in the Men’s Classic and Amali Judd, Sarah Dally and Tegan Kuhl in the Women’s Classic.

The fastest riders who are making the trip to Mount Gambier include riders who have been participating in the National Road Series with distinction.

The finish of the race down Bay Road is a sight to behold, so MGCC encourages interested onlookers to see the end of the race at about 2pm.

On Sunday morning attention will be drawn to the Blue Lake as riders compete for the State Kermesse Championships.

Cyclists in various grades will be racing laps of the 3.8km circuit in a bid to be crowned the state champion, beginning with the Junior grades at 8am and culminating with the men’s State Elite Championships at 11am. Racing should be completed by 1pm.