GSCC joins push for Masters Challenge extension

A LOCAL cycling club has joined forces with two other organisations in a bid to extend an already popular race series.

The committees of Geelong & Surfcoast Cycling Club, Northern Cycling and Eureka Cycling Club (Ballarat) have proposed that the Victorian Masters Challenge (VMC) series is extended from three races to six following a successful opening two rounds.

The series of six races is proposed to be staged as graded scratch races, with riders from each club competing to accumulate points toward the VMC Shield awarded to the club with the highest number of points at the end of the series.

Racing numbers have already been the highest it has been in years, with 93 and 123 riders attending each of the first two events respectively.

Race management are hopeful an extension of the VMC will have a flow-on effect for the rest of the season increasing numbers at club races throughout the year.

So far, there has been good signs that the event is having the desired effect, with Geelong seeing excellent numbers at their club events since the series started.

“Don’t get me wrong, we want to win this Shield, but the really important impact is participation at club level which supports the sustainability of all our clubs for the future” Geelong & Surfcoast Cycling Club representative Tina Stenos said.

“We are already seeing the benefits and we hope our friends at Northern and Eureka experience the same level of uptake with their membership.”

Eureka Cycling Club would bring the third race of the series forward from October to May 7 on the 6.3km Burrumbeet Circuit.

Race four will take place in Geelong on August 27, race five will be staged by Northern on November 12 with the final race to be held in Ballarat on December 3 where the VMC Shield will be awarded to the winning club.

“This series was a chance to promote club camaraderie and race in a unique teams format that rarely exists for the average cyclist,” Eureka Cycling Club of Ballarat representative Stu Brien said.

“Team racing involves tactics, strategy and riders working together for the benefit of their club, not just themselves. The feedback from riders at all levels across the clubs has been fantastic.”

Details of the upcoming events are expected to be posted to the various clubs’ websites this month.