Cyclists to take on the gravel

THE endurance and skill of hundreds of cyclists will be put to the test next weekend as the Dirty Warrny returns to the region on November 9.

Now in its third year, the gravel event invites riders to explore some of the less travelled roads of the region, taking in the scenery as the tackle the challenging courses.

Participants can choose between three different distances: the Classic 80, an 84km ride from Timboon; the 140km Forrest Challenge, beginning in Forrest; and the original event, the 246km Dirty Warrny.

The Dirty Warrny takes riders from the Mount Moriac Recreational Reserve through the Otways and into Heytesbury region, passing through Deans March, Forrest and Timboon as they make their way into Warrnambool.

Event organiser Karin Jones said some riders took up to 10 hours to complete the challenging journey, with all different skill levels taking it on.

“It’s attracting top class riders and a lot of people that just want to give themselves a great day out.

“We have all levels, we have from elite men and women, men and women pros, right through to those that just want to challenge themselves and have a bit of fun”.

 

The idea for the Dirty Warrny was born from cycling enthusiasts who were inspired by the Melbourne to Warrnambool road cycling race and wanted a dirt version of the event.

It’s estimated about 500 riders will take part in this year’s ride, with participants from all over Australia signing up.

“They call the Dirty Warrny the monument of gravel events because 260km on a bike is a big thing and it’s the biggest race in Australia,” Ms Jones said.

“It’s a point to point. All the other big gravel races – in WA there’s a big one and in Adelaide there’s another big one – are circuits so they finish at the same place they start, but ours is a point to point so it’s quite epic.”

Registrations for the ride are open until Tuesday, November 5.

For more information or to sign up, head to dirtywarrny.com.au