News Shorts - 1 July

BiciSport TTT Training @ Terrey Hills @ 30 June - Jordan Reizes leads the Pilu Racing Team

BiciSport TTT Training @ Terrey Hills @ 30 June - Sean Mura leads Eric Dole & Tom Green

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• State Cross Series @ Central Coast @ 30 June - Mike Lawson report too come

• Rememberance Cup @ Western Sydney Dragway @ 29 June - Division 6 - Ian Grainger finished 6th in a bunch gallop

The new Anytime Fitness gazebo will feature at the Metropolitian Championships at Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre on Saturday 6 July from 7.30am. Look forward to seeing you there. Full details in the Special Events page of this website.

BiciSport Tour de France dinner is on Saturday 27 July at the Sandstone Cafe (Miramare Gardens) at Terrey Hills @ 6.30pm. All welcome. Details on Special Events page on this website.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • BiciSport starters include

      • M4 @ 8.10am - Davide van der Browne

      • M6 @ 8.12am - Matt Coy, Graham Cockerton, Dom Zumbo, Peter Budd & Eric Dole

      • M2 @ 9.25am - Jeremy Hopson

      • W4 @ 10.30am - Ruth Strapp

      • M9 @ 10.34am - Ian Grainger

  • Tour de France Dinner - Saturday July 27

    • Sandstone Cafe (Miramare Gardens) Myoora Rd Terrey Hills @ 6.30pm

  • Singleton TTT - August 2-4

    • 10 BiciSport teams on the Singleton TTT start line, including the Project M Team

  • Amy Gillet Gran Fondo - September 15 & 16

    • 10 BiciSport riders are doing the Amy Gillett Gran Fondo in 2019

  • Bowral Classic - October 19-20

• with Stewart Campbell & Team Happy Wheels

BICISPORT ASSISTING PROJECT M WOMENS TEAM AT SINGLETON TTT

• Project M Womens Team is from Nathan Miller’s club on the South Coast near Kiama. Team leader Jay Gaffey had heard about Nowra TTT in 2018 and decided to give it a go. The Singleton TTT is an opportunity for the Project M women’s team to develop their cycling skill set and overall strength and seeing how the NSW TTT Championships operate.

• BiciSport will be assisting the Project M Womens Team throughout the Singleton TTT weekend.

• Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

BiciSport will be assisting the Project M Womens Team from Kiama at Singleton TTT in early August

RACING THIS WEEK

• 5 July - RAW Track @ 7.30pm @ DGV

• 6 July - Metropolitan Road Championships @ Penrith Lakes from 8.00am

  • BiciSport starters - Matt Coy, Graham Cockerton, Dom Zumbo, Peter Budd, Melissa Budd, Eric Dole, Ian Grainger, Peter Verhoeven, Jeremy Hopson, Ruth Strapp, Davide van der Browne

• 7 July - West Head Road Race (Manly CC), Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters), Calga ITT (ATTA)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now LIGHTER with the NSW School Holidays

*  Note -

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Kimbriki Tip to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 1, 3, 5 July

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 2 July - M7 Cyclepath over 70k @ Bella Vista start @ 7.30am

• 2 & 4 July

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.05am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

• 3 July

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • Dunc Grey Velodrome Winter Training Group @ 7pm @ 160 laps (40k) - Fast & Slow groups

• 4 July

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Chairmans Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 5 July

  • Taren Point to Kurnell & return @ 9.30am @ towards South Cronulla

• 6 July

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am

Steve Dixon (BiciSport Master) has spent the last 4 weeks working through “technical issues” with the Tour de France team car. Steve is the undoubted doyen of sorting out technical issues with classic Peugeot’s.

Like any classic motor car from the Seventies it takes a long view on getting issues assessed and then resolved. The 504 Peugeot is now well sorted and will make an appearance at the Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre on 6 June together with the Anytime Fitness gazebo

World Professional Road Race Champion 1965-66 - Tom Simpson (Peugeot BP Team). Note the bidon on the handelbars and the French Mafac Centre Pull brakes

Sandstone Cafe @ 29 June @ Terrey Hills - Marty Wright & Eric Dole

News Shorts - 24 June

National Cyclo Cross Series Rounds 3 & 4 @ Ballarat @ 22-23 June - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes 2 wins in 2 days. Well done Mike.

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Calga @ 23 June - L to R … Matt Coy (BiciSport Pilu Racing), Eric Dole (BiciSport Anytime Fitness), Davide Browne & Ruth Strapp (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Calga @ 23 June - Despite Eric Dole being the French Housewives Favourite (no pressure !) it was up to fellow team mate & ace bunch sprinter Davide van der Browne who took the Division 4 victory (Mario Cipolini eat your heart out !). Eric took the KOM on Blood Hill & Davide did the rest. Davide was heard muttering something about the Ghent 6 in November and how good he was sprinting ….

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ HEZ @ 16 June - Jordan Reizes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) far right in the Division 2 breakaway. Matt Coy is obscured just in front of Jordan.

Caravello in Sicily @ 23 June - Jock Young (BiciSport) far right in Sicily clocking up over 100k per day

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• National Cyclo Cross Series @ Ballarat @ 22-23 June - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Master) took the wins at both Round 3 & 4 of the National Cyclocross Series

• Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Calga @ 23 June - Freezing conditions greeted Cervelo Round 2 in leafy Calga. Division 2 - Matt Coy finished 8th, Division 3 - Ruth Strapp crashed (was unhurt) and a DNF, Division 4 - Davide Browne took the victory and Eric Dole 7th & KOM award. Division 5 - Ian Grainger finished 6th & KOM award

• Caravello Group in Italy - Jock Young (BiciSport) is currently in Sicily with team Caravello clocking up 100k per day

• Happy Wheels Sponsored Group - Declan Jones has transferred out of the Happy Wheels sponsored group

CYCNSW CALENDAR CHANGES - DINNERVILLE NOW TO GUNNING ON 21 JULY

• The Ken Dinnerville 100k handicap is usually run on a circuit near Dapto. However, ongoing roadworks has necessitated a venue change to Gunning (near Goulburn)

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • a full compliment of BiciSport riders will compete across all Divisions. Start times are now listed. BiciSport will provide all day support at Penrith Lakes.

  • Tour de France Dinner - Saturday July 27

    • Sandstone Cafe (Miramare Gardens) Myoora Rd Terrey Hills @ 6.30pm

  • Singleton TTT - August 2-4

    • with 10 BiciSport teams on the Singleton TTT start line, including the Project M Womens Team

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

    • with Ian Grainger & Conor Tarlington

  • Amy Gillet Gran Fondo - September 15 & 16

    • 10 BiciSport riders are doing the Amy Gillett Gran Fondo in 2019

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

    • with Ian Grainger

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

    • with Ian Grainger

BiciSport is assisting the Project M Womens TTT team to tackle the Singleton State TTT on 3 August with Jay Gaffey, Emma Wright, Steph Jackson & Clarinda Sheeley

BICISPORT ASSISTING PROJECT M WOMENS TEAM AT SINGLETON TTT

• Project M Womens Team is from Nathan Miller’s club on the South Coast near Kiama. Team leader Jay Gaffey had heard about Nowra TTT in 2018 and decided to give it a go. The Singleton TTT is an opportunity for the Project M women’s team to develop their cycling skill set and overall strength and seeing how the NSW TTT Championships operate.

• BiciSport will be assisting the Project M Womens Team throughout the Singleton TTT weekend.

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT BICISPORT TRAINING SESSION IS AT TERREY HILLS ON SUNDAY 30 JUNE

• Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 30 June @ Terrey Hills - See the Special Events page of this website

• Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 28 June - RAW Track Season commences @ 7.30pm @ DGV

• 29 June - Rememberance Cup @ Eastern Creek Raceway

• 30 June - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters), Melburn Roobaix Cyclosportive @ Melbourne

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the NSW School Term in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Kimbriki Tip to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 24, 26, 28 June

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 25, 27 June

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.05am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

• 26 June

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • Dunc Grey Velodrome Winter Training Group @ 7pm @ 160 laps (40k) - Fast & Slow groups

• 27 June

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Chairmans Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 28 June

  • Taren Point to Kurnell & return @ 9.30am @ towards South Cronulla

• 29 June

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am

• 30 June

  • BiciSport TTT training session @ Hills Nursery Terrey Hills carpark @ 7.30am, depart 8.00am for Duffys Forest. Coffee at Hills Nursery from 9.15am (All Welcome)

28 June @ RAW Track starts at the DGV from 7.30pm

29 June @ Eastern Creek Raceway

30 June @ Northcote Velodrome Melbourne

News Shorts - 17 June

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - before the start with Conor Tarlington, Rhett Hall & Ruth Strapp

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - Division 2 start line with Rhett Hall & Conor Tarlington

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 May - Ruth Strapp lines up on a Specialised Venge at the Division 4 start line in Gunnedah

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - Staying in Quirindi on the Saturday night looked like a masterstroke with a great new motel & excellent food nearby …. but lets talk about the endless ! ! coal trains that shuffle through the centre of town ALL through the night and the friendly train driver who hits the horn twice (once is more than enough to wake up the whole town but rules are rules). The weather dawned close to perfect with clear skies and little wind with 9am temperatures hovering just on 9 degrees. The course went due south towards Quirindi, veering left to Werris Creek, then left again into Tamworth. Rhett Hall & Conor Tarlington both rode really well in Division 2 for a peloton finish and ditto for Ruth Strapp in Division 4. The weekend was well organised save for the Quirindi coal trains !.

• Recovery Ward - Speedy recovery to Peter Holyfield who had a nasty early early morning training accident riding to the lighthouse at South West West Rocks due to a confrontation with a local wallaby. Peter landed heavily and broke a pelvis. Get well soon Peter. Eric Dole & Ian Grainger have recently had near misses with wallabies on the West Head Road

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Cervelo Masters Series - June 23 (Calga) & July 14 (Western Sydney Dragway)

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • a full compliment of BiciSport riders will compete across all Divisions. Start times are now listed. BiciSport will provide all day support at Penrith Lakes.

  • Singleton TTT - August 2-4

    • with 10 BiciSport teams on the Singleton TTT start line, including the Project M Womens Team

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

    • with Ian Grainger & Conor Tarlington

  • Amy Gillet Gran Fondo - September 15 & 16

    • 10 BiciSport riders are doing the Amy Gillett Gran Fondo in 2019

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

    • with Ian Grainger

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

    • with Ian Grainger

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT BICISPORT TRAINING SESSION IS AT TERREY HILLS ON SUNDAY 30 JUNE

• Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 30 June @ Terrey Hills - See the Special Events page of this website

• Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 23 June - Cervelo Masters Super Series # 2 (Calga), Western Sydney Dragway (Waratah Masters)

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - Conor Tarlington after the finish

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - Rhett Hall after the finish

Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race @ 16 June - another great result by Ruth Strapp as she crosses the line in Division 4

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the NSW School Term in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Kimbriki Tip to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 17, 19, 21 June

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 18, 20 June

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.05am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

• 19 June

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • Dunc Grey Velodrome Winter Training Group @ 7pm @ 160 laps (40k) - Fast & Slow groups

• 20 June

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Chairmans Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 22 June

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am

BICILEAKS - Prologue Edition

• As the first draft of BiciLeaks Prologue Edition was mildly libelous and had to be more heavily redacted than the Fake News Mueller Report, it will be held over until next week

The next round of the Cervelo Masters Super Series is 23 June at Calga. Entries are via CyclingNSW.

Held in Melbourne on 30 June featuring numerous cobbled sections in and around Melbourne in the spirit of Paris Roubaix with a traditional finish at the Northcote Velodrome

Held at Eastern Creek Raceway on Saturday 29 June with entries via CyclingNSW

News Shorts - 10 June

Cairns Ironman @ 9 June - Great effort by Gio Pilu (BiciSport Pilu Racing)

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Jordan Reizes & Matt Coy

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Jordan Reizes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took 3rd in Division 2

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Raoul Westbrook, Ruth Strapp & Mike O’Reilly

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Ruth Strapp facing the Division 3 start line

Cervelo Masters Super Series @ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Davide Brown & Ian Grainger

BICISPORT WEBSITE HITS UP 15%

• Pleasing to report that BiciSport website hits are showing a strong growth over the last 12 months. Thank you to all who have contributed & keep your results and pictures coming in.

WARATAH TUES & THURS TRAINING BUNCH TIMES BACK 15 MINUTES

• See details below as the Waratah’s Masters Tuesday & Thursday rides now pass through Terrey Hills at 8.05am on route to Akuna Bay. This has been done to avoid school drop off traffic peaks along Booralie Rd towards Duffys Forest

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Cervelo Masters Super Series @ HEZ Kurri Kurri @ 10 June - Great rides by Jordan Reizes (3rd in Div 2), Matt Coy (7th in Div 2) - both featured in a 9 rider breakaway that formed on lap 2 of 5 laps that stayed away. Ruth Strapp (Div 3 - 10th @ 2nd female) Raoul Westbrook & Davide Browne (Div 4 - 4th) & Ian Grainger (Div 5 - 11th in a peloton finish).

• Waratah Masters @ Heffron Park @ 2 June - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took another A Grade win at Heffron Park

BICiLEAKS - PROLOGUE EDITION

At a recent Keepers of the Cog dinner at the Sandstone Cafe at Terrey Hills it was suggested (by the Bellingen Bandit no less) that the old “In the 11 Cog” fake news blog on the original BiciSport website should be rebirthed as BiciLeaks … sort of a cycling fake news, at times reality web blog, or a trashy gossip column with a hint of bad taste & lycra clad sarcasm … sort of a cycling facebook without the pointless pictures of food or your latest overseas cycling trip that nobody really cares about. In the old days it was taking a cheap swipe at the Click to Cart Credit Card Cycling Club when there are now far more interesting discussion topics to be had. Lets begin the chatter from next week.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Singleton Recce (Sat) & Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race (Sun) - June 15 & 16

    • with Conor Tarlington, Ruth Strapp & Rhett Hall

  • Cervelo Masters Series - June 23 & July 14

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • a full compliment of BiciSport riders will compete across all Divisions

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

    • with Ian Grainger & Conor Tarlington

  • Amy Gillet Gran Fondo - September 15 & 16

    • in excess of 10 BiciSport riders are doing the Amy Gillett in 2019

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

    • with Ian Grainger

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

    • with Ian Grainger

  • Sam Miranda Weekend (Wangaratta, Vic ) - October 11-13

    • with Conor Tarlington

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT BICISPORT TRAINING SESSION IS AT TERREY HILLS ON SUNDAY 30 JUNE

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 30 June @ Terrey Hills - See the Special Events page of this website

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

RACING THIS WEEK

• Note - Club racing has now returned to Calga after delays with Police approvals. Well organised by Central Coast Club these club races are now monthly, on a Sunday morning from Sunday 21 July

• 15-16 June - Gunnedah Weekend - BiciSport starters Ruth Strapp, Rhett Hall & Conor Tarlington

• 16 June - Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the NSW School Term in full swing

*  Note -

• Avoid Central Sydney

  • Due to the Vivid light show in central Sydney City all traffic conditions are heavy until June 15

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 10, 12, 14 June

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 11, 13 June

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.05am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

• 12 June

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • Dunc Grey Velodrome Winter Training Group @ 7pm @ 160 laps (40k) - Fast & Slow groups

• 13 June

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Chairmans Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 15 June

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am

Madonna Del Ghissalo Church @ Lake Como Italy @ 6 June - Sarah & Derek Culey

Madonna Del Ghissalo Church @ Lake Como Italy @ 6 June - the church features numerous donations from champion cyclists across the ages

News Shorts - 3 June

Sandstone Cafe @ Miramare Gardens Terrey Hills @ 1 June - Big Vinnie delivers the “Birthday Hug” to Ian Grainger (BiciSport President) on his 70th birthday. The birthday cake of a single friand + single sparkler was a delicate touch with Paul Warby still trying to figure it all out … .

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• ATTA ITT @ Calga @ 2 June - Over 25k option Matt Coy 16th (from 77 starters) @ 38min 34secs, Ian Grainger 52nd @ 43min 54 secs, Raoul Westbrook 58th @ 45min 06secs.

• National Cyclo Cross Series - Mike Lawson continues to ride the National Series

CYCLING NSW GETS A NEW CHAIRMAN - Glenn Vigar

• Congratulations to Glenn Vigar (St George CC) on becoming the new Cycling NSW Board Chairman. Glenn has been a life long supporter of NSW & Australian cycling and is regularly seen as the Chief Commissaire at numerous NSW & National Championships. Glenn’s elevation to the top job comes at a most important time with cycle sport facing significant challenges.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Singleton Recce & Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race - June 15 & 16

    • with Conor Tarlington, Ruth Strapp & Rhett Hall

  • Cervelo Masters Series - June 10 & 23, July 14

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • a full compliment of BiciSport riders will compete across all Divisions

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

    • with Ian Grainger & Conor Tarlington

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

    • with Ian Grainger

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

    • with Ian Grainger

  • Sam Miranda Weekend (Wangaratta, Vic ) - October 11-13

    • with Conor Tarlington

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT BICISPORT TRAINING SESSION IS SUNDAY 7 JULY

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 30 June @ Terrey Hills - See the Special Events page of this website

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 9 June - Western Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters), Calga Road Race (Central Coast)

• 10 June - Cervelo Masters Super Series (HEZ Industrial Zone @ Kurri Kurri) - BiciSport starters Ruth Strapp, Ian Grainger, Jordan Reizes, Rhett Hall & Raoul Westbrook

  • Div 5 - 8.30am, Div 3 - 9.00am, Div 4 - 9.01am, Div 1 - 10.50am, Div 2 - 10.51am

BiciSport Saturday coffee is at @ Sandstone Cafe at Miramare Gardens on Myoora Rd at Terrey Hills. Meet up time is from 9.30am and concluded by 10.15am

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the NSW School Term in full swing

*  Note -

• Avoid Central Sydney

  • Due to the Vivid light show in central Sydney City all traffic conditions are heavy until June 15

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 3, 5, 7 June

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 4, 6 June

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

• 5 June

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • Dunc Grey Velodrome Winter Training Group @ 7pm @ 160 laps (40k) - Fast & Slow groups

• 6 June

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Chairmans Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 8 June

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am

For Sale - Fondriest (Italian) 52cm loaded with Campagnolo 11 speed groupset @ $1,500 ono . In immaculate condition, never crashed, “only ridden to Church Point on a Sunday” says current owner Ken Edwards. Feel free to contact Ken on 0412 261 422.

Akuna Bay @ West Head Rd Intersection @ 25 May - a favourite northside cycling spot offering great cycling in traffic free conditions. Picture taken by Nigel Smith (BiciSport).

News Shorts - 27 May

BiciSport TTT Training @ Terrey Hills @ 26 May - Stewart Campbell with the Green Beast

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 26 May - L to R … Stewart Campbell, Graham Cockerton & Eric Dole (hidden is Randolph Baral behind Eric)

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 26 May - Jordan Reizes leads Pilu Racing

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 26 May - today was full of highlights … sitting on Booralie Rd watching the BiciSport teams fly past just after 8am & I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Ray Blackett who owns the somewhat unique Bash Car. That was sooo much fun & what a character & gentleman. Mike O’R

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• HEZ Industrial Estate @ Kurri Kurri @ 25 May - A good quality field of 140 starters took the start. A grade - Rhett Hall finished in the main peloton. C grade - Ruth Strapp finished 6th in C grade.

• UCI Gran Fondo World Championships @ Poland @ September - Ruth Strapp is joining Peter & Melissa Budd in the Poland this year after qualifying at the B2B in Bathurst in March.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS NOW ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Singleton Recce & Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race - June 15 & 16

    • with Conor Tarlington, Ruth Strapp & Rhett Hall

  • Cervelo Masters Series - June 10 & 23, July 14

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

    • a full compliment of BiciSport riders will compete across all Divisions

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

    • with Ian Grainger & Conor Tarlington

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

    • with Ian Grainger

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

    • with Ian Grainger

  • Sam Miranda Weekend (Wangaratta, Vic ) - October 11-13

    • with Conor Tarlington
      

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT TRAINING SESSION IS 2 JUNE AT CALGA

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 2 June @ ATTA Calga from 8.30am onwards. All welcome

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 2 June - Western Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters)

• 2 June - ATTA Individual Time Trial @ Calga (includes BiciSport teams for Singleton)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the NSW School Term in full swing

*  Note -

• Avoid central City

  • Due to the Vivid light show in central Sydney City all traffic conditions are heavy until June 15

• Roadworks

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 27 & 29 & 31 May

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 28 May

  • Hills Nursery Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay & West Head

• 28 & 30 May

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

• 29 May

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 30 May

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Centennial Park Ride @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 1 June

  • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 2 June

  • BiciSport Team Time Trial Training @ Calga ATTA from 8.30am @ Jones Rd

BICISPORT BIKES IN THE PELOTON - NIGEL SMITH SPECIALISED TARMAC

Miramare Gardens @ 25 May - Nigel Smith (BiciSport) with his Specialised Tarmac

I have been cycling with Mike O’Reilly for the best part of 30 years, and count myself very fortunate to have enjoyed a life long friendship & heavily influenced passion for cycling from a young age. I am flattered that my latest bike build has made the club website with a great mates endorsement .

In more recent years as my career has progressed, training time decreased, while financial means increased. This shifted my perspective on what I enjoyed about cycling and how it motivates me. I was less fussed about performance gains (I was never going to be a pro) and more appreciative of the time I had to enjoy the experience of riding that lead to a new motivation to research & build up various bike projects. Needless to say I have learned lots of home mechanic skills, hacks, & tips along the way, and a big thank you to watching expert builds on YouTube. However the road bike industry is changing faster than I can keep up with both technically & financially. Seems that 2015 is now retro, and newly released top spec bikes cost more than my wife’s car - how did that happen? $17K for a cobble specific, disk only, etap bike - are you kidding? These marginal gains - all aero - micro segment analysis stats is a bit lost on me, when in actual fact I want the ride to last longer, not get through a training ride as quickly as possible. Time on the bike enjoying the experience of cycling (and coffee with mates) was more important than my time uploaded to Garmin.

So with that in mind, this is the backstory to my “old school passion project” before disk brakes & proprietary frame integration take over the world. With a garage full of tools, spare parts and wheels accumulated over the years, I did not want to see these personal investments (& memories) made redundant for an old school rider who still enjoys box rims, quick release skewers, classic racing frames with round tubes, and mechanical shifting, on builds that I can tinker with at home and source parts as a hobby.

The bike in the photo is my latest project, and probably last build for a while (n+1 no more).

The specs :

* Speciialized Tarmac S Works SL4 size 54cm, in rare BOB colourway.

* Ceramic Speed headset & bottom bracket bearings

* S Works FACT carbon seatpost

* Full Dura Ace 9000 group with 39 x 53 chainset (no longer standard spec these days), & 11 x 28 11 speed cassette

* Deda 42cm bars, 110mm stem & Deda bar tape

* Fast Forward F2A alloy clinchers with DT Swiss 240s hubs (hand built) & swiss stop blue brake pads (very worthy upgrade over standard pads)

* Conti 5000 GP tyres with latex tubes (transforms any wheels I put them on - what a discovery)

* Prologo Scratch2 Nack Saddle - personal fav

* Look Keo Blade pedals

* Garmin 130 computer

* Tacx Teo cage & bottle

* Weight = 6.85kg as pictured

Having owned a number of Specialized S Works bikes since 2010 (they tend to breed in the garage over the winter months), this SL4 Tarmac edition is the most refined ride and classic stage racing bike I have experienced, and makes you want to stay out that extra hour longer. The main highlights are the very low weight, surprising smoothness of the entire package (take a bow DT Swiss hubs, Conti tyres, and 9000 Dura Ace), the BB stiffness with a short wheelbase that translates directly into super confident handling & scalpel sharp cornering on tight turns & switchbacks. This bike absolutely flatters the rider, and is a much better bike than I am as the rider. I couldn’t push this bike to its limits with our surpassing my own, however it’s great seeing it piloted by the best pros in the world when competing in grand tours over all sorts of stages & terrain. It’s all the bike I’ll ever need & a great looking silhouette on a sunny day. The natural high from riding such a great bike stays with you long after ride is over.

It has been a pleasure building this bike in my garage (with not too many tools required), with equal parts of planning the process, sourcing the exact parts I wanted to spec, and dialling it all in to my personal preferences of years spent riding.

These projects do not have to cost a lot if you are prepared to look for closeout deals & be patient when on line looking for bits that pop up on bikeexchange.com.au or eBay. Another tip is to search Pinterest for ideas and colour ways of finishing kit.

As I said at the start, this was a passion project not to be rushed but enjoyed as a process, an outlet for stress, a motivator, and all the more satisfying when riding the end result - that is a unique classic build a personal "time stamp" to be remembered for years to come.

Hope you enjoy these personal insights - happy riding.

Cheers, Nige

Giro D’Italia 2019 - the Gavia Pass last week is looking somewhat snowbound. Lets hope it opens for the grand stage on Tuesday but chances now look slim.

Giro D’Italia 2019 - work continued on the Gavia Pass last week to clear the snow

News Shorts - 20 May

Dean Carter Interclub @ Griffith @ 19 May - Frank Signor on the start line

Dean Carter Interclub @ Griffith @ 19 May - Peter Budd at the start line

Dean Carter Interclub @ Griffith @ 19 May - Frank Signor giving it full gas in the Riverina Interclub handicap

Dean Carter Interclub @ Griffith @ 19 May - Frank Signor tops the KOM in the big chainwheel no less with just 7k to the finish

Dean Carter Interclub @ Griffith @ 19 May - Peter Budd takes 6th place overall

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Waratah Masters @ Heffrion Park @ 19 May - Raoul Westbrook took 4th place in D grade

• Dean Carter Interclub Handicap @ Griffith @ 19 May - Frank Signor was in a storming mood at the Dean Carter (getting in the hard yards for the Singleton Team Time Trial). Peter Budd took 6th overall.

Akuna Bay @ 19 May - Len Groen, Dom Zumbo & Tom Green in heavy fog at Akuna Bay. Picture Graham Cockerton

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS - NEW EVENTS NOW ADDED, OTHERS UPDATED

• New Special Events added or updated on the BiciSport website now include -

  • Singleton Recce & Gunnedah Tamworth Road Race - June 15 & 16

  • Cervelo Masters Series - June 10 & 23, July 14

  • Sydney Metropolitan Championships (Penrith Lakes) - July 6

  • Goulburn Weekend - September 7 & 8

  • NSW Masters Road Championships (Coffs Harbour) - September 21 & 22

  • CA Masters Road Championships (Adelaide) - October 3-6

  • Sam Miranda Weekend (Wangaratta, Vic ) - October 11-13
    

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEXT TRAINING SESSION IS 26 MAY AT TERREY HILLS

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 26 May @ Hills Nursery Terrey Hills Car Park @ 7.30am and depart @ 8.00am for 3-4 laps of Duffys Forest. Coffee is back @ Miramare Cafe Terrey Hills @ 9.15am. All welcome

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

• RACING THIS WEEK

  • 26 May - Ken Dinnerville Handicap @ Dapto POSTPONED due to local roadworks

  • 26 May - Western Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters)

  BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

  *  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the start of the NSW School Term

  *  Note -

  • Roadworks of note

    • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

    • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

  All group rides are cancelled if wet

  • 20 & 22 & 24 May

    • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

  • 21 May

    • Hills Nursery Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay & West Head

  • 21 & 23 May

    • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

  • 22 May

    • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • 23 May

    • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

    • Centennial Park Ride @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

  • 25 May

    • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

    • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

  • 26 May

    • BiciSport Team Time Trial Training @ Hills Nursery Carpark Terrey Hills. Meet @ 7.30am & depart @ 8.00am for Booralie Rd Duffys Forest x 3 laps

    • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

Giro D’Italia & Andy Hampsten on the snowy Gavia Pass in 1988 in a total blizzard. The Giro returns to the Gavia this year.

News Shorts - 13 May

Grafton Inverell Classic @ 10 May - Declan Jones (BiciSport Happy Wheels) the day before the race in Grafton in sunny & warm conditions.

Grafton Inverell Classic @ 11 May - Before the 7.30am start on the Saturday in Grafton and conditions were windy & freezing. The forecast was barely 10 degrees at the Gibraltar Range summit.

Grafton Inverell Classic @ 11 May - Declan Jones rides a nice Scott Foil loaded on Ultegra Di2, with chainwheels of 39x53 against 11x28 on the rear.

Grafton Inverell Classic @ 11 May - a typical view in the Grafton Inverell Classic outside Glen Innes from the front seat of the Happy Wheels Doctor’s car

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 11 May

  • Declan Jones faced his first Grafton Inverell Classic over 228k in cold & windy conditions. The wind was from the south west meaning left to right crosswinds all day. For Declan in Division 2 what lay ahead was a lumpy ride to the bottom of the Gibraltar Range, then a 13k climb to the Gibraltar summit. Grafton Inverell is a most difficult learning experience and things didn’t go quite to plan and Declan was a DNF at the Mount Marshall Feed Zone @ 120k. It was a tough day.

  • Alex Simmons drove the Division 3 event as a Commissaire & Mike O’Reilly drove the Happy Wheels Subaru as the NRS Division 1 Doctors Car.

• Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne @ 12 May - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took the A grade victory, and Ian Grainger a peloton finish in C grade

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - COURSE RECCE COMPLETED ON 29 APRIL

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 26 May @ Hills Nursery Terrey Hills Car Park @ 7.30am and depart @ 8.00am for 3-4 laps of Duffys Forest. Coffee is back @ Miramare Cafe Terrey Hills @ 9.15am. All welcome

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

  RACING THIS WEEK

  • 14 May - CyclingNSW Annual General Meeting @ Bankstown Sports Club

  • 19 May - Heffron Park (Waratah Masters)

  BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

  *  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the start of the NSW School Term

  *  Note -

  • Roadworks of note

    • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

    • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced with a completion date of 2022.

  All group rides are cancelled if wet

  • 13 & 15 & 17 May

    • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

  • 14 May

    • M7 Cyclepath over 70k @ 7.30am @ starting finishing at Bella Vista Shops

  • 14 & 16 May

    • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

  • 15 May

    • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

  • 16 May

    • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

    • Centennial Park Ride @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

  • 17 May

    • Cnr Mill Park Street & Walker St Rhodes (at the Cafe) @ Rhodes @ 8.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

    • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

  • 18 May

    • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

Hills Nursery Terry Hills @ 8 May - Rod Comish (BiciSport) with Herve the 404 Peugeot

Melburn Roobaix is held in Melbourne on 30 June in and around the local suburbs & includes numerous sections of local pave with a finish at the Northcote Velodrome

Melburn Roobaix @ Sunday 30 June - its quirky, its different, its very enjoyable, its Hell of the Northcote. The best bike party of the year in Victoria.

The Giro d’Italia starts this week.

A Bologna start then its south to San Giovanni Rotondo, then north to a Verona finish.

News Shorts - 6 May

NSW Riverina Interclub @ Albury @ 28 Apr - Peter Budd on the start line

NSW Riverina Interclub @ Albury @ 28 Apr - Peter Budd

ATTA ITT @ Calga @ 5 May - Mike Foster (BiciSport Pilu Racing) . Photo MOR.

ATTA ITT @ Calga @ 5 May - Mike Foster & Matt Coy

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Riverina Interclub @ 28 Apr - Peter Budd reports

  • The Riverina Interclub handicap was held in Albury over 65k. The wind was seemingly always in your face or a crosswind where gutter riding was the order of the day. It was a tough day where the front (handicap) groups took the honours. A good opportunity to test the legs with good race speed.

• ATTA Time Trials @ 5 May @ Calga

  • ATTA attracted a good turn out in windy conditions with a slight chill in the air. Good rides by Mike Foster (5th from 69 starters), Jeremy Hopson (11th) & Matt Coy (21st), Tom Green (24th), Mike Lawson (42nd) & Ian Grainger (43rd).

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS

• GRAFTON TO INVERELL CLASSIC - 11 MAY

  • Declan Jones (BiciSport Happy Wheels) lines up for the full G2I Classic over 240k on Saturday 11 May

  • Alex Simmons will be assisting as a CyclingNSW race commissaire

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - COURSE RECCE COMPLETED on 29 APRIL

  • Next BiciSport TTT training session is set for Sunday 26 May @ Hills Nursery Terrey Hills Car Park @ 7.30am and depart @ 8.00am for 3-4 laps of Duffys Forest. Coffee is back @ Hills Nursery Cafe @ 9.15am. All welcome

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & club ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

  • If you enjoyed the Greenwell Point-Nowra experience then Singleton will come as a real surprise with a great circuit, improved accommodation & better dinner venues and a Sunday BiciSport club ride on traffic free roads. A weekend not to be missed & hope to see you there.

  • A circuit recce was conducted on 29 April and the new circuit report is detailed in Special Events.

ATTA ITT @ Calga @ 5 May - David Browne (BiciSport) is the ATTA starter out of the ITT ramp, with Ian Grainger a study of concentration

ATTA ITT @ Calga @ 5 May - Tom Green (BiciSport) exits the ATTA start ramp. Thanks to Mike Lawson for supplying a new rear wheel to Tom (who punctured in the warm up)

RACING THIS WEEK

• 11 May - Grafton to Inverell Classic - BiciSport starters (Declan Jones), and Commissaire Alex Simmons

• 12 May - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the start of the NSW School Term

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 6 & 8 & 10 May

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 7 May

  • M7 Cyclepath over 70k @ 7.30am @ starting finishing at Bella Vista Shops

• 7 & 9 May

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

• 8 May

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 9 May

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Centennial Park Ride @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 10 May

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 11 May

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

Welcome to some great Giro d’Italia racing starting soon ….

News Shorts - 29 April

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 28 April - BiciSport Pilu Racing

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 28 April - L to R … Graeme Cocks, Raoul Westbrook & Ian Grainger

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 28 April - L to R … Len Groen, Randolph Baral, Eric Dole, Dom Zumbo & Graham Cockerton

BiciSport TTT training @ Terrey Hills @ 28 April - L to R … John Robb, Mike Lawson, Eric Dole & Peter Verhoeven

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• BicSport TTT training @ 28 Apr - An excellent first up roll up at Terrey Hills with four teams circulating in near perfect weather conditions. Future training sessions are listed in the Special Events section of this website

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS

• GRAFTON to INVERELL CLASSIC - 11 May

  • Declan Jones (BiciSport Happy Wheels) lines up for the full G2I Classic over 240k on Saturday 11 May

• WISEMANS FERRY TO THE MOUNTAIN - NOVEMBER 19

  • Originally set down for mid May 19, this promotion has been moved to November 19

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEW DATE NEW VENUE SAME GREAT WEEKEND - 3 & 4 AUGUST

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend in Singleton.

  • Full BiciSport team details (accommodation, dinner & ride details) are now posted on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 4-5 May - Cootamundra Weekend (CyclingNSW)

• 5 May - Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters), West Head Road Race (Manly CC)

Springbrook climb behind the Gold Coast @ 19 April - Peter Davis (BiciSport Happy Wheels) at the summit

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are now HEAVIER with the start of the NSW School Term

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 20 Apr, 1 May & 3 May

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 30 Apr & 2 May

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

• 1 May

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 2 May

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Centennial Park Ride @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe

• 4 May

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 5 May

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

• BiciSport Team Time Trial Training - see you at ATTA Calga on Sunday 5 May for the first ATTA hit out for BiciSport teams. Team & individual start times to be confirmed. For further information contact Mike O’Reilly on 0417 403 244

Vale Patrick Sercu - The Ghent 6 Day in tribute to the memory of Patrick Sercu

News Shorts - 22 April

National Masters Track Championships 2019 - Lise Benjamin (BiciSport W7) was awarded the W7 Champion of Champions Jersey

Cycling Australia Masters Track Championship (BRISBANE)

BICISPORT ReSULTS

Individual Pursuit - M2 … Jeremy Hopson 4th, M5 … Randolph Baral 5th (just one second off a Bronze medal), M7 … Peter Verhoeven 5th

Sprint - W7 … Lise Benjamin Gold

Time Trial - W7 … Lise Benjamin Gold, M2 … Jeremy Hopson Bronze

Points - W7 … Lise Benjamin Gold, M7 … Peter Verhoeven Silver

Scratch - W7 … Lise Benjamin Gold, M7 … Peter Verhoeven Bronze

Team Sprint - W85+ … Lise Benjamin Bronze (with Cath Hooton), M2 … Jeremy Hopson 4th

Champion of Champions - W7 … Lise Benjamin + Broke World Record in flying 200m qualifying

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS NEWS

• GRAFTON to INVERELL CLASSIC

  • Declan Jones (BiciSport Happy Wheels) lines up for the full G2I Classic over 240k on Saturday 11 May

• WISEMANS FERRY TO THE MOUNTAIN

  • Originally set down for mid May 19, this promotion has been moved to November 19

• NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - NEW DATE NEW VENUE SAME GREAT WEEKEND

  • BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Championships to be held over the 3-4 August weekend.

  • BiciSport will provide team training, paid entry fees, comprehensive team assistance, fully paid Saturday night accommodation together with a fully supported Sunday training ride.

  • Nominations are now open and further details are on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 27 Apr - Otway Classic Cyclosportive (Torquay, Vic)

• 27-28 Apr - NSW Criterium Championships & Snow Wilson Criteriums (Heffron Park)

• 22 & 28 Apr - Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters CC)

Eric Mather Cup Eastern Creek @ 22 Apr - Graham Cockerton, Ian Grainger & Dom Zumbo

BiciSport Happy Wheels does Griffith @ 19 Apr - Melissa Budd and Frank Signor at Griffith

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK - For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are LIGHTER with the NSW School Holidays on at present

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 22 Apr, 24 Apr & 26 Apr

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 23 & 25 Apr

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.25am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am then to St Ives for coffee

• 24 Apr

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 25 Apr

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

• 27 Apr

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6 x 10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 28 Apr

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

• BiciSport Team Time Trial Training - see you at the Hills Nursery carpark at Terrey Hills on Sunday 28 April for the first hit out for the BiciSport teams. Arrive Hills Nursery Carpark @ 7.30am and depart 8.00am for Booralie Rd Loops. For further information contact Mike O’Reilly on 0417 403 244

BiciSport Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 20 Apr - L to R. Chris Turner, Eric Dole, Maarten van den Wright (Mapei), Neil Farqy, Raoul Westbrook, Ian Grainger & Kenny Edwards. The “10k to Finish” sign is courtesy of the 2019 Milan San Remo professional race somewhat “procured” after the pro race went through on the day and duly autographed by Alberto Elli.

Paris Roubaix Challenge Cyclosportive @ 13 April

BiciSport in Flanders 2019

Paris Roubaix Report @ 14 April.

Watching PR live was one thing, but working on it took matters to another level. The three Mike’s agreed that MO’R would do the driving and both ML & MO’B would run the wheels and the bidons. The Delko Sports Director had given the BiciSport team something like six meeting points for the race. Technically we were not allowed to drive on the race course inside the race envelope (that was a big no no), so it was … cut across country driving like an idiot and get in front of the race for the next pass point. Shit, how does this work …

The start from Compiegne at 11.00am was simple enough, and up through Cambrai into deep rural France, first stop being the Quivey/Viesly cobbles (Sectors 28/25). The break of the day had already happened, so all good.

Second feeding stop was at the Maing cobbles, and that was where the driving got really interesting with numerous support teams all doing the same thing (driving with purpose and vigor, others may choose to call it speeding). Through the villages of St Python (no Monty there !), we blasted through Haussy in a heartbeat, and straight into Maing nice and early. Geez, that was fun and all a blur. By the time the bike race got to Maing the proverbial had hit the fan … the peloton was now in four groups, the hurt box wide open and doing a good trade. Brenton Jones had a mechanical problem and was in group four. The bike race looked like a grenade had gone off and we were a fair distance still to Wallers Arenberg.

Next stop on the PR magical mystery tour was supposed to be the Wallers Arenberg Forest, but … sorting out Brenton had meant a rethink as we were now way behind schedule. Going to Wallers was dropped and we headed to the Templeuve cobbles (Sector 8). Mike Lawson serviced the leading Delko rider, but then we were in a bind as to what to do now. Trouble was you couldn’t drive within the race envelope. What now ?.

We cut across country & hurtled (with purpose) down the A23 freeway towards Lille then decided to see if we could find the race one last time near Hem. Chances were zero at best.

Mike O’Brien is the Human Google Maps … with a short cut off the A23, through the industrial suburb of Fretlin (who knows where that is !), left, right, dirt road, left again. Somehow we popped out of a tiny rural side street straight into the PR race ! !. Crikey MO’B you’re a xxxxing genius. We’d gone from 10 minutes behind the leaders to 5 minutes in front & no idea how we just did it … nice job Mike O’Brien.

Crowds were huge waiting for the leaders and here we were in a rented VW van (with the all important accreditation sticker on the VW windscreen) and somehow in disbelief we’d landed in front of the Roubaix classic. Still smiling we parked up at the Hem cobbles (10k from the finish) and waited for Phil Gilbert to do the deed.

Thanks to Chris Jones for giving us the opportunity & the Delko Marseille team (and Brenton Jones) for being such inspiring individuals.

This is the last BiciSport in Flanders blog. Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Mike O’R

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Peter Sagan on the way to the Compiegne start. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Quivey Feed Zone (Zone 26) for the breakaway of the day. Photo MOR.

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Brenton Jones having a mechanical that ruined his day

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Just after the Maing cobbles with a shredded main peloton. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Peter Sagan exits the Templeuve cobbles in the lead group. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - The Templeuve cobbles. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix @ 14 April - Phil Gilbert heads for victory just after the Hem cobbles with 10k to the finish in the Roubaix Velodrome.. Photo MOR.

Delko Team @ 13 April - Look team bikes prepared for Sunday. Photo MOR

Delko Team @ 13 April - Inside the Delko mechanic’s cave. Photo MOR.

Delko Team @ 13 April - All aboard the Delko team bus with Brenton Jones, Mike Lawson & Mike O’Brien. Photo MOR.

Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive @ 13 April - Starting outside the Roubaix Velodrome with the temperature sitting on 0 degrees with Mike(s) Lawson, O’Brien & O’Reilly

Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive Ride Report @ 13 April

The weather was delightful with no rain, no wind and starting temperatures of 0 degrees (the day maxed out at 9 degrees). Yes, it was chilly but blue sky promised a great day.

The early kilometers were straightforward enough on flat & good bitumen roads. The first feed zone came after 40k and immediately afterwards it was cobble time. The story goes like this - Templeuve (you’re joking, it wasn’t even a road !), Cysiong (ok, not bad), Bourghelles (maybe not ok, but we got there), Camphin en Pevele (what is the French word for crap ?), Carrefour De L’Arbre (bad as advertised, but not as bad as remembered), Gruson (simple enough) & Hem (that was total shit, awful, you can’t be serious).

The final run into Roubaix from Hem carried more Saturday traffic than expected but the reward was the ceremonial lap around the classic Roubaix Velodrome. Do it all again in 2020 ? … in a heartbeat.

Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive @ 13 April - Just before the start outside the Roubaix Velodrome. Photo MOR.

Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive @ 13 April - After the conclusion of the 70k PR Cyclosportive on the historic Roubaix Velodrome. The race finish line is in the background near the grandstand.

Roubaix Cyclosportive Registration @ Roubaix Velodrome @ 12 April - The Specialized promotional zone at the Roubaix Velodrome had the actual Peter Sagan winning bike (plus frame number) from 2018. Very very tidy. Photo MOR.

Roubaix Cyclosportive Registration @ Roubaix Velodrome @ 12 April - Mike O’Brien at the Roubaix Velodrome

Koppenberg Loop @ 11 April - Koen Verhulst, Mike Lawson, Mike O’Brien & Eddy Verhulst started the ride at the Kokerelle B&B at Oudenaarde.

Koppenberg Loop Ride Report @ 11 April

An easy start to the day from Kokerelle, with a flat tailwind cycle down along the Schelde River cycle path for Koen, Eddy and 3 x Mikes towards Roubaix. Then a simple turn left into the Flemish bergs at Kluisbergen. First challenge was the Old Kwaremont cobbles, then shortly afterwards onto the Patersberg cobbles (where Mike O’R crashed on the steep cobbles - unhurt). Shortly afterwards it was the turn of the Koppenberg cobbles (where Eddy V crashed on the steep cobbles - unhurt). MO’R bailed out early going back into Oudenaarde (to get his damaged prescription glasses repaired). The others finished the cobbled merry go round via the Taainenberg, Berg Ten Houte, Eikenberg & Biogneberg climbs.

Koppenberg Loop @ 11 April - The Schelde River cycle path riding towards Roubaix with Kluisbergen on the left of picture. Photo Mike O’Brien

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - The Team Quick Step photo exhibition was on the ground floor. The Quick Step presentation highlighted all of the QS Team members together with all notable victories from 2018 into early 2019. Photo MOR.

The Koers Cycling Museum (www.koersmuseum.be) is the latest cycling museum to open in Flanders situated in the city of Roeselare in East Flanders. There are 3 levels of exhibitions, jersey & bike displays, video presentations, a John Pierre Monsere Memorial wall plus a well appointed cafe.

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - Team Quick Step photo exhibition on the ground floor featured a 2019 QS team member involved in a major off. Photo MOR

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - Jersey display room on Level 1 of the museum. Photo MOR.

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - Jersey display room on Level 1 of the museum. Photo MOR

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - Jersey display room on Level 1 of the museum. Photo MOR

Koers Cycling Museum @ Roeselare @ 9 April - The bike display was on Level 2 of the museum. The immediate level was for current public display whilst the bikes on the higher level are rotated down for display purposes at other times. Photo MOR.

Triosvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Mike O’Brien & Mike Lawson before the start in sleepy rural Troisvilles

Troisvilles Wallers Ride Report @ 8 April

The BiciSport group had previously ridden the cobbles from Wallers Arenberg towards the finish at the Roubaix Velodrome. Today it was agreed that we’d ride the earlier sections of cobbles from the sleepy village of Troisvilles and finish the ride at Wallers Arenberg. The Paris Roubaix route signs were now up, so it greatly reduced any chance of getting lost.

Troisvilles is deep in rural France & sleepy doesn’t do it justice. The Troisvilles cobbles (Sector 29) were simple enough, but things began to get increasingly difficult through Briastre/Viesly/Quively/Fontaine (Sectors 28, 27, 26, 25). The Michael Goolaerts Memorial in Sector 27 was very moving (Michael sadly died of a heart attack at the Paris Roubaix Classic in 2018).

The cobbled sections just kept on coming, and you began to loose sense of it all, they were all long and difficult … Escallion (Sector 24), Queranang (Sector 23), Maing cobbles (Sectors 22, 21) all a bit of a cobbled misery. Things turned a bit complicated at the Maing cobbles when MO’R got lost due to the roadworks blockage (see picture below) … the group lost each other and a few frantic mobile phone calls later led to a regrouping near the Wallers Arenberg cobbles (that was exciting !!). Getting lost in deepest, darkest northern France isn’t worth contemplating.

The day concluded with an inspection of the Wallers Arenberg cobbles. As Mike O’Brien nicely put it “ … they can’t be serious … “. Next Sunday they most definitely will be.

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Paris Roubaix route signage was up, so you can’t get lost, until Sector 21 …

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Troisvilles cobbles (Sector 29) were both short & relatively straightforward

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Michael Goolaerts Memorial at the Briastre Cobbles (Sector 28/27)

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Viesly cobbles (Sector 26) includes a World War 1 German concrete bunker

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Mike O’Brien made the comment after Sector 25 (“ … that was bullshit … “)

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Mike Lawson

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Mike O’Brien

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Maing Cobbles (Sector 22/21) … the “road” (yeah right) was blocked and things went very pear shaped soon afterwards …

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Wallers Arenberg cobbles with Mike O’Brien & Mike O’Reilly

Troisvilles Wallers @ 8 April - Wallers Arenberg and the Cofidis Team Car turned up for a pre recce inspection

RVV (Tour of Flanders) @ 7 April - Mike Lawson as the Womens RVV peloton starts from central Oudenaarde

RVV Report @ 7 April

The Ronde defines Belgium is many ways and what a joy to be in this country on this classic day.

The BiciSport group (joined by Peter Tomlinson & Ted Anderson from the NSW Southern Highlands Club) headed off the see the Womens Ronde start in Oudenaarde at 11.00am. From there it was a short pedal to the Koppenberg Cafe at Melden, the Kortekeer climb with the pro peloton somewhat asleep, watched the Womens RVV scream off the Patersberg climb, a final peak of Peter Sagan at the base of the Old Kwaremont, then finally a Belgian beer at the Lentrecote Restaurant (thank you to Lucrese Willeart for letting the BiciSport peloton invade your restaurant and watch the live tv finish). The Italians won the day in both races which meant it was a very subdued flemish crowd at the end of a classic day.

RVV @ 7 April - Peter Tomlinson (UCI & CycNSW Commissaire) at the Koppenberg cobbles

RVV @ 7 April - Alej Valverde passes the Koppenberg Cafe. Photo MO’R

RVV @ 7 April - The Koppenberg Cafe at Melden is a Flemish institution on the Ronde day (all the inhabitants may end up in an institution at some point). Its brash, its rustic, its old, its crowded, its smelly, beer is the universal currency of choice, and its all things Flemish cycling. The BiciSport group arrived just before 12noon, and the local lads were already gassed up on the local brew and the day had just begun. The BiciSport group escaped to the Kortekeer climb shortly afterwards..

RVV @ 7 April - Eddy Merckx hasn’t retired and lives on at the Koppenberg Cafe. Flanders flags are everywhere.

RVV @ 7 April - Alex Kristoff (UAE, red helmet) climbs the Kortekeer climb. Photo MO’R

RVV @ 7 April - The Womens RVV speed off the Patersburg climb towards the Oudenaarde finish. Photo MO’R

RVV @ 7 April - Alej Valverde on the approach to the Koppenberg cobbles. Photo MO’R

RVV @ 7 April - Michael Matthews (Sunweb) leads Peter Sagan (Bora) on the approach to the Koppenberg cobbles. Photo MO’R

RVV @ 7 April - Peter Sagan (right) approaches the Old Kwaremont cobbles with 25k to the finish. Photo MO’R

Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders Cyclosportive) @ 6 April - At the start with Mike van der O’Reilly, Mike van der O’Brien & Mike van der Lawson.

Coincidentally, just after the above picture was taken the national Sporza tv crew (left in the picture) realized we were a group of Aussies and interviewed MO’R and the interview was aired that night on the national Sporza tv program.

Ride Report @ 6 April

Maarten van der Wright had returned to the Muur van Dee Why, and the BiciSport team was bolstered by the arrival of Mike van der O’Brien from the UK.

Another nice weather day greeted the 17,000 RVV cyclosportive riders - it was raining lycra in Oudenaarde on the Saturday morning for the 9.00am start. Mike O’R did the 75k option which for MO’R was a long walk up the Koppenberg (oh the shame) but a better effort on the Kruisberg (near Ronse) and the Old Kwaremont. Mike O’Brien & Lawson did the 135k RVV option which included nearly every cobbled berg of note - Kerkgate cobbles, Molenberg, Paddestraat cobbles, Haaghoek cobbles, Valkenberg, Eikenberg (near Kokerelle B&B), Koppenberg, Taainberg, Old Kwaremont & Patersberg. There was over 1,700m of climbing in the 135k cyclosportive.

Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders Cyclosportive) @ 6 April - at the post cyclosportive function in Oudenaarde with Johan Museeuw. Johan won the UCI World Cup (1995, 96), World Champion (1996), triple Ronde winner (1993, 95 & 98), four times Paris Roubaix winner (1993, 96, 2000 & 2002) and Belgian National Champion (1992 & 96).

Sven Nys Cycling Centre @ Hageland @ 4 April - Mike Lawson

Ride Report @ 4 April

What Sven Nys is for cyclo cross is equally Eddy Merckx for road cycling - both are Belgian and both are the greatest of all time in their respective disciplines.

Sven recently retired and has established a specialist cyclo cross centre at Balenberg in the Hageland region (on the Belgian-Dutch border) . There is an expansive cyclo cross museum, bike rental facilities, a challenging circuit coupled with a very respectable restaurant/cafe. Mike Lawson rode the cyclo cross circuit and his smile said it all. Fun was had.

After Balenberg it was a 45 minute drive towards the Dutch border direction Lommel & Mol (home of Tom Boonen) for an inspection of the World Masters Championship Cyclo Cross circuit in December 2019 at the Zilvermeer Water Park (sort of a Belgian version of Sydney’s Wet & Wild).

Sven Nys Cycling Centre @ Hageland @ 4 April - Mike Lawson

Sven Nys Cycling Centre @ Hageland @ 4 April - Mike O’Reilly with the race winning bike from the 2009 World Cyclo Cross Championships ridden by Niels Albert

Sven Nys Cycling Centre @ Hageland @ 4 April - Mike Lawson walking the Sven Nys cyclo cross circuit at Balenberg

Zilvermeer Water Park @ 4 April - Mike Lawson inspects the World Masters Championships Cyclo Cross 2019 course which includes large sections of running in the sand beside the Zilvermeer Lake.

Dwars door Vlaanderen (Straight across Flanders) @ 3 April - The peloton approaches Oudenaarde. Photo MOR

Dwars Ride Report @ 3 April

The Ronde is only 4 days away and the buzz is everywhere. This is the last chance to see the professionals and the Dwars goes over several of the climbs used in the Ronde on Sunday. Having said that the Dwars is not an easy race to follow with all the action coming in the last 60k and little opportunity to leapfrog ahead of the race. So we decided to do what we could by bike and see the Dwars twice then back to our Kokerelle B&B for the live tv feed.

First pass was just outside Oudenaarde (picture above) then a 15 minute pedal to the Berg Ten Houte cobbled climb. The Berg Ten Houte was an insignificant & poorly surfaced bitumen road that hadn’t been used for cycle racing in years. Similiarly to what happened at the Patersberg …. the road was recently fully rebuilt with brand new cobbles !!. Heck, why not cobbles as it is Flanders after all. The Berg Ten Houte climb is a cobbled delight - short, sharp and an instant Flandrien success story.

Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 3 April - the ‘new’ Berg Ten Houte cobbled climb with Valverde. Photo MOR

Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 3 April - Berg Ten Houte cobbled climb. Photo MOR

Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 3 April - up close and personal on the Berg Ten Houte cobbled climb. Photo MOR

Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 3 April - the steep corner at Berg Ten Houte cobbled climb. Photo MOR

Muur (Wall) of Geraadsbergen @ 1 April - Marty Wright climbs the Kapel Muur (Chapel Wall) cobbles

Muur Ride Report @ 1 April

A 70k ride was on the menu with small Flemish back lanes towards Brakel, where we joined the official Tour of Flanders race route and simply followed the race route signs already posted for next weekends Flanders Classic. Then it was through Brakel and on towards the cobbled Muur of Geraadsbergen. As cobbled climbs go the Muur maybe is the most famous but is neither the steepest nor the most difficult (Patersberg is much more uncomfortable) and everybody got to the Muur summit comfortably.

Muur (Wall) of Geraadsbergen @ 1 April - outside the Geraadsbergen Church at the cobbled summit of the Muur

Velle WAOD Masters Race @ 31 March - Mike Lawson had local media obligations before the start

Velle WAOD Masters Race Report @ 31 March

Velle is a small village 20k outside Antwerp and plays host to numerous cycle races during the year. The Tour of Flanders pro classic passes down the main street next Sunday. WAOD is one of several ‘racing leagues’ in Belgium and is somewhere between NSW Open racing & club level standards. There is usually 6 or 7 races on offer for all age groups and in high summer it’s possible to race up to 4 or 5 times per week.

Mike Lawson’s race had some 20 starters and the winning break formed at the end of lap 2 (of 8 laps in total), never to be seen again. Mike rode well in the chasing peloton.

It was great to catch up with the Ver Hulst family who organised the Velle WAOD event. The Ver Hulst’s have kindly hosted several BiciSport riders at local Flanders races over the years.

Velle WAOD Masters Race @ 31 March - Mike Lawson enters the finishing straight on lap 2 (of 8 laps). Conditions were fresh with a sharp Flanders breeze on the nose. Each lap had numerous corners along narrow Flemish laneways with two climbs (being man made Antwerp-Paris freeway overpasses).

Velle WAOD Masters Race @ 31 March - Mike Lawson at the head of the chasing peloton in the Velle Masters

Velle WAOD Masters Race @ 31 March - after the finish of the Velle Masters with Maarten & Koen Ver Hulst

Velle WAOD Masters Race @ 31 March - after the conclusion of the Velle Masters it was a retreat into a 1970’s time warp at the ‘The Falcon’ Pub (a well known local den of ill repute with a somewhat circumspect history) for some local Belgian beer (just 1,475 beers to go) with the Gent Wevelgem professional Classic live on Belgian tv.

Reprise @ E3 Grand Prix @ 29 March - The E3 GP circuit passes the Kokerelle B&B and the owner (Kathy Sante) snapped the one & only Peter Sagan on the way through

Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive Ride Report @ 30 March

The professional Classic is held on the Sunday with the Cyclosportive conducted the day before. The cyclo starts and finishes in Wevelgem (where the professional race finishes). Weather conditions on the Saturday were balmy @ 20 degrees.

Leaving Wevelgem in a good sized peloton and within 5 minutes we were on tiny Flemish laneways darting around the rural countryside. The cycling was simply stunning with numerous left-right turns through the rural Flanders Fields. Enjoyable doesn’t begin to describe how much fun these rural Flemish laneways can be on the bike.

On towards Ieper and the Ieper Salient (of World War 1 fame) and under the Menin Gate on the outskirts of Ieper. From Ieper after just 40k it was off towards the cobbled Kemmelberg. One minute Mike & Marty were in a nice sized peloton but the Aussies missed a turn and were soon very solo and very much lost (oops !). We could see the Kemmelberg in the distance so we cut through the village of Dikkebus to see if we could find the cyclosportive peloton again.

The village of Kemmel (and the Casino Cafe) offered a great coffee and we rejoined our cyclosportive brothers on the other side of the Kemmelberg. The next challenge was the gravel roads at Ploegsteert (full of WW 1 history & dotted with respectful Commonwealth War Graves). The gravel was more like concrete and no issues were encountered.

The final run into Wevelgem from Ploegsteert was aided by a strong tailwind along the Leie River Bike Path towards the Wevelgem finish. Mike & Marty completed the 90k at an average speed of 28kph & Mike Lawson completed the 140k easily.

Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive @ 30 Mar - Mike O’Reilly & Marty Wright before the Wevelgem start

Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive @ 30 Mar - Marty & Mike at the Menin Gate in Ieper. At the Menin Gate each night the Ieper Fire Bridge conduct the Last Post Ceremony in respect of the fallen soldiers from WW1.

Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive @ 30 Mar @ Ieper Feed Zone outside the Ieper Cloth Hall

Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive @ 30 Mar @ Kemmelberg Cafe - Mike & Marty at the Casino Cafe in Kemmel

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar - The main E3 peloton passes intact over the Holleweg Cobbles. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix Report @ 29 Mar

One cannot doubt that Global Warming is alive & well when Belgium in March is blue sky, no wind, no fog and no rain. Refunds are due as it was more like Bellingen in NSW than Brakel in Flanders. Mike Lawson, Marty Wright & Mike O’Reilly started the E3 day at the Holleweg cobbles just 2k from the Kokerelle B&B. From there an easy 15 minute drive to the top of the Kortekeer climb (no cobbles) near Ronse. The peloton was still comfortably intact at this point. Only 45 minutes later and the E3 peloton returned to the same intersection from the opposite direction, but this time the E3 peloton was now very very ragged with the majority living in the Flanders hurt box (clearly a cobbled grenade had gone off in the intervening 45 minutes).

The fourth viewing of the E3 Grand Prix was at the Avelgem cobbles near Kluisbergen. Rob Jungels & Quick Step were in complete control & Peter Sagan was in the third group and deep in the hurt box (good money is still on Sagan for another Roubaix victory in two weeks time). Just around the corner from the Avelgem cobbles was the Kerkhove Pub with the mandatory Flemish tv pumping out the E3 finish, and only 1,492 Belgian beers to go …

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Kortekeer Climb Feed Zone - Marty Wright and the QS team car with the accompanying Specialised Venge swarm. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Kortekeer Climb Feed Zone - only one thing better than a single Specialised Venge with Rovals … is a ‘Specialised Venge swarm’ atop the QS team car. Photo MOR.

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Kortekeer Climb Feed Zone - Peter Sagan (white jersey, far left). Photo MOR.

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Kortekeer Climb Feed Zone - Greg Van Avermatt 2016 Olympic Road Race Champion (Team CCC). Photo MOR.

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Kortekeer Climb (second pass) - Peter Sagan (Bora) in the thick of the E3 Grand Prix peloton. Photo MOR.

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Avelgem Cobbles - Bob Jungels and Quick Step were simply outstanding. Photo MOR.

E3 Grand Prix @ 29 Mar @ Avelgem Cobbles - Peter Sagan was not on a great day but remains a hot favourite for Paris Roubaix in two weeks time. Photo MOR

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - Mike Lawson & Marty Wright at the Arenberg Forest cobbles

Roubaix Recon Ride Report @ 28 Mar

Barely an hour’s drive from the Kokerelle B&B in Oudenaarde, down through Tournai and across the Belgian-French border at Saint-Amand les-Eaux to the Arenberg Forest cobbles. Marty Wright neatly summed it up … ”Well, the Arenberg Forest cobbles, that was total bullshit ! !” …

The next cobbled sector came almost immediately at Wallers for the Gibus Pont (Sector 18). Somehow the lads completely missed Sector 17 (not sure how that happened), but cobbled hostilities were quickly resumed at both Warlaing & Brillon (Sectors 16 & 15). Both were hard & uncomfortable. Again we somehow inadvertently missed Sector 14 (what happened there ?) and leapfrogged straight onto Orchies at Sector 13. After Orchies the bikes were packed into the truck & we headed straight for the Roubaix Velodrome and a chance for Marty to do a few free laps around an iconic velodrome.

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - Arenberg Forest cobbles (Sector 19) with Martin Wright & Mike Lawson

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - at the Gibus Pont (Gibus Bridge) cobbles (Sector 18 of the Paris Roubaix Classic)

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - at the Warlaing cobbles (Sector 16)

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - Mike Lawson at the Orchies cobbles (Sector 13)

Roubaix Recon Ride @ 28 Mar - Marty Wright outside the team rooms of Velo Club Roubaix at the Roubaix Velodrome with his own piece of Paris Roubaix history

Bruges - De Panne Classic @ 27 Mar - Martin Wright (second from left) at the top of the Kemmelberg climb as the breakaway passes with a 4 minute lead over the main peloton

Haaghoek & Molenberg Ride Report @ 27 Mar

An earlier start to the day at 8.00am as we needed to be at the Kemmelberg by 1.30pm for the De Panne pro race. The first cobbles of the day was at the Haaghoek, followed by the short Leberg climb (both used in Tour of Flanders pro race on 7 April). A simple wrong turn off the top of the Leberg climb resulted in maybe 1 kilometre of dirt riding which somehow looped us back onto the Haaghoek cobbles again (oops, sorry lads). From there a short run on to the Molenberg cobbled climb towards the Schelde River, then along the Schelde River bike path back into Oudenaarde. Mike Lawson & Marty finished the day with the climb of the Eikenberg cobbles near the Kokerelle B&B.

A short drive from Kokerelle B&B to the Kemmelberg climb in West Flanders was rewarded with a beer at the Kemmelberg Hotel (only 1,497 beers to go).

Bruges - De Panne Classic @ 27 Mar - Martin Wright (left) as the main peloton passes the top of the Kemmelberg climb

Bruges - De Panne Classic @ 27 Mar - the live tv coverage from the top of the Kemmelberg climb

De Carillion Bar @ Oudenaarde @ 26 Mar - somewhat typical Belgian bar to be found anywhere in Flanders. The only thing missing is the cigar smoke, but it has the usual dose of retro wooden furniture, everything is a shade of brown (maybe its the nicotene ?), decor from WW2 (or earlier) and a supply of local bar flys dotted along each wall. Naturally Martin van der Wright was spotted at the De Carillon giving it the Patrick Swayze look of complete approval. Belgium has 1,500 beers … just 1,498 to go …

Tour of Flanders Museum Oudenaarde @ 26 Mar - Teisj Benoit (Lotto Soudal) won the Eroica Pro Race in 2017, and his mud covered Ridley (plus frame race number) is currently on show at the Flanders Museum. The bike itself has been permanently air brushed with varnish to preserve all of the grime & dirt, so it cannot be removed.

Karel van Wijnedaele Monument @ 26 Mar - Marty Wright & Mike Lawson

Koppenberg Loop Ride Report @ 26 Mar

The day dawned sunny & crisp (maximum 10 degrees) with very little wind for a 45k loop through Oudenaarde, then onto the Schelde River bike path towards the Roubaix Velodrome (only 35k away). After 15k at Kluisbergen it was Marty Wright’s first taste of Belgian cobbles at the Old Kwaremont. The end result being BiciSport 3 Old Kwaremont 0. The stones were dry & benign and it was off to the Wijnedaele Monument (Karel was the founder of the Tour of Flanders Pro Race).

Next stop was the much steeper Patersberg where Mike Lawson took the solo honours at the top. BiciSport 1 Patersberg 2. From the Patersberg it was a brief effort direction Koppenberg, where again the cobbles looked almost inviting (being dry). If golf is “a good walk ruined” then the Koppenberg is potentially in a similar category. Mike Lawson again took the solo honours … BiciSport 1 Koppenberg 2. The overall Berg Pointscore went something like BiciSport 5 Belgian Killer Bergs 4. A win is a win ! !

The ride finished with a coffee & cake at the Ronde Van Vlaanderen Cafe at the RVV Museum in central Oudenaarde.

Koppenberg @ 26 Mar - Marty Wright, Mike Lawson & Mike O’Reilly

Koppenberg @ 26 Mar - on the lower slopes of the Koppenberg Climb (aka the Black Beast), Mike Lawson, Mike O’Reilly & Marty Wright

Koppenberg @ 26 Mar - Mike Lawson approaches the Black Beast

Koppenberg @ 26 Mar - Marty Wright approaches the Black Beast

The BiciSport team of Marty Wright plus the three Mikes (O’Brien, Lawson & O’Reilly) assume the cobbled position at the Kokerelle B&B (www.kokerelle.be) just outside Oudenaarde in central Flanders from 25 March.

The BiciSport in Flanders program being -

27 Mar - Bruges De Panne Pro Race 29 Mar - E3 Harelbeke Grand Prix Pro Race 30 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive, Mar 31 - Johan Museeuw Cyclosportive, Gent-Wevelgem Classic Pro Race, Velle Antwerp Retro Race

3 Apr - Dwars Vlaanderen Pro Race, 6 Apr - Tour of Flanders Cyclosportive, 7 Apr - Tour of Flanders Pro Classic

10 Apr - Schelde Prijs Antwerp Pro Race, 11 Apr - Roubaix Recce Ride from Wallers Arenberg to Roubaix Velodrome 13 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, 14 Apr - Paris Roubaix Pro Classic

News Shorts - 25 March

ROLLY DELAYTZ (BICISPORT HAPPY WHEELS) TAKES A HEFFRON TUESDAY

Heffron Park @ 19 Mar - Declan Jones (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Heffron Park @ 19 Mar - Declan Jones (left) & Rolly Delaytz (right)

Heffron Park @ 19 Mar - Rolly takes the victory

Heffron Park @ 19 Mar - Podium time for Rolly

BiciSport in Italy 2019 at Strade Bianche, Lake Como & Milan San Remo

Muro Di Sormano @ 24 March - Mike Lawson at the top of the Muro di Sormano (Wall of Sormano). This one lane cycle path (no cars permitted) is used in the Tour of Lombardy one day pro Classic in October each year. The average gradient is 17%, with the maximum topping out at a leg snapping 25%.

Muro De Sormano @ 24 March - every 10 metres of this gruesome Muro journey is kindly labelled with the distance travelled from the bottom, and if you think that picture looks steep then that would be right !. The building at the top of the picture is a local cafe doing a brisk Sunday trade.

Milan San Remo Ride @ 23 March - 6.00am start from IL Perlo (L to R) - Mike Lawson, Mike O’Reilly, Marty Wright

MSR Ride Report @ 23 March

An early 6.00am departure out of Bellagio and a 3 hour drive towards Genoa and the Ligurian Coast. Conditions were perfect with 24 degrees forecast and a storming tailwind towards San Remo.

The ride started just outside Genoa at the small village of Voltri. The early part of the ride is easy undulating to pan flat on very good roads, with the last 50k (of the 145k total) being the hilly, difficult section. A succession of headlands puts up a few easy climbs to be greeted by stunning views around the next corner. It was of no consequence for Mike O’R who didn’t get past the 30k mark and pulled the pin courtesy of asthma/sinus (2020 it will need to be). Abject disappointment doesn’t quite describe that DNF.

Alberto Elli led Mike Lawson & Marty Wright through endless seaside villages towards Savona (more a seaport city than a coastal village), then onto the major climbs (called capo) of the day - Capo Berta, Capo Cervo, Capo Mele and the Cipressa climb. The Cipressa itself had pinches of 8% so it is a bona fide effort to the summit. A sharp drop off the Cipressa back down to the coastline and all roads lead towards the Poggio.

Maurizio (our IL Perlo mechanic/driver) was not allowed to park the Perlo team car on the Poggio climb itself, so we parked up at the bottom of the Poggio (a cafe nearby provided food & coffee AND the priceless television pumping out the race live). The BiciSport group simply pedalled up the Poggio to watch the Classic pass by being the last challenge of MSR 19.

Many thanks to IL Perlo at Bellagio for providing a majestic backdrop to all things MSR19. Thank you to Carlo at IL Perlo, Alberto Elli (what a legend & total gentlemen), Como Bikes for providing the two wheel logistics. Can’t wait to do this all again in 2020.

Milan San Remo Ride @ 23 March - Mike Lawson & Marty Wright approaching the Poggio Climb near San Remo

Milan San Remo Ride @ 23 March - Marty Wright approaching the Poggio climb

Milan San Remo 2019 @ 23 March - the professional Classic storms towards the Poggio with just 10k to the finish in San Remo (picture MOR)

Mlan San Remo Ride @ 23 March - time to depart San Remo after a most memorable day

Ferrari @ Maranello @ 22 March - A big boys day trip to the Ducati factory in Bologna followed by the Ferrari Museum at Maranello. Happy to report that both Marty & Mike Lawson drove in the Ferrari race car simulator going around the Monza race circuit … Mike crashed leaving the Monza pits (oops) and Marty crashed twice (oops again). Marty’s right elbow (see above picture) was bloodied by the two crashes such was the realistic movement in the Ferrari race car simulator

Lake Como Ride Report @ 21 March

This day was another 70k around Lake Como with two ferry crossings, but this time it was a northern loop, towards St Moritz and Sondrio and then returning on the Varenna side of Lake Como towards Lecco.

The day started with a ferry ride from Bellagio to Cernabbio (picture above with Mike O’Reilly, Mike Lawson, Alberto Elli & Marty Wright), then the northern loop on generally flat roads with moderate levels of traffic (nothing confronting). Several times we diverted to the ‘old old lakeside road’ which had been converted to a dedicated bike path. Delightful would be an understatement with panoramic views directly to the Alps.

Alberto Elli led the group in single file at a steady rate of 28k average as we headed for Sondrio and coffee after some 35k. Just after coffee we saw a sign that stated ‘St Moritz 70k’ (… not going there today … ). The run back to Varenna was on the ‘old lakeside’ road but the real blessing was the motorway further up the lakeside mountain - our ‘old lakeside’ road was virtually deserted and a cycling delight. A stop at Varenna and a brief ferry ride back to Bellagio nearly finished the day. The final effort was the Ghisallo climb back up to IL Perlo which everybody did much better than yesterday.

IL Perlo Hotel @ Bellagio just after sunrise @ 21 Mar.

Madonna de Ghisallo Church @ 20 Mar - situated at the top of the Ghisallo climb above Lake Como at the Fausto Coppi monument (L to R) - Mike Lawson, Mike O’Reilly & Marty Wright

Italian Cycling Museum @ Ghisallo @ 20 Mar - a short drive from the IL Perlo Hotel is the Italian Cycling Museum with Marty Wright in front of a Giro jersey history wall

IL Perlo Hotel @ 20 Mar - Alberto Elli before the start of the first BiciSport team ride around Lake Como

IL Perlo Hotel @ 20 Mar - before the BiciSport ride start (L to R) - Alberto Elli, Mike Lawson, Mike O’Reilly & Marty Wright

IL Perlo Hotel @ 20 Mar - Mike Lawson heads off up the Ghisallo climb with the IL Perlo Hotel soaked in the afternoon sunshine

IL Perlo Bellagio Ride Report @ 20 March

Day one at IL Perlo on Lake Como dawned fresh but ideal with very little wind. Alberto Elli took the BiciSport group down to Bellagio and we jumped the ferry to the other side of Lake Como (at Argegno). From there Alberto led the group along the lakeside road towards Como - all pretty much flat & fast. After passing the George Clooney mansion (as you do) it was coffee in central Como.

Getting home was tougher as we traced the other side of Lake Como, being somewhat hillier and a few tunnels (all safe). The scenery was nothing short of spectacular with very little traffic. Back past the village of Nesso and it was straight into Bellagio (one very nice little lakeside village). The climb out of Bellagio up the famous Madonna de Ghisallo mountain was nothing short of a real grind with pinches of 14% just to get back to the IL Perlo Hotel above the Lake. Marty Wright (pictured) climbed the Ghisallo and noted “ … its maybe not a good idea to have a 14% climb at your front door !! … “

Ghisallino Restaurant @ Madonna de Ghisallo @ 19 Mar - As usual (for Italy) any good ride report starts with a food report. Having survived the trip to get here, one had to celebrate in style at a delightful Italian restaurant just opposite the Madonna de Ghisallo Church & Cycling Museum.

Eroica Challenge Ride Report @ 10 March

Mike Lawson (BiciSport Master) started the 85k cyclosportive with 5,000 starters.

The course was tough & testing with 21k of white gravel, not dissimilar to a testing West Head Road but the hills were longer and harder than those on West Head. Some of the descents were wild, both road and gravel … try 60kph on gravel with a 90 degree turn at the bottom !. Felt pretty strong all day, with the only incident being a small crash at the first feed zone. Mike finished 5th in his age category. The picture above is the last 16% climb into Siena

Siena Ride Report @ 11 March

Mike Lawson reports … just back from a 3 hour 40 min ride on either side of Siena.

Headed off to ride the Colle Pinzuto & Le Toife white road climbs and by far the steepest and most difficult of all the six sectors in the 86k cyclosportive version of the Eroica. Then did the first part of the course again including the first two gravel sectors, the second being the Grotti (the climb where I watched the pro race). Some good riding around here, but its real hard to find anything flat if you want an easy day. Driving up to Camaiore tomorrow to watch the first stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico pro stage race (the team time trial stage).

Alberto Elli is the IL Perlo Hotel cycling guide for the BiciSport team to see the Milan San Remo pro classic & Bellagio-Lake Como rides. Alberto was the Yellow Jersey holder for four days at the 2000 Tour de France.

News Shorts - 11 March

Mike Lawson (BiciSport Master) rode the Eroica Challenge Cyclosportive in Siena Italy on 10 March with 5,000 starters & Mike finished 5th in his age category. A full Eroica & Milan San Remo ride report will appear in BiciSport News on 18 March

After the Eroica Challenge on 10 March Mike Lawson & the BiciSport Team head to Bellagio on Lake Como with Milan San Remo on the agenda for 23 March. Alberto Elli (2000 Tour de France Yellow Jersey) is the BiciSport ride guide at Bellagio & the Milan San Remo

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek @ 10 Mar - Ian Grainger, Raoul Westbrook & Peter Verhoeven

3 Peaks Challenge @ Falls Creek @ 10 Mar - Michael Taylor passing through WTF Corner outside Omeo

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Eroica Challenge Cyclosportive @ Siena Italy @ 10 Mar - Mike Lawson finished 5th in his age category. Full report on 18 March in BiciSport News

• 3 Peaks Challenge @ Falls Creek @ 10 Mar - Michael Taylor competed in 3 Peaks - Michael Taylor competed 3 Peaks in 12 hours.

• Tour de Plonk @ Shoalhaven Heads @ 10 Mar - BiciSport had 2 starters (Joc Young & Peter Davis) in the annual Tour de Plonk organised by Waratah Masters. The first 5 days are based out of Shoalhaven Heads, then The Plonk moves to Berrima in the Southern Highlands.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

BATHURST WEEKEND - SATURDAY SUNDAY 16-17 MARCH

• A great weekend of racing in Bathurst on the Saturday with Blayney to Bathurst cyclosportive on the Sunday. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

NOWRA TEAM TIME TRIALS - 19 TO 21 JULY

• BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Champuonships to be held in Nowra over the 19-21 July weekend.

• BiciSport will provide team training, paid entry fees, full team assistance, paid Saturday night accommodation (at Greenwell Point) together with a fully supported Sunday training ride.

• Nominations are now open and further details are on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 12 Mar - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 15-17 Mar - Oceania Road Championships (Tasmania)

• 16-17 Mar - Bathurst Weekend - BiciSport starters listed in Special Events section of this website. Bathurst Criteriums - Rhett Hall & Declan Jones

• 17 Mar - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters CC), Ourimbah University Crirerium (Central Coast CC)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School Term back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, well sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction nearly done

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 11 Mar, 13 Mar & 15 Mar

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 12 Mar & 14 Mar

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return

• 13 Mar

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 14 Mar

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 16 Mar

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 17 Mar

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

A special BiciSport in Italy update will feature from Monday 18 March on this BiciSport website in the News section. The update will feature Mike Lawson at the Eroica Challenge on 10 March, then the Milan San Remo experience on 23 March for Mike Lawson, Marty Wright & Mike O’Reilly

Miramare Sandstone Cafe Terrey Hills @ 9 Mar - A rather suspect peloton if you ever saw one … (L to R) … Eric Dole, Martini Luigi Wright, Paulo Warby, Ken Edwards & Ian Granger

Kuurne Brussels Kuurne Pro Classic (Belgium) last week …. ok ok, its not Retro Led Zeppelin but the lads gave it a real crack

News Shorts - 4 March

Kooragang Island Newcastle @ 2 Mar - Ruth Strapp (BiciSport) took the win in the Womens Road Race organised by Newcastle Cycling Club with 14 starters. Ruth broke away with 3.5k to the finish with Olivia Gollan, and Ruth took the victory.

NSW Schools Triathlon Championships @ 28 Feb - Cathie La Rose performed well in amongst some 700 competitors. Congratulations on a fine ride.

The Eroica Challenge is held on the traditional white roads (strade bianche) in and around Siena in Tuscany where toe clips, cloth caps, woolen jerseys, exposed brake cables & steel bikes are the order of the day … you know where you are with chrome …

Racing on Tuscan gravel roads around Siena can come with some challenges

Mike Lawson (BiciSport) pictured above swaps the roads of Paris Roubaix 2018 for Tuscany gravel at the Eroica Challenge near Siena on 9 March

EROICA CHALLENGE 2019 - 9 MARCH

• Eroica Challenge (Italy) on 9 March - Mike Lawson takes on the Eroica Challenge around Siena on 9 March. A chance meeting with Italians at the Tour of Flanders in Belgium last year opened up the opportunity for the Eroica participation. The 90k cyclosportive has just over 20k of white gravel.

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Speedy Recovery

  • John Elderfield has returned home to Perth after his serious motor cycle crash & now on the long road to recovery. Get well soon John.

  • BiciSport President Ian Grainger had a rubber side up on his MTB and suffered a broken nose. Get well soon IL Presidente

• BiciSport Committee @ 4 Mar - Peter Budd is a new addition to the BiciSport organising committee

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

SHOALHAVEN RONDE - SUNDAY 10 MARCH

• Based out of Shoalhaven Heads (just south of Berry) on Sunday 10 March over 100k on roads used by BiciSport over the Nowra TTT weekend via Nowra, Pyree, Greenwell Point & Currarong Beach. Ride starts & finishes from the TableTalk Cafe in Shoalhaven Heads starting at 8.30am. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

BATHURST WEEKEND - SATURDAY SUNDAY 16-17 MARCH

• A great weekend of racing in Bathurst on the Saturday with Blayney to Bathurst cyclosportive on the Sunday. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

NOWRA TEAM TIME TRIALs - 19 to 21 JULY

• BiciSport will be again entering several teams into the NSW Teams Champuonships to be held in Nowra over the 19-21 July weekend.

• BiciSport will provide team training, paid entry fees, full team assistance, paid Saturday night accommodation (at Greenwell Point) together with a fully supported Sunday training ride. The teams selection panel now includes Ian Grainger, Peter Budd & Mike O’Reilly

• Nominations are now open and further details are on the Special Events page of this website.

RACING THIS WEEK

• 5 Mar - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 7 Mar - Sutherland Criteriums (Waratah Park)

• 9 Mar - Strade Bianche (Siena Italy) - BiciSport starter Mike Lawson

• 8-10 Mar - NSW Elite Track Championships (DGV), Bendigo Madison (Vic)

• 10 Mar - Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters CC), 3 Peaks Challenge (Falls Creek, Vic) - BiciSport starter Michael Taylor

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School Term back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, well sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction nearly done

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 6 Mar

  • Hills Nursery Car Park Terrey Hills @ 8.00am to Akuna Bay & West Head

• 4 Mar, 6 Mar & 8 Mar

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 5 Mar & 7 Mar

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return

• 6 Mar

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 7 Mar

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 9 Mar

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 10 Mar

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

  • Shoalhaven Ronde @ Shoalhaven Heads @ 8.30am

Orange NSW @ 1 Mar - David Cooper and Sonny Boy spotted in Orange before a local training ride last Friday. David was one of the original BiciSport founding fathers from 1995 and now resides in Orange and a Level 1 CyclingNSW Commissaire.

3 Peaks Challenge is on 10 March starting from Falls Creek - the BiciSport starter is Michael Taylor

…. no more fluff & pointless training races in isolated parts of the cycling realm be it in Ballarat, Adelaide or some other obscure Middle Eastern enclave. Welcome to the real deal in Belgium with cobbles, leg warmers, true grit, frites & mayo, and 1,000 varieties of local beer and Het Nieuwsblad & Kuurne Brussels Kuurne …

News Shorts - 25 February

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - before the start outside the Retreat at Wisemans Ferry

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - after some 30k into the Loop past St Albans it was the start of the 9k of firmly packed gravel. Ian Grainger leads Marty Wright and Raoul Westbrook

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - halfway through the gravel section on the first climb

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - Eric Dole leads the charge up the Alpe del la Mangrove Mountain climb

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - Randolph Baral (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the steep 10% section of the Alpe del la Mangrove Mountain climb

Lake Hume Cyclosportive @ Albury @ 23 Feb - BiciSport Griffith cut a fine looking peloton in Albury.

Spotted at Akuna Bay @ 23 Feb - (L to R) … Neil, Andrew ‘Macca’ McLean, Davide Browne, Mike O’Brien & Neil Farquahson. Mike O’Brien being on a brief Aussie sojourn from the UK getting in some secret base training for the upcoming BiciSport Belgian Spring Classics trip with both Mike Lawson & Marty Wright.

Husky Tri @ 24 Feb - Stew Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took the (team) win

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Speedy Recovery - John Elderfield had one almighty rubber side up whilst riding a motorbike in Bangkok and thankfully survived to tell the tale. Get well soon John.

• Husky Triathlon @ 24 Feb - Stewart Campbell took another team win at the Husky Tri

• Wisemans Loop Ride Report @ 24 Feb - rain & heavy winds during the previous week saw a greatly reduced BiciSport peloton complete the full 115k into Calga. Conditions were surprisingly agreeable on the day, with the 9k of St Albans gravel more like concrete (thanks to all the rain). All agreed that the seemingly “flat” section of road from Wisemans Ferry to Spencer was much more taxing than first thought, and the final push from Peats Ridge into Calga hurt as required. Thanks to Paul Craft (RAW Track) for making it all happen.

Shoalhaven Ronde happens on 10 March. Details on the BiciSport Special Events of this website.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

SHOALHAVEN RONDE - SUNDAY 10 MARCH

• Based out of Shoalhaven Heads (just south of Berry) on Sunday 10 March over 100k on roads used by BiciSport over the Nowra TTT weekend via Nowra, Pyree, Greenwell Point & Currarong Beach. Ride starts & finishes from the TableTalk Cafe in Shoalhaven Heads starting at 8.30am. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

BATHURST WEEKEND - SATURDAY SUNDAY 16-17 MARCH

• A great weekend of racing in Bathurst on the Saturday with Blayney to Bathurst cyclosportive on the Sunday. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

• The BiciSport Saturday night dinner will be at the Rydges Hotel (Mountain Straight) at 6.30pm. To confirm a dinner spot please call 0417 403 244

ROULEUR CLASSIC MELBOURNE - 28 to 30 NOVEMBER

• BiciSport is proud to announce it will be a contributor to the first Rouleur Classic in Melbourne from 28-30 November. The show will be held at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art situated at 111 Sturt Street on Southbank. Details on the Special Events page of this website.

• The Rouleur Classic is billed as the world’s finest road cycling exhibition. The show provides an opportunity to enjoy the very pinnacle of cycling in a relaxed but prestigious environment. There will be a stellar line up of guests & pro riders, together with cycling marques, cycling apparel, components, technology & much much more.

• BiciSport will be providing a restored Peugeot 504 Tour de France team car to the Classic together with a recently restored Sydney Olympic derny

RACING THIS WEEK

• 26 Feb - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 1 Mar - Sutherland Criteriums (Waratah Park)

• 1-2 Mar - Wagga Weekend (Tolland CC)

• 3 Mar - Western Sydney Dragway (Waratah Masters CC), Calga ITT (ATTA), Fred Icke Road Race (VRS - Creswick Vic)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School Term back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, well sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction nearly done

  • Mona Vale Rd (Bahai Temple to Mona Vale) … road widening has commenced.

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 25 Feb, 27 Feb

  • Hills Nursery CarPark Terrey Hills @ 7.30am to Akuna Bay & West Head

• 25 Feb, 27 Feb & 1 Mar

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 26 Feb & 28 Feb

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return

• 27 Feb

  • Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 28 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 2 Mar

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 3 Mar

  • Piemonte Cafe Car Park Terrey Hills @ 7.30am for Akuna Bay-West Head

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - Marty Wright leads Raoul Westbrook past the Muskoka Farm willows outside Spencer towards the Central Mangrove climb

BiciSport Wisemans Loop @ 24 Feb - after the Alpe del la Mangrove Mountain climb and just 25k to the Calga finish

News Shorts - 18 February

Sprint Grand Prix #3 @ DGV @ 16 Feb - Damien Bottero (BiciSport) departs the start line

Sprint Grand Prix #3 @ DGV @ 16 Feb - Damien Bottero takes a win

Waratah Masters @ ECR @ 17 Feb - Ian Grainger (BiciSport Master) picks up yet another 5th place in C grade.

Italy-Belgium 2019 - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Master) pictured on the Carrefour De L’Arbre cobbles outside Roubaix in April 2018.

Mike returns to the Holy Land of cycling for the Strade Bianche Cyclosportive in Seina (Italy) on 10 March, followed by three weeks in Belgium with cyclosportives in Wevelgem, Flanders & Roubaix and a raft of Belgian Spring Classics.

Il Perlo Hotel @ Bellagio on Lake Como plays host to BiciSport in Italy in March 2019. The picture above features the Tour of Lombardy pro race passing by in clear & sunny conditions.

Lets hope Mike Lawson & Marty Wright pack their winter team kit … this picture was taken only last week from the same IL Perlo Hotel, this time facing up the steep Madonna de Ghissalo climb used in the same Tour of Lombardy pro race

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Recovery Ward - Conor Tarlington resumes training on the home trainer this week after his hernia operation.

• Sprint Grand Prix @ DGV @ 16 Feb - Damien Bottero continues to see building form towards the coming Masters Championships at the Sprint Grand Prix Round 3 at the DGV.

VALE FRANS VAN EYCK

• Sad to report the recent passing of Frans Van Eyck in Temse, Belgium. Frans was a great supporter of numerous BiciSport cyclists who have made the trip to Flanders over the years. Frans was 92 years young.

BELGIUM JUNE JULY 2019 - CONOR TARLINGTON RACE DATES CONFIRMED

• Conor Tarlington heads of to Belgium in mid June with a racing program packed solid with 80k ‘kermesse’ style races all over Flanders. The team stays at the Kokerelle B&B (www.kokerelle.be) just outside Oudenaarde. The Flanders stay includes 3 stages of the 2019 Tour de France (Stages 1-3) which pass through Belgium. There are two spots still available at Kokerelle and if you’re interested please email bicisport1@gmail.com

• June - 15 - Retro Tour of Flanders, 21 - Zomergem, 22 - Aardenberg, Retro Dwars Door Hageland, 23 - Eindhout, 25 - Wachtebeke, 28 - Lommel, 29 - St Amandsberg, 30 - Dikkelvenne

• July - 3 - Ursel, 7 - Sinaai, 7 - Zottegem, Tour de France Stage 1 (Geraadsbergen) 8 - Adegem, Tour de France Stage 2 (Brussels Team Time Trial) 9 Tour de France Stage 3 (Binche start) 10 - Ursel, 13 - Vogelnaarde (NL), 14 - Merelbeke, 16 - Clinge (NL), 17 - Ursel, 20 - Laarne, 21 - Herne, 24 - Ursel, 26 - Beveren Waas, 28 - Duffel

The BiciSport Wisemans Ferry Loop on Sunday 24 February offers 4 ride options (41k, 92k, 115k & 115k). Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

WISEMANS FERRY LOOP - SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY

• BiciSport is hosting a training ride from Wisemans Ferry on Sunday 24 February with full car support. Ride starts from the Wisemans Ferry Bowling Club @ 8.00am (meet at 7.30am). Details are on the Special Events page of this website

• A volunteer is needed to drive the Happy Wheels Subaru to follow the ride. Please email bicisport1@gmail.com if you can assist

Wisemans Ferry Loop just out of St Albans offers some great cycling country

SHOALHAVEN RONDE - SUNDAY 10 MARCH

• Based out of Shoalhaven Heads (just south of Berry) on Sunday 10 March over 100k on roads used by BiciSport over the Nowra TTT weekend via Nowra, Pyree, Greenwell Point & Currarong Beach. Ride starts & finishes from the TableTalk Cafe in Shoalhaven Heads starting at 8.30am. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

BATHURST WEEKEND - SATURDAY SUNDAY 16-17 MARCH

• A great weekend of racing in Bathurst on the Saturday with Blayney to Bathurst cyclosportive on the Sunday. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

• The B2B Weekend clashes with a major basketball competition in Bathurst, and accommodation bookings over that weekend will be tight

RACING THIS WEEK

• 19 Feb - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 22 Feb - Sutherland Criteriums (Waratah Park)

• 23 Feb - Lake Hume Cyclosportive (Albury/Wodonga) - BiciSport starters Team Griffith

• 24 Feb - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters CC)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School Term back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, well sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction nearly done

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 19 Feb, 22 Feb

  • Hills Nursery CarPark Terrey Hills @ 7.30am to Akuna Bay & West Head

• 18 Feb, 20 Feb, 22 Feb

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 19 Feb & 21 Feb

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return

• 20 Feb

  • Wise Monkey Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 21 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 23 Feb

  • Hills Nursery Car Park Terrey Hills @ 7.00am for Akuna Bay & West Head

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 24 Feb

  • Wisemans Ferry Ride @ 8.00am (meet up at 7.30am) - See Special Events page

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

Sandstone Cafe @ Miramare Terrey Hills @ 16 Feb - Miramare staff led by Vinney (The 11 Cog) Panetta make for a great Saturday morning coffee @ 9.30am. All welcome.

Sandstone Cafe @ Miramare Terrey Hills @ 16 Feb - Eric Dole & Marty Wright

Mirror Sprint magazine from July 1967 features the Paris Roubaix Classic.

Jan Janssen (Pelforth Sauvage) and Raymond Poulidor (Mercier) were the leading riders of the day. The bikes of the era all featured MAFAC centre pull brakes, high flange hubs and pedal toe clips.

News Shorts - 11 February

Dubbo Track Open @ 9 Feb - Damien Bottero (BiciSport Master) rode well on the somewhat flat Dubbo Velodrome

Dubbo Track Open @ 9 Feb - Damien Bottero (BiciSport Master)

Conor Tarlington (BiciSport Elite) is set for a return to Flanders and the Koppenberg in June & July 2019. His Belgian race calendar is listed below.

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Waratah Masters @ 10 Feb - Both Peter Verhoeven & Ian Grainger rode well

• Dubbo Track Open @ 9 Feb - Damien Bottero rode competitively at the Dubbo Track Open having to come to grips with the special features of a flattish country velodrome. Damien continues this coming week at the Sprint GP Round 3 at the DGV at Bass Hill.

BELGIUM JUNE JULY 2019 - CONOR TARLINGTON RACE DATES CONFIRMED

• Conor Tarlington heads of to Belgium in mid June with a racing program packed solid with 80k ‘kermesse’ style races all over Flanders. The team stays at the Kokerelle B&B (www.kokerelle.be) just outside Oudenaarde. The Flanders stay includes 3 stages of the 2019 Tour de France (Stages 1-3) which pass through Belgium. There are two spots still available at Kokerelle and if you’re interested please email bicisport1@gmail.com

• June - 15 - Retro Tour of Flanders, 21 - Zomergem, 22 - Aardenberg, Retro Dwars Door Hageland, 23 - Eindhout, 25 - Wachtebeke, 28 - Lommel, 29 - St Amandsberg, 30 - Dikkelvenne

• July - 3 - Ursel, 7 - Sinaai, 7 - Zottegem, Tour de France Stage 1 (Geraadsbergen) 8 - Adegem, Tour de France Stage 2 (Brussels Team Time Trial) 9 Tour de France Stage 3 (Binche start) 10 - Ursel, 13 - Vogelnaarde (NL), 14 - Merelbeke, 16 - Clinge (NL), 17 - Ursel, 20 - Laarne, 21 - Herne, 24 - Ursel, 26 - Beveren Waas, 28 - Duffel

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

WISEMANS FERRY LOOP - SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY

• BiciSport is hosting a training ride from Wisemans Ferry on Sunday 24 February with full car support. Ride starts from the Wisemans Ferry Bowling Club @ 8.00am (meet at 7.30am). Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

PLONK RONDE - SUNDAY 10 MARCH

• Based out of Shoalhaven Heads (just south of Berry) on Sunday 10 March over 100k on roads used by BiciSport over the Nowra TTT weekend via Nowra, Pyree, Greenwell Point & Currarong Beach. Ride starts & finishes from the TableTalk Cafe in Shoalhaven Heads starting at 8.30am. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

BATHURST WEEKEND - SATURDAY SUNDAY 16&17 MARCH

• A great weekend of racing in Bathurst on the Saturday with Blayney to Bathurst cyclosportive on the Sunday. Details are on the Special Events page of this website.

• The B2B Weekend clashes with a major basketball competition in Bathurst, and accommodation bookings over that weekend will be tight

• A volunteer is needed to drive the Happy Wheels Subaru from Bathurst to the Blayney start on the day. If you can assist then emails to bicisport1@gmail.com

RACING THIS WEEK

• 12 Feb - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 15 Feb - Sutherland Criteriums (Waratah Park)

• 16 Feb - Sprint GP # 3 (DGV-CyclingNSW) - BiciSport starter Damien Bottero, Melbourne to Warnambool Classic (NRS)

• 17 Feb - Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters CC), Mt Ku Ring Gai Criterium (Northern Sydney CC)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School Term back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to resolve than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, well sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction nearly done

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 12 Feb, 13 Feb, 15 Feb

  • Hills Nursery CarPark Terrey Hills @ 7.30am to Akuna Bay & West Head

• 11 Feb, 13 Feb, 15 Feb

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 12 Feb & 14 Feb

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return

• 13 Feb

  • Berowra Railway Station Gruppetto @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 14 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 16 Feb

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA). 

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 17 Feb

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

Steve Stannard was an outstanding Elite cyclist who shot to fame in 1993 at the Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic from Coffs Harbour to Canberra. Steve finished top 10 on General Classification and took on the might of the AIS National Team (and several European pro teams) which included the likes of Matt White (now a Mitchelton Scott DS) and Henk Vogels.

The Northern Sydney CC club team was sponsored by Australian Bananas and you couldn’t miss them in their flamboyant orange & yellow knicks (something of a radical fashion statement at the time). Team members - Ian Brindley, Mike O’Reilly (DS), Steve Stannard, Ben Litchfield, Bart Hickson, Mark Rowling (mechanic) & Phil Chapman

In 1994 and the White Pages Tour @ Bundanoon to Canberra Stage Race - Northern Sydney CC team was sponsored by Clancys Foodstores & Abrokiss (hence the red lips) with both a womens & mens team that included Rachel Appleton, Steve Stannard (front), Phil Chapman, Laurie Vignes, Ben Litchfield, Rhonda Craigie, Nadia Frischkneckt, Lucy Lykke, Bruce Boulton (masseuse), Catherine Dawson (front) & Mike O’Reilly (DS)

Herald Sun Tour 2019 - it was like old times meeting a youthful Steve Stannard (right) at the last stage of the HST19 in Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens. Robert Stannard (son) rode an outstanding HST 19.

News Shorts - February 4

Herald Sun Tour 2019 - the early stages and Team Sky were riding very well, but seemed locked out by the duo of Michael Woods & Ritchie Porte. Dylan Van Baarle (pictured left after the earlier Churchill stage finish) rode a brilliant race into Arthurs Seat and took the HST overall win in the Melbourne Botanical Gardens

Herald Sun Tour 2019 - the SRAM team offered full professional support to the HST led by Rob Eva (far left)

BiciSport to Flanders 2019 - the above picture was taken at the Kokerelle B&B near Oudenaarde only last week with temperatures of minus 3 and heavy snow. BiciSport has a small group going over in late March for the Milan San Remo & Belgian Spring Classics, and again for a 5 week racing stint with Conor Tarlington (BiciSport Elite) from 19 June until 28 July.

There are a couple of vacant spots still going for the June July Belgian trip and if you’d like a few weeks cycling around Flanders then please email bicisport1@gmail.com. Conor’s Belgian racing program has been confirmed and will be detailed next week.

B2B oVER 16-17 MARCH

• A reminder that the B2B Weekend clashes with a major basketball competition in Bathurst, and accommodation bookings over that weekend will be tight

• A volunteer is needed to drive the Happy Wheels Subaru from Bathurst to the Blayney start on the day. Emails please to bicisport1@gmail.com

BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS

• Recovery Ward - Conor Tarlington is recovering after a hernia which has him off the bike for a few weeks. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

• Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne @ 3 Feb - Ian Grainger was a C grade peloton finish

2019 RACING & BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDERS NOW UPDATED

• The draft CyclingNSW 2019 Racing Calender was recently published and this has been uploaded onto this website, as has the BiciSport Special Events calendar dates

BICISPORT SPECIAL EVENTS

WISEMANS FERRY TO WISEMANS FERRY LOOP - SUNDAY 24 FEBRUARY

• A new CyclingNSW open road race in 2019 is the Ferry to the Mountain 110k road race in May 2019. BiciSport has got behind this exciting new road event and supporting Paul Craft (of RAW Track fame).

• BiciSport will be hosting a training ride over the circuit on Sunday 24 February with full car support. Ride starts from the Wisemans Ferry Bowling Club @ 8.00am (meet at 7.30am). Details of the Wisemans Ferry-Wisemans Ferry Loop training ride are on the Special Events page of this website.

• A volunteer is needed to drive the Happy Wheels Subaru on 24 February. Emails please to bicisport1@gmail.com

RACING THIS WEEK

• 5 Feb - Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 8 Feb - Sutherland Criteriums (Waratah Park)

• 7-9 Feb - Pro 3 Day Track Race (DISC Velodrome, Melbourne)

• 9 Feb - Dubbo Track Open - BiciSport starter Damien Bottero

• 10 Feb - Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters CC), West Head Road Race (Manly CC)

BICISPORT GROUP RIDES THIS WEEK

• For further details please contact 0417 403 244  

*  Motor traffic conditions are HEAVIER with the NSW School back in full swing

*  Note -

• Roadworks of note

  • Forest Way (at Forestville) … taking longer to fix than the Operation Puerto cycling drug bust !

  • Warringah Rd (at Allambie Heights) … almost there, sort of !

  • Military Rd (Cremorne to Neutral Bay) with center lane reconstruction

All group rides are cancelled if wet

• 4 Feb, 6 Feb, 8 Feb

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop @ 7.30am (to 9.30am)  

• 5 Feb & 7 Feb

  • Waratah’s Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 7.50am for Akuna Bay & Duffys Forest, then Terrey Hills shops @ 9.00am on the return leg

• 6 Feb

  • M7 Cyclepath @ 75k @ Bella Vista end @ 7.30am

  • Berowra Railway Station Gruppetto @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return

• 7 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. 

  • Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride @ Centennial Park Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am 

• 8 Feb

  • Hills Nursery Terrey Hills carpark @ 6.30am for West Head

• 9 Feb

  • Bennelong Bridge (East Side) @ Rhodes @ 7.00am (6x10k loops around SOPA).

  • Hills Nursery Terrey Hills @ 7.45am for Akuna Bay, Church Point & return  

  • BiciSport Coffee at Miramire Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am 

• 10 Feb

  • M7 Cyclepath @ BP Service Centre @ Wallgrove Rd @ 6.30am

  • Sydney Olympic Park @ Hill St Wharf @ 7.00am (for SOPA Loops until 8.15am)

BiciSport 130k ride around Griffith @ 27 Jan - Melissa Budd, Peter Budd, Frank Signor & Michael Taylor

Stuart O’Grady & Wallers Arenberg Forest @ Paris Roubaix