News Shorts - 26 December

Bathurst Interclub road race @ 18 Dec - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took the top spot at the Bathurst Interclub. Ian has been a regular visitor to the podiums in several interclubs, State & National Masters Road Championships. Congratulations Ian on a great 2022 and we look forward to 2023.

Darren Benson in France @ Dec 22 - Best wishes Darren for a new start in rural France

Gent 6 Day @ t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent - Iljo Keisee pulls a nice wheelie at 65kph behind the motorised derny … don’t try this at home

Cafe De Karper @ Gent Belgium - a simple matter of 400m down the road from t’Kuipe Velodrome is the Cafe De Karper owned by the father (Ronnie) of Iljo Keisse. Its flemish cycling to the core

Covid 19 …. that little treasure is the gift that keeps on giving with several BiciSport riders down at present. Speedy recovery to all.

Rest in Peace the admired Vittorio Adorni who passed away on 24 December 22. Picture above was winning the World Pro Road Championships at Imola in 1966. Class, elegance, sportsmanship, a gentleman.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 28-30 Dec

  • Sydney Christmas Track Carnivals (various Sydney Velodromes)

• 6-10 Jan

  • National Road Championships (Ballarat, Vic)

• 8 Jan

  • Landsowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

  • Tumut Classic Cyclosportive

• 10 Jan

  • Presentation for the Tour of Spain 2023

• 17 Jan

  • Oh no …. there is no Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums until 17 Jan

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 27 Dec

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 29 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 31 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Eddy Merckx presents the Pope with a Molteni team bike at the 1975 Tour of Italy

The close relationships with Popes and cycling are well known. Pope Pius X (1903-14) perceived cycling “as a virtuous practice”. Pope Pius X11 (1939-58) took cycling to a whole new dimension with a small chapel built in 1948 on the Ghisallo Pass near Bellagio on Lake Como. Pope Paul V1 (1963-78) was a fervent advocate for physical exercise … “sports are the symbol of spiritual reality”. Finally, Pope Francis blessed the Tour of Italy Pink Jersey in 2013

The Ghisallo Church was commissioned in 1948 by Pope Pius X11 and is dedicated to all cyclists.

The Pope greets Felice Gimondi (right) and Eddy Merckx at the 1975 Tour of Italy

Pope Francis blesses the Tour of Italy leaders jersey in 2013

The Pope greets a beaming Felice Gimondi (Bianchi Campagnolo) at the start of the Tour of Italy 1974

Being Christmas nothing can top the Tour of Italy team presentation with the Pope kindly gracing the opening celebrations. Popes over the ages have been presented with several team bikes

Peter Sagan presents a Vatican inspired team bike to Pope Francis

The Pope receives his own Colnago

News Shorts - 19 December

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - The final contest of 2022 with an A grade Trophy Race (over 20 laps) plus the B-C grade handicap (over 15 laps). B grade really was not that committed to catching C grade and C grade comfortably took the podium with Stew Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) putting in a great finish

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Stew Campbell takes second at the finish

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Rolly Delaytz rode well in B grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Rolly Delaytz

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Caleb Ewen was a stand out in a high octane A grade Trophy Race

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Rolly Delaytz on the B grade start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Stew Campbell on the C grade start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 13 Dec - Rolly Delaytz getting “pinned up”

St Ives HART Criterium @ 16 Dec - Sam Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) finished 2nd in D grade

Sydney ‘1000’ Tempe Open @ 10 Dec - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Sydney ‘1000’ Tempe Open @ 10 Dec - Davide Browne on a charge

Sydney ‘1000’ Tempe Open @ 10 Dec - Davide Browne raced the tandem with Lizanne Willmott

Sydney ‘1000’ Tempe Open @ 10 Dec - Davide & Lizanne on the Tempe Velodrome banking

ACT XCO Championships @ 11 Dec - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes the Silver medal. A challenging technical MTB course at its best. Rocky, dusty, tree roots, steep climbs and fast challenging downhill. Eric finished just 27 seconds behind the Gold medal.

ACT XCO Championships @ 11 Dec - Eric Dole

ACT XCO Championships @ 11 Dec - Eric Dole

BiciSport Christmas Coffee @ Taste Buds @ 17 Dec - L to R … The BiciSport Grupetto consisted of Herve, Ian, Mike, Marty, Suzy, Tom, Sean, Karl, John, Tony & Raoul

C’mon Santa …. do the right thing … I have been good all year

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 17 Jan

  • Oh no …. there is no Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums until 17 Jan

• 28-30 Dec

  • Sydney Christmas Track Carnivals (various Sydney Velodromes)

• 6-10 Jan

  • National Road Championships (Ballarat, Vic)

• 8 Jan

  • Landsowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

  • Tumut Classic Cyclosportive

• 10 Jan

  • Presentation Tour of Spain 2023

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 20 Dec

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 22 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 24 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Felice Gimondi - 1942 to 2019

One of the greatest Italian cyclists ever. If any competitive cyclist deserves the highest accolade for performance, grace & integrity then Felice is the man. Sadly passed away suddenly in 2019 (from a heart attack) when he still had an enormous presence across all sections of Italian & World cycling. Pictured above in a filthy Paris Roubaix Classic.

Felice was only the second cyclist to win all three Grand Tours (Spain - ‘68, Italy - ‘67, ‘69, ‘76, France - ‘65) and graced a Grand Tour podium some 12 times. Sponsor of choice was Salvarani (Italian kitchens) or Bianchi (bikes). Single day Classic victories were numerous - World Championships, National Champion, Lombardy x 2, Roubaix, San Remo, Paris Brussels. Team management also included looking after Marco Pantani.

Felice wins the Tour of Lombardy on the Como Velodrome. The tifosi goes crazy !

Felice wins the Milan San Remo Classic 1974 in a solo breakaway. The tifosi goes crazy again !

Felice wins the World Road Championships in Barcelona 1973.

A Championship full of intrigue, scandal and bribery as behind the scenes Freddy Maertens (Belgium) was on Shimano, and Freddy accused his team mate in Eddy Merckx of riding for the Campagnolo sponsored Gimondi. Maertens finished second & Merckx was fourth. Nothing beats a good scandal !

Gimondi @ Le Tour in 1965 riding for the Salvarani team. Note the front pockets on the jerseys.

Gimondi @ Le Tour 1965 with front pockets buttoned up.

Gimondi climbing in the Stelvio snow @ Giro riding for the Bianchi Campagnolo team

Gimondi @ Giro 1969

Eddy Merckx (left) & Felice Gimondi were the best of friends

Salvarini Team Presentation 1972 … Salvarini made high quality Italian kitchens (lots of them)

News Shorts - 12 December

West Head Road Race @ 12 Dec - Anthony Lowes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) at the start in the latest Pilu Racing team kit for 2023

West Head Road Race @ 12 Dec - Anthony Lowes

West Head Road Race @ 12 Dec - Anthony Lowes

West Head Road Race @ 12 Dec - Anthony Lowes

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Dragway @ 11 Dec - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the attack

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the right

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec - Rolly Delaytz going over the Col del la Heffron

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was a rare DNF in a super quick criterium … but what a night with Caleb Ewan in town

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 6 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport) receives his latest issue Happy Wheels team kit from Champion Systems Manager Kim Taranto

BiciSport Christmas Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Terrey Hills on Saturday 17 December @ 9.30am. All welcome.

Tour of Bright @ 4 Dec - a nice pedal late on the Sunday afternoon with BiciSport team mates & supporters out towards Tawonga Gap

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 13 Dec

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 17 Dec

  • BiciSport Christmas Coffee Sandstone Cafe Terrey Hills @ 9.30am

• 18 Dec

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 13 Dec

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 15 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 17 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Gitane Campagnolo Pro Team (France) - 1969-77

Gitane Campagnolo team was the forerunner to the more well known Renault Gitane team. A bike industry sponsored group with Gitane (frames) and Campagnolo the groupsets. The jersey is a retro icon

The team itself was loaded with super talent - a rising Bernard Hinault (eventually won 5 Tours de France), Liege, Paris Roubaix, Ghent Wevelgem, Grand Prix de Nations, World Pro Road Championships and a whole lot more.

Lucien Van Impe was a class act (Tour KOM jersey holder plus Tour winner as well) as was Gerben Karstens (classy sprinter) ably assisted by Roland Berland, Andre Chalmel, Robert Mintkiewicz, Willy Tierlinck (Belgium), Jacques Bossis & Bernard Quilfen. They won often and in every terrain. Gerben Karstens did “win” a Tour of Lombardy classic but failed the subsequent dope test - oops.

Lucien Van Impe in the KOM jersey at the Tour de France

Paris Roubaix Classic looked more like cyclo cross in Belgium

Gerben Karstens (Netherlands) wins the Amstel Gold Classic for Gitane

Bernard Hinault (Gitane Campagnolo) riding the 1979 World Road Championships in the Netherlands

News Shorts - 5 December

Tour of Bright 2022 - Great weather & congratulations to the local Alpine race organisers, promoters and the BiciSport team of Peter Budd, Ian Grant, Klayton Smith and Craig Pager. A fine team ride

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec- On the stage 1 start line in Bright with Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) and Peter Budd (BiciSport Happy Wheels). Conditions were somewhat chilly for a 7.15am start but warmed up nicely for the afternoon Individual Time Trial in the Wandiligong Valley

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Klayton Smith & Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Ian Grant at the forefront of the Masters 6+ category going through the township of Bright at the start

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd in the M6+ race going through the township of Bright at the start

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Craig Pager in Masters C grade going through the township of Bright

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Ian Grant on the Tawonga Gap climb approaching the finish on Stage 1

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Ian Grant at the stage 1 finish line after an aggressive ride in the early section of Stage 1

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd is a noted sprinter but is prepping for the Masters World Road Championships in St Johann Austria in 2023. Fine job Peter for supporting the team and putting in for the St Johann project.

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd crosses the finish line in stage 1 at Tawonga Gap

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Klayton Smith crosses the finish line in stage 1 at Tawonga Gap

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Klayton Smith after the Stage 1 finish

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Craig Pager crosses the finish line at the end of Stage 1

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Craig Pager after the Stage 1 finish

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Craig Pager in the Wandiligong Individual Time Trial

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd on an ITT start ramp is such a rare offering it had to be posted

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd coming to grips with descending down the ITT ramp.

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Peter Budd (having survived the hazards of the ITT ramp) … it was time for the Wandiligong Individual Time Trial

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Klayton Smith in the Wandiligong Individual Time Trial

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 29 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) can be sighted second on the right (orange socks) in the final sprint

HART Criteriums @ St Ives @ 2 Dec - Sam Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) went 2nd at HART Criteriums

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 6 Dec

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 9 Dec

  • Sprint Grand Prix (DGV Velodrome)

• 10 Dec

  • Sydney ‘1000’ @ Tempe Velodrome

• 11 Dec

  • Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

  • West Head Road Race (The Wall Handicap)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 6 Dec

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 8 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 10 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - Ian Grant at the top of Mt Buffalo on the Sunday stage.

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - Klayton Smith was the best BiciSport performer on the Sunday with 4th in Masters B grade (3rd in the bunch gallop)

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - Craig Pager at Mt Buffalo

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - a great training block accomplished for Peter Budd with sights set on St Johann in August 2023

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - After the Mt Buffalo finish … a smiling duo of Peter Budd & Ian Grant

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - Ian Grant getting cleaned up after the Mt Buffalo stage finish

Tour of Bright 22 @ 4 Dec - Peter Budd took 3rd in the M6+ category Sprint Classification

Tour of Bright 22 @ 3 Dec - Steve Holland wasn’t racing but seriously put in with a ride to Mt Hotham & return

Tour of Bright 22 @ 2 Dec - John Robb put in some valuable training k’s and visited Mt Buffallo

RIP Davide Rebellin

News Shorts - 28 November

Tuesday Night Heffron Criteriums @ 22 Nov - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) in the thick of the B grade action.

The 22 Nov criterium was the best yet - B grade caught C grade with 4 laps to go & A grade latched onto the back of B grade as they approached the finish but B grade took the overall victory. Rolly rode his heart out and gave it 100%. and took 3rd place in B grade

Tuesday Night Heffron Criteriums @ 22 Nov - Rolly Delaytz

Tuesday Night Heffron Criteriums @ 22 Nov - Rolly Delaytz (left) approaches the B grade finish and takes 3rd in B grade

Tuesday Night Heffron Criteriums @ 22 Nov - Rolly Delaytz after the finish

Happy Wheels Waterloo - a case of where life mimics art

BiciSport Griffith @ 26 Nov - Peter Budd (BiciSport) hits the Spruce Goose Cafe at Centennial Park in Sydney. The Park was that busy on a lovely Saturday morning it was far from being a Park and more like a “loved to death” sporting facility.

BiciSport Griffith @ 26 Nov - A nice cockpit shot courtesy of Peter Budd on the way home from a Sunday training ride in Centennial Park

BiciSport to Paris Roubaix 2023

Entries are now open for the Paris Roubaix Challenge 2023… the Challenge is held the day before the professional race. If you are interested in seeing the Belgian Spring Classics & the Paris Roubaix Weekend (Challenge + Pro race) then contact Mike O’Reilly on 0417 403 244

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 29 Nov

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 3-4 Dec

  • Tour of Bright

    • Details in BiciSport Special Events page on this website

    • BiciSport starters - Klayton Smith, Peter Budd, Craig Pager, Ian Grant, Steve Holland

• 3 Dec

  • Heffron Park Retro Show + Criterium (Randwick CC)

  • Bathurst/Orange Track Open (AusCyclingNSW)

  • Gundy Gravel (near Scone)

• 4 Dec

  • Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

  • Hodgson Memorial Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 29 Nov

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 1 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 3 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Tour of Bright 2022 - Floods, bushfires, Covid 19 but the ToB is back bigger and better than ever in 2022. BiciSport is starting a solid team in Peter Budd, Craig Pager, Ian Grant, Steve Holland & Klayton Smith.

Stage 1 is Gaps Loop on the Saturday morning (finishing on top of the Tawonga Gap). Stage 2 is a 16k individual time trial in the afternoon along the Wandiligong Valley just outside Bright and Stage 3 (the Sunday) is “only” 36k but straight up to the top of Mt Buffalo (the climb is some 27k).

Stage 1 - pan flat out of Bright along the Ovens Valley, turning right direction the Rosewhite Gap climb for the first shake out. The stage finishes at the top of the Tawonga Gap

Stage 3 - its not that long @ 36k but its 27k of climbing to the top of Mt Buffalo

Molteni Pro Team (Italy) - a brief pictorial featuring Michelle Dancelli (pictured above) and the Molteni team. Michelle won numerous professional races and was notorious for forcing a late breakaway and taking the victory.

Dancelli on the late attack in Milan San Remo Classic on the Poggio climb and duly took the Classic victory.

Most certainly NOT members of the Molteni Pro Team but a happy gruppeto of Italian Molteni supporters outside the Madonna de Ghissalo Church high above Lake Como.

Most definitely the real deal Molteni team led by Rudi Altig as World Professional Road Champion

News Shorts - 21 November

Road alert on McCarrs Creek Rd @ 19 Nov - Its rare to commence a BiciSport News with a road alert but this one is important. Not that far from Church Point is an insanely dangerous road plate on a semi blind sharp corner. Several cyclists have crashed here in recent days. Extreme caution is required.

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 15 Nov - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the start

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 15 Nov - Rolly put in in the B grade bunch and B grade caught C grade with some 4 laps to go, but they themselves were caught by A grade on the bell lap. Game over.

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 15 Nov - Rolly Delaytz

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 15 Nov - Getting Rolly Delaytz looking pretty

Eastern Creek Dragway Criterium @ 20 Nov - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Belgian CycloCross Report from Mike Lawson (BiciSport) - Zottegem (pictured left above on the start line) was a course that suited me better than the usual speedways - plenty of turns, little pinch hills, plus a bit of mud and an extra two soft sand pits. Similar finish to 2019 for me with 14th and a couple of good battles along the way.

Sunday 6 Nov was Arendonk - higher quality & increased number of entrants. The course was the infield of a car RallyCross circuit with turns, overpasses and long hard pedalling straights - then out onto single track with tree roots on a loop through the forest. Finished 22nd in the 55+ age category (6th in the 65+ age category).

Belgian CycloCross - the Belgian sandpit with a few jumps thrown in

Belgian CycloCross - sand sand and more sand

Belgian CycloCross - Mike van der Lawson

Belgian CycloCross - Mike van der Lawson on a sharp soggy descent

Belgian CycloCross - Mike van der Lawson

Belgian CycloCross - whilst in Oudenaarde in East Flanders … Mike Lawson met the current World Champion in Zoe Backstedt

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 22 Nov

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 23-27 Nov

  • Tour of Tasmania (AusCycling)

• 26 Nov

  • NSW Team Time Trial Championships (Singleton)

• 27 Nov

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 22 Nov

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 24 Nov

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 26 Nov

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

The Gent 6 Day is in full swing and this picture was taken at the t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent. Freddy Maertens (left) in deep discussion with the Gent 6 Day Race Director Patrick Sercu. Both riders were undoubtedly legends of the sport. Sadly dear Patrick is no longer with us but left a remarkable legacy at the Gent 6.

Gent 6 Day @ t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent - there is no atmosphere like it at any velodrome on the planet

Gent 6 Day @ t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent - the spectator mosh pit inside the velodrome is not for the faint hearted.

Gent is a university town and the students come to the Gent 6 on Thursday night & party pretty well (they escape Gent on a Friday night and return home to the country and homely comfort of dear mum & dad). You maybe don’t see this race action at the DGV Velodrome in Sydney.

Preben Van Hecke

TopSport Vlaanderen Pro Team (Belgium) - 1994 to today

If any team typifies Flemish Belgium, then this is it. Primarily designed to develop Belgian riders to subsequently go into World Tour teams, but some riders (like Kenny De Ketele, who won a World Track Championship) did very nicely here without going on to the World Tour. All team members are hard core Belgian (meaning Flemish) and it means everything to have ‘van der’ in your surname. If you hadn’t guessed it by now being French Belgian won’t get you voted onto the island.

Sponsorship is primarily from TopSport Vlaanderen (being State funded) but considerable financial support comes from Baloise (insurance). Bikes were/are/will be Eddy Merckx (this is Belgium we are talking about), and groupsets are Campagnolo. The team gets selected invites to certain World Tour races (especially in Belgium). Team management is again from the mothership in Christophe Sercu, Roger Swerts & Walter Planckaert (all three are Belgian racing legends in their own right)

Biggest wins ? … as you’d expect being a development team these are few & far between. Nico Eeckhout won a Belgian Pro Road Championship (in Antwerp in 2006) and Preben Van Hecke did likewise in 2015. Other wins are rare but that’s not the point - its development development development. A great team with a great culture & attitude.

Some names above that transitioned out of this great feeder team to bigger and better things … Sep Vanmarcke, Kenny De Ketele, Ben Hermans, Jens Debusschere, Jan Bakelants & Preben Van Hecke

Bicisport magazine for November 22

News Shorts - 14 November

AusCycling NSW MTB State Champs @ Nowra @ 12 Nov - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes the M7 category victory

AusCycling NSW MTB State Champs @ Nowra @ 12 Nov - Eric Dole

West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Anthony Lowes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) takes 3rd in the Masters A category. Congratulations to Pilu Racing on their new 2023 team kit pictured above

West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Anthony Lowes

West Head Road Race @ 13 Nov - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was promoted to B grade and sampled the West Head “hurt box”

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was all smiles on the B grade start line. A grade & C grade were super motivated but B grade just wasn’t “in the zone” and A grade easily took the win.

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - with the strong easterly blowing it was all right gutter down the Heffron Park finishing straight. Rolly (left) was sitting comfortably in the B grade echelon

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 8 Nov - Rolly climbing the Mur de Heffron climb before A grade caught B grade & put B grade to the sword

Southern Cross Criterium @ 6 Nov - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well in B grade

Belgium CycloCross Report from Mike Lawson (BiciSport) will be featured in next weeks BiciSport News.

Darren Benson has been a great asset to the BiciSport racing team in recent years and has returned to live in the south of France. Safe travels Darren, we’ll miss you.

BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - “ …. what do you think ? …. No Frank. Which way to coffee ? … “

BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - Melissa Budd … We are going no where Frank … that’s a wrap.

BiciSport Griffith @ 6 Nov - Frank Signor giving it the “I am pretty sick of this, my lovely Pinarello is now getting dirty … “

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPS ANNOUNCED FOR SINGLETON ON 26 NOVEMBER

• AusCycling NSW announced this flood delayed promotion on 21 October.

• In previous years BiciSport has taken anything up to 6-8 teams to this weekend. However, due to the late notification this comprehensive weekend is not possible & overnight accommodation cannot be provided.

• If you wish to nominate for a BiciSport team please contact Mike O’Reilly asap on 0417 403 244

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 15 Nov

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 19 Nov

  • Tamworth Track Open

• 20 Nov

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

  • Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 15 Nov

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 17 Nov

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 19 Nov

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

The Gent 6 Day starts soon on the 166m per lap t’Kuipe Velodrome in Gent … there is nothing like it - great Belgian beer, loud music, happy fans, a crowded moshpit in the centre of the track and if anybody notices an exciting bike race.

The Gent 6 Day … where fans can get up close

Solo Superia Pro Team (Belgium) - 1961-66

Sponsors were Solo (margarine), Superia (Belgian bikes), groupsets were a mixture with Italian Universal (brakes) & Campagnolo the rest of the groupset. Several riders used Campy handlebar gear levers (very fashionable at the time).

The Solo Superia team were called the “Red Guard” - the first team to develop the fashionable “sprint train” concept that is what we see today in most professional races.

The Solo Superia team ran from 1961 and Rik Van Looy (pictured above) had just left the Faema team after a string of mega victories including the World Road Championship. Van Looy won a staggering 379 races including Flanders, San Remo, Lombardy, Roubaix, Wevelgem, Paris Brussells, Tour of Spain (18 stages), Giro (12 stages) and France (7 stages). Van Looy was maybe just past his very best in the Solo years but Rik still won the Paris Roubaix classic in 1965. Rik Van Looy was King of the Classics.

Other team members were on an upward trajectory including Patrick Sercu & Eddy Merckx. Merckx in particular sat uncomfortably with Van Looy as a team mate (Merckx on the way up was a poor fit with Van Looy on the way down the team hierachy). A special mention for Ward Sels who was a class act and Ward won 35 races - twice Belgian National Champion, won the Tour of Flanders, Tour de France stages (won 7) and wore the Tour de France Yellow jersey at the 1964 Tour.

Solo Superia Pro Team - a youthful Patrick Sercu (left) & Eddy Merckx

Solo Superia Pro Team - Eddy Merckx (left), Rik Van Looy (centre) and Ward Sels. Note that all riders have gear changers on the end of the handelbars.

Solo Superia Pro Team - Ward Sels was one tough Flandrien wearing the Belgian National Champions jersey at the Tour de France

A good picture of what handlebar gear changers looked like

Solo Superia Pro Team - Rik Van Looy (note the Solo rider on the left has front chest pockets with buttons)

Rik Van Looy doing what he did best at Solo Superia - winning a bunch gallop

Solo Superia at the Tour de France presentation with Rik Van Looy in the Belgian National Champions jersey (far right)

News Shorts - 7 November

Lanterne Rouge Broome to Esperance Ride - Motivation, planning, and the desire to get there. Congratulations to Marty Wright (BiciSport), Jeremy Lowes, Alf Picello, Boon Yeo, Peter Rau, Mark McCorkindale & Loz McCorkindale (for the driver support).

Lanterne Rouge Broome to Esperance Ride - Marty Wright

Lanterne Rouge Broome to Esperance Ride

HART Criterium @ St Ives @ 4 Nov - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took 5th in C grade (from 25 starters)

HART Criterium @ St Ives @ 4 Nov - Sam Green (BiciSport Anytime fitness) took the win in the Junior criterium

Return of the BiciSport Jedi Knight @ 28 Oct - Mike O’Brien spotted at a Freshwater cafe before returning to the UK after a brief holiday in Sydney. Great to see MOB looking well

BiciSport Griffith @ 3 Nov - Before it all got a bit wet …..

BiciSport Griffith @ 3 Nov - Great to see Melissa Budd & Francesco Signor (both BiciSport) diversifying their training skills with some intense aqua aerobic work outs in downtown Griffith. Who needs a helmet when only a snorkel and SES Rescue boat is required ….

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPS ANNOUNCED FOR SINGLETON ON 26 NOVEMBER

• AusCycling NSW announced this flood delayed promotion on 21 October.

• In previous years BiciSport has taken anything up to 6-8 teams to this weekend. However, due to the late notification this comprehensive weekend is not possible & overnight accommodation cannot be provided.

• If you wish to nominate for a BiciSport team please contact Mike O’Reilly asap on 0417 403 244

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 8 Nov

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 9 Nov

  • CyclingNSW Special General Meeting

• 12-13 Nov

  • NSW MTB Championships (Nowra)

    • BiciSport starter Eric Dole

• 13 Nov

  • West Head ITT (Manly)

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 8 Nov

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 10 Nov

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 12 Nov

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

NSW MTB Championships @ Nowra @ 12-13 November - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) is a starter in Nowra

From the retro vault with a steel Colnago Arabesque & a gold anodized Campagnolo groupset. Sometimes the nice clean lines of an elegantly styled steel Colnago can nicely sit with Campagnolo Delta brakes. The Campagnolo Delta brakes (all four versions) were universally renowned for not working but they looked great.

News Shorts - 31 October

Cape to Cape MTB race @ Western Australia @ 19-23 Oct - David Cooper (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) put in four grueling days in WA

Lanterne Rouge Peloton Broome to Esperance Epic @ 25 Oct - Marty Wright (BiciSport) and his trusty steed with views over Albany (WA) and getting ever closer to Esperance with the finish this weekend. A full report next week.

HART Criterium @ St Ives @ 28 Oct - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took third

Southern Cross Criteriums @ Sutherland @ 30 Oct - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took 3rd place on the podium

Heffron Park Intercub @ 22 Oct - Craig Pager crosses the finish line for 11th

Heffron Park Intercub @ 22 Oct - Craig Pager (left) tops the Mur de Heffron climb

BiciSport Belgium @ 31 October - Briek Ver Hulst on the Flanders cobbles on his Belgian Ridley learning the technique of riding cobbled roads (maybe the Tour of Flanders in 2040 perhaps ?). Briek was named after the famous Belgian cyclist (Briek Schotte) who won both the Tour of Flanders & World Pro Road Championships.

BiciSport Belgium @ 31 October - Briek Ver Hulst

Tuesday Night Heffron Park with Stew - spotted recently at Heffron was Stew Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) with the Wout Van Aert autographed Cervelo on the front forks. That is one delightful bike

Sydney Classic Bicycle Show @ Lidcombe Oval @ 30 Oct - a good crowd turned up to enjoy all things retro, where steel is real & chrome is the currency of choice. Many thanks to Eddy Verbust (Belgium) for supplying the Peugeot material in the BiciSport 504 Peugeot

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPS ANNOUNCED FOR SINGLETON ON 26 NOVEMBER

• AusCycling NSW announced this flood delayed promotion on 21 October.

• In previous years BiciSport has taken anything up to 6-8 teams to this weekend. However, due to the late notification this comprehensive weekend is not possible & overnight accommodation cannot be provided.

• If you wish to nominate for a BiciSport team please contact Mike O’Reilly asap on 0417 403 244

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 1 Nov

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 5 Nov

  • Bass Coast CycloSportive (Inverloch, Vic)

  • Belgian CycloCross - Zottegem (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

• 6 Nov

  • Gong Ride Community Ride (Sydney to W’gong)

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

  • Belgian CycloCross - Arendonk (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 1 Nov

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 3 Nov

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 5 Nov

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Nikon - Van Schilt - Elro Snacks Pro Team (Netherlands) - 1985-86

The picture above features Lomme Driessens (left, Nikon manager), Freddy Maertens (centre) and legendary rider & manager Peter Post (won the Paris Roubaix & managed the Panasonic team)

Most times when you review a team there is a clear focus for the team - be it the Classics, cobbles and the semi Classics, possibly Grand Tour stage wins or maybe even a the Grand Tour general classification (its ok to dream). No such luck here.

Sponsors were Nikon (cameras), Van Schilt (transport) & Elro Snacks (fast food). Essentially this motley crew could take good pictures of themselves, ride nice bikes and eat fast food (it was probably as close to fast as they ever got). Bikes were Colnago, team cars were Mitsubishi, team clothing was Decca. Team manager was the legendary Lomme Driessens (who managed Eddy Merckx at his prime).

In 1985 its fair to say Freddy Maertens was way past his best but a legend nevertheless. As for the rest (see the team listing below) then Ad Tak, Theo Smit & Jan Jonkers were a value add but Fred Rompelberg was more famous for setting a land speed record on a bicycle when drafting a racing car (says it all really). If you’ve already forgotten who this team was its totally understandable.

News Shorts - 24 October

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes the win in Round 4 with a super sprint effort. In the race itself B grade caught C grade with 5 laps to go after C grade couldn’t “get their act together” and A grade seemingly just didnt have their mojo. Rolly popped out from the bunch sprint with 300m to go for a comfortable victory.

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly Delaytz takes a comfortable victory # 1

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly Delaytz takes a comfortable victory # 2

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly Delaytz with The King (John Sunde)

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly looking comfortable in B grade on the Mur de Heffron

Heffron Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 18 Oct - Rolly … “does my butt look big in these knicks ?” … reply “no mate, but it would if I was wearing them … “

Heffron Interclub @ 22 Oct - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well in Division 3 with several attacks and was a peloton finish in 11th

BiciSport Belgium CycloCross @ Bossuit @ 23 Oct - Koen VerHulst (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on his way to 19th (Mike Lawson finished 13th in his category)

BiciSport Belgium CycloCross @ Bossuit @ 23 Oct - Koen VerHulst

BiciSport Belgium CycloCross @ Bossuit @ 23 Oct - Koen VerHulst

BiciSport Belgium CycloCross with Mike Lawson @ Ardooie (mud, mud and more Flanders mud)

Mike Lawson Report

Three races done with mixed results. After the opening weekend at Zele, my next race was at Veurne, near the coast. A much better race at Veurne with a few more passing opportunities (Zele was really narrow & tight).- fast & flowing course with the only difficulties being two half meter ditches that had to be crossed each lap. With enough speed you could bunny hop them but once I started getting tired I didn’t trust my co-ordination. So after hitting my rear wheel pretty hard on one crossing I decided to run & jump them like half the rest of the field was doing. Slower, but safer. Ended up 9th at Veurne.

Next race was at Deinze-Astene and what a contrast to everything else. This was as wide as a freeway and dead flat with long hard pedalling sections. The only features were four ditch crossings, a real “strong mans” course. Had a mediocre start, made it into the top 10 but finished up 15th.

Next race was at Huesden-Zolder and a higher category Cycling Vlaanderen event & also the Limberg regional Championships, so knew it would be a tough one. Great course with a bit of everything - switch back turns on grippy grass, long sand sections which were ridden with a narrow hard packed line, flowing single track through the forest, then stairs followed by barriers, a flyover ramp and a couple of short paved sections. Was in a five man fight for 12th but was losing time over the barriers and one tight uphill section with tree roots. That took its toll and I finished 16th. But I won 5 Euro for my troubles - so like any commited Pro I went straight out and spent it on frites (with Mayo) of course, and a beer chaser.

Next races are at Ardooie & Bossuit (see pictures above) then with 4 races in 8 days. Will check in again soon

Mike Lawson (BiciSport)

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 24 Oct - Marty Wright (BiciSport) at the Southern Forests at Manjimup

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 24 Oct - its been an epic journey

Oudenaarde Belgium @ 16 Oct - Phil Dixon was in BiciSport a few years ago and has since relocated out of chaotic Sydney and settled into a sleepy village in central Australia (called Adelaide). Phil is now the AusCycling Para Team mechanic and assisted at the recent Para World Track Championships in Ghent Belgium.

Phil diverted out to Oudenaarde and the Tour of Flanders Museum in Oudenaarde. Phil is a retro Peugeot car fan and enjoyed the Peugeot 404 team car featured at the Flanders Museum.

Sydney Classic Bicycle Show is on again @ Lidcombe Oval @ Sunday 30 October from 10am

NSW TEAM TIME TRIAL CHAMPS ANNOUNCED FOR SINGLETON ON 26 NOVEMBER

• AusCycling NSW announced this flood delayed promotion on 21 October.

• In previous years BiciSport has taken anything up to 6-8 teams to this weekend. However, due to the late notification this comprehensive weekend is not possible & overnight accommodation cannot be provided.

• If you wish to nominate for a BiciSport team please contact Mike O’Reilly asap on 0417 403 244

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 25 October (into Week Seven of the Great Trek South towards Esperance)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 26 Oct

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

• 29 Oct

  • Belgian CycloCross - Alsemberg (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

  • 24 Hour Enduro-4 Rider Teams (Eastern Creek Raceway)

  • Sprint Grand Prix # 1 (Dunc Gray Velodrome) - cancelled

• 30 Oct

  • Belgian CycloCross - Wortgem (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Fitzs Challenge Cyclosportive (Canberra, ACT)

  • Classic Bike & Car Show (Lidcombe Oval) from 10am

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 25 Oct

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 27 Oct

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 29 Oct

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Lampre Professional Team (Italy) - 1990 until now

Started life in 1990 as Lampre (pre coated steel products) then onto UAE from 2017. This review is the Lampre years. Additional sponsors are many - Polti, ISD, Lamifer, Daikin, Caffita (Saeco) & Fondital. Team bikes have been Colnago, Merida, Fondriest, Wilier Trestina and now back with Colnago. Campagnolo the groupset but switches to Shimano in 2023. Team manager is Guiseppe Saronni.

The team itself has attracted considerable talent with equal success and some serious controversy through the EPO era. Simoni & Cunego had glorious careers at both the Giro and Tour of Lombardy, Camenzind (World Pro Road Champion), Mohoric, Ulissi, Rumsas, Fondriest (won Milan San Remo), Costa & Ballan. At times you weren’t sure what you were looking at as some were fueled by more than just water but a great team nevertheless.

News Shorts - 17 October

Around the Bay in a Day @ 9 Oct - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) reports it was a good ride, absolutely freezing in the first couple of hours, and the Geelong Motorway shoulder from Westgate Bridge to Geelong was no fun, but after Geelong it was beautiful. Tom arrived at the Queenscliff ferry wharf at 9.00am, then a short ferry ride to Sorrento. The first 200k was “easy” but the last 75k along Beach Road back to Melbourne “hurt”.

Around the Bay in a Day @ 9 Oct - all aboard the Queenscliff ferry to Sorrento

Around the Bay in a Day @ 9 Oct - Tom Green amused himself during the 300k ride thinking he was doing the Milan San Remo Classic (at 300k). The Bay profile is quiet similar to Milan San Remo, except the long flat section is after the “Poggio” climb instead of before the Capi (other climbs) … the Milan San Remo would finish at about the St Kilda Pier, which certainly felt like the MSR finish to Tom.

Around the Bay in a Day @ 9 Oct - Congratulations to Tom Green for completing the 300k marathon in just over 11 hours

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Dienze @ 15 Oct - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) in the thick of the action

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Dienze @ 15 Oct - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Dienze @ 15 Oct - Koen VerHulst (BiciSport Belgium)

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 11 Oct - Rolly Delaytz (left - BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well on Tuesday but A grade took the podium.

Bathurst Interclub @ 16 Oct - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on a charge at Bathurst in cold conditions

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct

Report by Marty Wright (BiciSport)

The team is in now in Mandurah after riding the excellent cycle path south from Perth. Since the team left Broome in the Kimberley region in early September they have ridden 3300 kilometres through the Pilbura, Gascoyne, Mid West and the Wheatbelt - all are somewhat unique.

The Kimberley is ruggedly beautiful with a lot of tourists travelling the roads. The Pilbara is a 24/7 mining workplace crossed all day & night by 60 metre long road trains. The Gascoyne features the Ningaloo Reef & Shark Bay where the team swam with Mantra Rays and a Tiger Shark. When you ride through the Mid West and enter the Wheatbelt the well watered agricultural fields stretch to each horizion.

The roads throughout are fantastic with rarely a pothole to be seen. The telecommunications infrastructure is everywhere. Optus coverage seems to be the broadest. WA is known to stand for “Windy Always” and the team have experienced it working both for & against. In the whole trip they have experienced only 20 minutes of rain. It’s gotta be one of the best places to ride a bike.

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct - Perth to Mandurah cycle path # 1

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct - Perth to Mandurah cycle path # 2

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct - a nice example of cycling street art # 1

Lanterne Rouge Peloton @ Broome to Esperance Epic Ride @ 10 Oct - a nice example of cycling street art # 2 - gravel bike owner in Marty Wright (BiciSport)

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 17 October (into Week Six of the Great Trek South towards Mandurah and beyond)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 20 Oct

  • Belgian CycloCross - Ardooie (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

• 22 Oct

  • Dubbo Track Open

• 23 Oct

  • Belgian CycloCross - Zolder (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 18 Oct

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 20 Oct

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 22 Oct

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Phillipe Gilbert (Belgium) has finally closed a great career. The master of the late breakaway and not uncommon to attack fearlessly with 50k to go and risk it all. A champion of the highest order.

The teams - FDJ, Lotto, BMC, QuickStep and finally back at Lotto.

The victories - Phil Gil won every Monument except the Milan San Remo Classic but the others were numerous with victories in Het Volk (x 2), Strade Bianche, Piemonte, World Road Championship, National Champion (x 2), Paris Tours (x 2), Tour of Lombardy (x 2), Amstel Gold (x 4), San Sebastian, Flanders, Roubaix, Giro stages (x 3), Tour de France (x 1), Tour of Spain (x 7). Nothing but a class act who gave it 100%.

Phillipe Gilbert heading for victory at the Tour of Flanders in the Belgian National Champions jersey.

Phillipe Gilbert takes victory at the Tour of Flanders

Phillipe Gilbert takes victory as a World Road Champion

Remco Evenepol & Phillipe Gilbert

News Shorts - 10 October

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - the first Heffron Park Tuesday night of the summer season and B grade holds off A grade & takes the win with Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the podium for second

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - great finish throw by Rolly Delaytz # 1

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - great finish throw by Rolly Delaytz # 2

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - Rolly Delaytz on a charge

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - Rolly Delaytz getting pinned up

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 4 Oct - The Voice (Paul Craft) meets The King (John Sunde)

BiciSport Belgium @ 9 Oct - L to R … Koen VerHulst, Mike VerHulst (aka Mike Lawson) & Lies Van Uytvanck at the town of Diksmuide. The BiciSport team rode from the coastal town of Middelkirke to inland Diksmuide. Mike Lawson continues with the Belgian Cyclocross Series with races at Dienze on 15 Oct and Zolder on 16 Oct.

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 6 Oct - … looks more like a Hollywood movie set with Tom Cruise in the wings

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 6 Oct - the epic journey continues with the team arriving in Perth on 9 October.

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 6 Oct - the Lanterne Rouge peloton are hero’s all based on dedication, determination and true grit. Marty Wright (BiciSport) is third from the right

This week the feature is the bikes of the Lanterne Rouge peloton - how do these crusty old dudes keep upright in outback WA ?

Jeremy Lowes - Titanium Bossi T1 frame, Pirelli 32mm slick tyres @ 50 psi

Alf Picello - BMC URS carbon frame, tyres 35mm @ 50 psi

Boon Yeo - Mason alloy frame, tyres 32mm Continental 5000 tubeless @ 40psi

Peter Rau - Giant Revolt carbon frame, tyres 35mm Pirelli on Ali Hunt wheels

Mark McCorkindale - Ribble GCR - Ti frame with Shimano GRX 810, tyres Maxxis Refuse 40mm for first 2,000k but blistered when tubeless. Now on Specialised Sawtooth 38c, tubeless. Wheels are Mavic Allroad 700c, Shoes are Shimano sandals supported by Derm-Aid butt cream (way too much info !)

Marty Wright (BiciSport) - BMC URS One gravel bike. Groupset is SRAM Red Bluetooth 12 speed. Front single chainwheel is 38 with 52-10 rear cog range. Wheels are ENVE G23 with hookless rims Tyres are 32mm Michelin Power tubeless @ 50psi

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 6 Oct - another panoramic shot of very happy campers on a deserted sand dune out the middle of somewhere …

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride Broome to Esperance @ 6 Oct - ok ok ok … we get it … you are a long way from home lads, nobody loves you, but this is a family show ….

BiciSport is taking a group to the Tour of Bright over 3-4 December. Details are in the Special Events section of this website and we’d like to see you there

NSW TEAMS TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - VENUE & DATE TO BE CONFIRMED 16 OCTOBER

• It most certainly won’t be in Singleton (on 8 October) but a suggestion now is it will move to 26 November but both venue & date remains uncertain and both are confirmed on 16 October (subject to roadworks). Our sports administrators used to be indecisive, but now they are not so sure, and to be sure this club administrator is rapidly losing interest. …

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 10 October (into Week Five of the Great Trek South are now in Perth)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 15 Oct

  • Bowral Classic Criteriums

  • Belgian CycloCross - Dienze (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

• 16 Oct

  • Belgian CycloCross - Zolder (BiciSport starter Mike Lawson)

  • Cyclosportive - Bowral Classic

  • Community Ride - Sydney Spring Cycle

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 11 Oct

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 13 Oct

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 15 Oct

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Splendor Pro Cycling Team - Belgium (1936, 1945 …. then 1975-89)

An absolute mega team in Belgium … yes, the team existed in 1936 & 1945 (single years only) then from 1975 to 1985 it was Splendor then flipped to Hitachi sponsorship from 1985 to 1989. This review is the Splendor years only up to the end of 1984. Splendor was bikes and other associated sponsors were Wickes, Bouwmarkt, Euro Soap, Europ Decor (home furnishings), Euro Shop, Marc and Admiral (tv’s). The team jersey (see below) was made by Decca and Campagnolo the groupset of choice.

The team … geez …. every Belgian cycling legend worth a Duvel beer & frites got a start with this classy lot. Team focus being single day Classics & stage wins at major Tours. They won numerous races all over Europe. The team roster was just endless … Sean Kelly for starters (wow), then Claude Criquielion (only got better in the Hitachi years), Michel Pollentier (outright legend), Johan de Muynck (won the Giro), Etienne De Wilde (sprinter & 6 day track star), Ronan Onghena, Eddy & Walter Planckaert (legends again), Marc De Meyer (won Paris Roubaix), Rudy Dhaenens (future World Road Champion), Rudy Rogiers (cobbles specialist), Jean Marie Wampers (more cobbles), Dirk De Mol (future winner of Paris Roubaix), Freddy Maertens (another all time legend), Jean Phillip Van den Brande (best domestique on the planet & ultimate Belgian hard man) & Patrick Versluys (ditto hard man). If any team sharpened their teeth or fingernails on Belgian cobbles this was it.

Michel Pollentier (Splendor, right) another outright Belgian legend leads Jan Raas (World Road Champion, left) and Francesco Moser. Pollentier had a bent out of shape style on a bike (a pronounced side ways bias on the seat) and carried “The Crab” nickname.

Michel Pollentier (right) at the Tour of East Flanders (for Under 23 riders) in 2017.

At the Tour of East Flanders assisting BiciSport’s Peter Livingstone and the weather was cold and pouring with rain (utterly miserable). Am sitting on a brick fence freezing to death and along comes the one the only legend Michel P …. the inspiring conversation goes something like this ….

Are you Michel Pollentier ? … am a long time fan, am from Australia, you had a great career … (Michel - heavy blank stare … absolutely no comment, just stares at me) …. Michel, can I take a photo (again no comment - so took a photo anyway). Michel just walked off quietly into the pouring rain. Cheers mate, have a good day ! … gee, that went well …

A pensive Freddy Maertens on the start line … who nearly always looked like he wanted to be somewhere else than perched on top of a Splendor bike trying to make a living

News Shorts - 3 October

Cervelo-Van Aert Presentation @ 27 Sept - a celebration for a popular frame brand with Wout Van Aert as the special guest in Sydney with the Coat Hanger in the background

Cervelo-Van Aert Presentation @ 27 Sept - Stew Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) has a unique Cervelo with Wout Van Aert applying the obligatory autograph on the forks

Cervelo-Van Aert Presentation @ 27 Sept - The WvA autograph duly applied and looking great #1

Cervelo-Van Aert Presentation @ 27 Sept - The WvA autograph duly applied and looking great #2

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - BiciSport Belgium in Mike Lawson, Eddy VerHulst & Koen VerHulst before the Zele start

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - Mike Lawson assisted by Eddy VerHulst at the Zele start

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - Koen VerHulst (BiciSport Belgium Anytime Fitness)

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - Mike Lawson

Belgian Cyclo Cross Series @ Zele @ 1 Oct - Koen VerHulst

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 2 Oct - the adventure continues in the mighty trek south towards Perth. The Lanterne Rouge peloton is approaching 2200 kilometres of the 4800. So, almost the end of month one. All six riders are riding together as a group. Weather has been hot & dry with temps ranging from 14-30. Morale is good and the group is improving its close riding capabilities each day. The average daily routine is rise at day break then pack up tents and bedding followed by breakfast. Then depart 8.00-8.30am then due to the heat ride in 30-50k sections so to keep bidons full. Set up the campsite in the afternoon followed by drinks & dinner (sometimes a campfire).

The next day off is at Geraldton for some mechanical work on a couple of bikes (not Marty’s !!). Marty is becoming an accomplished camper …. who would have thought.

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 2 Oct - Marty Wright (BiciSport)

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 2 Oct - home sweet home at the Shearing Shed

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 2 Oct - Marty Wright’s trusty steed taking in the panoramic views of the epic ride south

West Head Time Trial @ 2 Oct - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Hawaiian Ironman @ 8 Oct - Best wishes to David Munro (BiciSport Pilu Racing) who is attempting the Hawaiian Ironman at Kona on 8 October

NSW TEAMS TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - VENUE & DATE TO BE CONFIRMED 16 OCTOBER

• It most certainly won’t be in Singleton (on 8 October) but a suggestion now is it will move to 26 November but both venue & date remains uncertain and both are confirmed on 16 October (subject to roadworks). Our sports administrators used to be indecisive, but now they are not so sure, and to be sure this club administrator is rapidly losing interest. …

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 3 October (into Week Four of the Great Trek South towards Perth)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 4 Oct

  • Heffron Park Criteriums (Maroubra)

• 8 Oct

  • Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon

    • BiciSport Pilu Racing starter David Munro

  • Gundy Gravel near Scone

• 9 Oct

  • Belgian Cyclo Cross - Vuerne (BiciSport Mike Lawson)

  • Cyclosportive - Around the Bay in a Day (Melbourne)

    • BiciSport Happy Wheels starter Tom Green

  • Eastern Creek Dragway Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

  • Cyclorama Retro Ride - York Lane Sydney City

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 4 Oct

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 6 Oct

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 8 Oct

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Ford France Cycling Team (France) - 1965-66

The team was sponsored by Ford (cars), Gitane (bikes) & Hutchinson (tyres). Team manager was Raphael Geminiani. The team jersey is as simple as it is iconic.

The team only lasted two years (that is a real shame) but included a huge talent base - Arie Den Hartog (for the Classics), then the Tours were covered by Lucien Aimar (Tour de France), Jacques Anquetil, Vin Denison, Jean Stablinski, Shay Elliott & Julio Jimenez,

Ford France - Jacques Anquetil (left) with Felice Gimondi

Ford France Gitane takes a win at the Milan San Remo 1966 with Arie Den Hartog

Tour de France with Vin Denison & Jacques Anquetil (right)

Ford France - Jacques Anquetil at the Leige Bastogne Leige Classic with Felice Gimondi (Salvarini)

News Shorts - 26 September

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) approaching the bell lap with 18.5k to go to the finish (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Remco approaching the finish with 1.5k to go (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Remco approaching the finish with 1.5k to go (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Wout Van Aert (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong -Peter Sagan took a great 7th (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Tad Pogacar on the Ramah Wall (photo Craig Pager)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - the peloton approaches Mt Ousley (photo MOR)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Peter Budd (BiciSport) doing it tough in the Mapei UCI VIP Tent with the UCI President David Lappartient

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Stew Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) at the action

Lanterne Rouge Peloton - on the way from Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

Lanterne Rouge Peloton

Lanterne Rouge Peloton

Lanterne Rouge Peloton

Lanterne Rouge Peloton

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums commence on Tuesday 4 October.

Entries open from 5pm, racing from 6pm

NSW TEAMS TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - VENUE & DATE TO BE CONFIRMED 16 OCTOBER

• It most certainly wont be Singleton (on 8 October) but a suggestion now is it will move to 26 November but this remains uncertain and to be confirmed on 16 October (subject to roadworks). Our sports administrators used to be indecisive, but now they are not so sure …

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 26 Sept (into Week Four now south of Mount Tom Price)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 1 Oct

  • CycloSportive - Gears & Beers (Wagga)

  • Wagga Track Open

• 2 Oct

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

  • West Head Individual Time Trial (Manly CC)

• 3 Oct (Mon)

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

• 4 Oct (Tues)

  • Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 27 Sept

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 29 Sept

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 1 Oct

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - The Worlds peloton at the end of lap 1 on the Wollongong Beachfront

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Peter Sagan at the Helensburgh start (photo Nigel Smith)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Tad Pogacar at the Helensburgh start (photo Nigel Smith)

World Cycling Championships @ Wollongong - Team Australia at the Helensburgh start (photo Nigel Smith)

News Shorts - 19 September

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes victory in the M9 National CX Championships

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson on his way to winning the M9 category. Conditions were perfect for some great cyclocross action.

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson after his victory

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Mike Lawson on the victory podium

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Klayton Smith in the M4 category was on a charge early but a mechanical issue impacted on his result.

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Klayton Smith

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Klayton Smith

National Masters CycloCross Champs @ Green Valleys MTB Park @ 17 Sept - Klayton Smith fought hard all the way

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - M4 Road Races and BiciSport started Darren Benson & Klayton Smith. The race split on lap 1 (of 4) with Darren Benson (pictured, right) in the front group who would go on to finish a very good top 10.

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Darren Benson

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Darren Benson

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Klayton Smith (right)

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - The M7 road race had 4 BiciSport starters but only Ian Grant was healthy. The rest were on the recovery ward sick list in Peter Budd, Eric Dole & Peter Verhoeven. Ian Grant (above) took 7th in windy conditions.

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Ian Grant went top 10

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Peter Verhoeven

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Eric Dole

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Darren Benson

National Masters Road Champs @ Mount Marshall Road Races @ 16 Sept - Ian Grant (left) with Eric Dole after the M7 finish

National Masters Road Champs @ Unanderra Criteriums @ 14 Sept - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took Silver in the M7 Criterium

National Masters Road Champs @ Unanderra Criteriums @ 14 Sept - Ian Grant at the head of affairs in the M7 Criterium

National Masters Road Champs @ Unanderra Criteriums @ 14 Sept - Ian Grant & Peter Budd at the start of the M7 Criterium.

National Masters Road Champs @ Unanderra Criteriums @ 14 Sept - Craig Pager at the start of a furiously fast M4 Criterium

National Masters Road Championships @ Mt Kiera Time Trials @ 13 Sept - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) went top 10 in the M7 category

National Masters Road Championships @ Mt Kiera Time Trials @ 13 Sept - Ian Grant crosses the finish line

National Masters Road Championships @ Mt Kiera Time Trials @ 13 Sept - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well in the M4 category

National Masters Road Championships @ Mt Kiera Time Trials @ 13 Sept - Craig Pager in the M4 individual time trial

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 12 Sept - Having departed Broome on 5 Sept, down to Port Headland, the Lanterne Rouge peloton then turned a big left ot Highway 96 outside Port Headland, then on towards Mount Tom Price.

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ 12 Sept - outside Port Headland on Day 7 and Marty Wright (BiciSport) sets up camp

NSW TEAMS TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - VENUE & DATE TO BE CONFIRMED 16 OCTOBER

• It most certainly wont be Singleton (on 8 October) but a suggestion now is it will move to 26 November but this remains uncertain and to be confirmed on 16 October (subject to roadworks). Our sports administrators used to be indecisive, but now they are not so sure …

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 19 Sept (into Week Three now south of Port Headland)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 23 Sept

  • Commonwealth Bank Cycle Classic Reunion Dinner

    • Kareela Golf Club

• 24 Sept

  • Oakville Road Race (Parramatta)

• 25 Sept

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

• 19-25 Sept

  • UCI World Cycling Road Championships (Wollongong)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 20 Sept

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 22 Sept

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 24 Sept

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Wollongong World Championships @ 19-25 Sept - A complete BiciSport review of the Worlds Road Circuit can be found in the Special Events section of this website and gives you a guide of what to see & how to get around the ‘Gong.

News Shorts - 12 September

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Anthony Lowes (BiciSport Pilu Racing) before the start

West Head Road Race @ 12 Sept - Anthony Lowes on the attack

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Anthony Lowes was on the attack all day and was rewarded with a podium

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Tom Green in mid race

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Tom Green sprinting to 3rd place

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - King of Bensonia (aka Darren Benson) surveying his loyal subjects before the start

West Head Road Race @ 11 Sept - Darren Benson (BiciSport Happy Wheels) putting the finishing touches to his race form before the National Masters Championships next Friday in Wollongong

Oakville Road Race @ 10 Sept - the final race preparation before the National Masters Road Championships commencing on 13 Sept in Wollongong … Peter Verhoeven (left) & Ian Grant

Lanterne Rouge Eric Ride @ Day 1 and the grand depart from Broome on 5 Sept. Safe travels to Marty Wright (BiciSport) and the motivated Lanterne Rouge peloton.

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ Day 3 - overnight near Eighty Mile Beach south of Broome, then on towards Port Headland

Lanterne Rouge Epic Ride @ Day 4/5 - Marty Wright near Port Headland

National Masters Road Championships @ 13-17 Sept

BiciSport is fielding eight starters to the Masters Nationals in Wollongong - Darren Benson, Ian Grant, Peter Verhoeven, Craig Pager, Eric Dole, Peter Budd, Klayton Smith & Mike Lawson (CX only). Both Klayton & Mike Lawson are doing the CycloCross Championships on Saturday 17 September near Albion Park.

Masters National Championship Program

* 13 Sept - Individual Time Trials (Mt Kiera)

* 14 Sept - Criteriums (Unanderra)

* 16 Sept - Road Races (Mount Marshall)

* 17 Sept - Cyclo Cross (Albion Park - Green Valleys MTB Park)

National Masters Road Championships - the new Unanderra Criterium Track (right side is the Finishing Straight) to be used by the Masters on the Wednesday

National Masters Road Championships - the new Unanderra Criterium Track

Road Closure details (day by day) are now posted on the Championship website and are very helpful

NSW TRACK PROGRAM NOW LISTED ON THE CALENDAR SECTION

• The NSW (summer) Velodrome program for 2022-23 is now posted on the general calendar section of this website.

NSW TEAMS TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - VENUE & DATE NOW UNCERTAIN

• It most certainly wont be Singleton (on 8 October) and the new venue & date are equally uncertain. Our sports administrators used to be indecisive, but now they are not so sure …

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 5 Sept (into Week Two south of Port Headland)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 13-17 Sept

  • AusCycling National Masters & CycloCross Championships

    • BicSport starters -

      • M4 category - Klayton Smith, Darren Benson, Craig Pager

      • M7 category - Ian Grant, Peter Budd, Eric Dole, Peter Verhoeven

      • M9 category - Mike Lawson (Cyclocross only)

• 18 Sept

  • Bobbin Head Classic Cyclosportive (Turramurra)

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

• 18-25 Sept

  • UCI World Cycling Road Championships (Wollongong)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 13 Sept

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 15 Sept

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 17 Sept

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Sandstone Cafe at Terrey Hills (on Myoora Rd) offers great coffee after a rewarding northern beaches ride. BiciSport meet there every Saturday from 9.30am in the outdoor garden area. All welcome.

Marc Superia Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1978-80

A typical Belgian semi Classics team with a load of super talent. Marc (furniture) and Superia (the bikes) and a real pity they only lasted 3 years. In the last year none other than Patrick Lefevere (of Mapei & Quick Step fame) was both a rider and a manager.

The team had a broad brush on the road, the track & cyclocross. The team rode the 1980 Tour de France (with Lucien Van Impe), road classics with Ferdi Van Der Haute, Marc Dierickx, Frank Hoste, Herman Van Springel, and on the track they had the legendary Patrick Sercu, Gary Wiggins & Danny Clark, whilst at cyclocross it was Eric De Vlaeminck & Roland Liboton. This was a very talented lot.

Partick Lefevere as a rider before being the Mapei & Quick Step team manager

Patrick Lefevere takes a victory with the second placed rider none too happy

Patrick Sercu

Herman Van Springel (Marc-centre of picture) in the middle of the peloton

Herman Van Springel - RIP in late August 2022 aged 78 years

Patrick Sercu (left) with Didi Thurau

News Shorts - 5 September

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took the M7 category road race by 2 minutes with Eric Dole 4th & Peter Budd unlucky to suffer a puncture on lap 2.

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - on the M7 start line with Peter Budd, Ian Grant & Eric Dole. Conditions were cold & damp.

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - BiciSport Happy Wheels team mates on the M7 road race start line in Eric Dole & Peter Budd

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - Peter Budd in warm up mode before the M7 road race

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - Eric Dole in warm up mode before the M7 start

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - The King of Bensonia (aka Darren Benson) never takes a bad picture even in rural Kurri Kurri in the Masters criterium

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - The wet and soggy M7 criterium start in Kurri Kurri with Eric Dole, Ian Grant & Peter Budd

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - conditions were pretty ordinary in the M7 criterium as Peter Budd leads Eric Dole

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - looking more like a wet Tour of Flanders than the M7 criterium at Kurri Kurri with the roads awash with Peter Budd leading Eric Dole.

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took an excellent M7 Bronze medal in the 20k Individual Time Trial in grey and drizzly conditions

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - Ian Grant approximately 4k to the finish

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - John Roberts (BiciSport) with 4k to go

NSW Masters Road Championships @ 2-4 Sept - John Roberts

Ride Epic - Broome to Esperance 22 in Western Australia starts today 5 September & includes Marty Wright from BicIsport. Its by any measure one monster trip with 77 ride days and 11 rest days in the 3000 kilometre journey.

Marty’s journey will be followed each week in BiciSport News

BiciSport Griffith @ 3 Sept … L to R … Roger Thompson Seagrave, Frank Signor & Tony Jones

BiciSport Griffith @ 3 Sept - Albert Ravanello in a sea of canola

NSW TRACK PROGRAM NOW LISTED ON THE CALENDAR SECTION

• The NSW (summer) Velodrome program for 2022-23 is now posted on the calendar section of this website.

EVENTS GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN ? ?

• Its never easy to admit that a prestige event won’t be happening in 2023 but the “expired events list” in 2023 looks like including the E’tape Cyclosportive, the Cadel Evans RR (and mid week supporting events) plus potentially the historic Herald Sun Tour.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• From 5 Sept (Week One)

  • Lanterne Rouge - Broome to Esperance with Marty Wright (BiciSport)

• 10 Sept

  • Melbourne Bike Show (Vic)

  • Oakville Road Race (Parramatta)

• 11 Sept

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

  • West Head Road Race (Manly CC)

  • Amy Gillett Gran Fondo (Lorne, Vic)

• 12-17 Sept

  • Masters National Road & CycloCross Championships (Wollongong)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 6 Sept

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 8 Sept

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 10 Sept

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

World Road Championships @ Wollongong - A comprehensive BiciSport review of the Championships plus where to view & how to get around is listed in the Special Events section of this website

Italian Professional Road Championship - a highly coveted jersey in World cycling is the Italian Champions jersey …. commencing with Paolo Bettini (QuickStep) in 2003 & 2006

The Italian Championships started in 1906. Giradengo won 9 Championships, Guerra won 5, Binda & Coppi 4 each with multiple winners in Nibali, Visconti, Bettini, Commesso, Podenzana & Bugno

Gianni Bugno - 1991 & 1995

Gio Visconti - 2007, 2010 & 2011

Massimo Podenzana - 1993 & 1994

Giorgio Furlan - 1990

News Shorts - 29 August

West Head Road Race @ 28 Aug - Darren Benson (BiciSport Happy Wheels) went 3rd on the Masters podium

West Head Road Race @ 28 Aug - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) at the start

West Head Road Race @ 28 Aug - Darren Benson (3rd wheel) followed by Steve Holland (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug - Mike Lawson (left - BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on lap 1 through the water. Congratulations to Parklife CC for great organisation on the day as course set up is no small task.

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug - Mike Lawson through the water

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug - Mike Lawson over the bunny hops

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug - Mike Lawson on the DGV stairs

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug - Mike Lawson on the DGV stairs

NSW Cyclocross Championships @ DGV Velodrome Bass Hill @ 28 Aug

World Road Championships in Wollongong - 18 to 25 September

The BiciSport review of the National Masters & World Road Championships can be found in the Special Events section of this website. A simple heads up on how to get the most out of a World Championships.

Obviously the Championship highlights are the Individual Time Trial on 18 Sept, the Under 23 Road Race on 23 Sept, the Womens Elite Road Race on 24 Sept and the Mens Elite Road Race on 25 Sept.

SINGLETON MASTERS CRITERIUM VENUE CHANGE

• Please note that the NSW Masters Criterium Championships on 4 September have been transferred from Broke to Kurri Kurri (HEZ Industrial Estate)

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 2-4 Sept

  • Masters Road Championships (Singleton)

    • Fri - Individual Time Trial, Sat - Road Races, Sun Criteriums

    • BiciSport starters - Ian Grant, Darren Benson, John Roberts, Eric Dole & Peter Budd

• 4 Sept

  • Gravelista (Beechworth, Vic)

  • Lansdowne Park Criterium (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 30 Aug

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 1 Sept

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 3 Sept

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

RIP Herman Van Springel … an absolute class act

Herman Van Springel doing what he did best - chasing a Mann Grundig team derny in the Bordeaux Paris Classic over 600k. Herman won seven Bordeaux Paris Classics !

Vini Ricordi Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1982-86

Ricordi was wine, Pinarello the bikes, Club 88 was a hotel chain & SMS Santini did the clothing.

The team may have been Italian but the results were clearly Belgian with Johan Lammerts, Lucien Van Impe (Tour de France 1983 King of the Mountains) and Johan Van Der Velde (Tour of Italy 1985 Points Jersey). The rest combined didn’t win an Italian Chook Raffle.

The Vini Ricordi team was maybe more about the vino than the results

News Shorts - 22 August

Heffron Park @ 20 Aug - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) went top 10 in a strong C grade

Lansdowne Park @ 21 Aug - Ian Grant (left) & Eric Dole (right)

Lansdowne Park @ 21 Aug - Ian Grant leads Eric Dole

Lansdowne Park @ 21 Aug - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) and Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) before the start. Eric & Ian rode A2 grade and Peter in B grade. Both grades were fast & furious and Ian took an A2 prime (Intermediate Sprint).

Lansdowne Park @ 21 Aug - A2 grade podium and Ian Grant never fails to make a walk to the podium (this time for winning an Intermediate Sprint)

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - L to R the VerHulst family in Eddy, Mikey, Stijn, Maarten and Koen with the Velle Elite Race lead car. “Wedstrijd’ is Flemish for cycle race. Maarten is the Velle Race Director.

The same Ford has been the lead car at Velle for 29 years and it in itself represents the history of the Velle race that started in 1948. Many sponsors have offered to replace this lead car but a sense of history has preserved the original. The car itself drives (?) like a 29 year old Ford (yikes !). They haven’t taken the ignition key out for years … because they can’t !. Rumours that the car actually runs on Belgian Duvel beer cannot be substantiated …

Previous winners of the “amateur” Velle race include Behonyi Beheyt & Willy Planckaert - both legends in Flemish cycling. Beheyt won the World Professional Road Championship at Ronse in 1963 where he stole the race from Belgian team mate Rik Van Looy … the Belges still talk about this “act of team treachery” in 1963 like it was only yesterday.

Thanks to Matt of Wattle Designs at Terrey Hills for the Bici finish line banners and Frank Signor (BiciSport Griffith) for the BiciSport hats.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race before the start

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race at the start with 50 riders

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race after one lap (of 17 laps) and a compact peloton but not for long

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race on lap3 and the dye was cast … 11 riders in the “break of the day” that included the Belgian National champion Tom Timmermans (5th rider from right). The race was effectively over for the main peloton

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race with Tom Timmermans looking resplendent in the Belgian National Champions jersey. Tom would eventually finish 4th.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race and after the breakaway had escaped the main peloton had a long day out chasing 13th place

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race and the Ford kept doing laps urgently in need of a Duvel and a day sleep

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race and Wannes Heylan took a fine solo victory

BiciSport in Belgium @ 16 Aug - Velle Elite race and L to R … Yente VerHulst, Wannes Heylan (winner) and MO’R

NATIONAL MASTERS ROAD & CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 27 Aug

  • Lake St Clair Cyclosportive (Singleton)

  • Oakville Road Race (Parramatta CC)

• 28 Aug

  • West Head Individual Time Trial (Manly CC)

  • NSW Cyclo Cross Championships (Dunc Gray Velodrome)

  • Lansdowne Park Criterium (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 23 August

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 25 August

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 27 August

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

BiciSport in Belgium @ 17 Aug - The Gistel Cycling Museum in the West Flanders town of Gistel. Both Sylvain Maes and Johan Museeuw come from the town of Gistel - Sylvain won two Tours de France (1930 & 1936) and Johan won everything else (World Pro Road Championships & numerous one day Classics). Few things are a cycling disappointment in Belgium but this Gistel museum tops the list as an abject failure. Ok, BiciSport has been there, done that and it saves you the trouble ….

BiciSport in Belgium @ 19 Aug - No visit to Flanders is complete without a visit to the Flandrien Hotel in Parike near Brakel. Run by Bernard Moerman (left) and Jamie Anderson its a mixture of museum, boutique motel and service course offering a delightful place to stay in cycling mad Flanders.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 19 Aug - one of the very best private bike collections is in the Flandrien coffee lounge.

In the above picture is the very latest addition to the Flandrien Hotel - the black guitar case contains a special Cheryl Crow Fender guitar, in Tour de France yellow, autographed by both CC & LA. Now that is special.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 19 Aug - the Flandrien Hotel has a comprehensive service course

News Shorts - 15 August

Heffron Park @ 13 Aug - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) went top 10 in Division 3

Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek @ 14 Aug - L to R … Peter Verhoeven, Ian Grant & Eric Dole

Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek @ 14 Aug - Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Sydney Dragway @ Eastern Creek @ 14 Aug - Congratulations to Waratah Masters for rebirthing criterium racing at the Dragway.

Pictured above is Ian Grant, Peter Verhoeven & Eric Dole facing the starters pistol in A2 grade. The new criterium circuit uses the large carpark at the Dragway with several 90 degree turns, a few slight rises and from reports an exciting & challenging criterium course. A2 grade had 18 starters & Eric finished 7th

Victorian Cyclo Cross @ Beechworth (Vic) @ 13-14 Aug - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) continues to chase the Victorian State series

BiciSport in Belgium @ 12 Aug - Two Masters races on the Velle Friday night program over 40k & 65k passing the somewhat infamous pub called The Falcon where many Aussie cyclists have entered sober and exited somewhat less so. Both Masters races attracted 60+ starters and racing and beer drinking was furious. The bigger race on the Velle program (sponsored by BiciSport) is next Tuesday 16 August.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 12 Aug - Star attraction at Velle was the local legend Guy Smet who won a staggering 400+ amateur UCI races but never turned professional. Rumour had it he made more money as an “amateur” than signing a professional contract. Now nearly 50 years old the grand old man of Flanders cycling cut a great look as he passed The Falcon. No disc brakes for this Flandrien.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 12 Aug - The Falcon pub crowd in Velle spills on to the street … the cycle race was great but where is the Duvel beer …

BiciSport in Belgium @ 12 Aug - to have this much fun at a bike race does convince one self that am indeed a Belgian by birth but was kidnapped at The Falcon and packed off to Australia … this feels like home with MO’R in front of his ancestral birthplace.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge is a mid week (Wednesday) semi classic and as the name implies the race hugs the French Belgian border and over the years has positioned itself as a sprinters race, so generally flattish with a few nasty bergs tossed in for the opportunists. Caleb Ewen (for Lotto), Alex Kristoff (Wanty) and maybe Greg van Avermatt (Citroen), or a Victor Campernants were the favourites. Kristoff took the win in a cracker of a ride.

A short 30 minute drive from Oudenaarde to the Tournai start (near the French border) and a great service corse with the spectators given the freedom to roam amongst the bikes & team cars & buses. For the purists some teams were on 25c tyres but several were on 28c tyre set ups.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge and the Team Lotto Soudal service course at the Tournai start. Conditions were hot.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge and Caleb Ewen had signed on and returning to the Lotto team bus

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge and Alex Kristoff returning to the Wanty team bus after sign on. Kristoff would take the win.

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge and the Quick Step team car loaded with a smorgasbord of Specialised S Works

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - Circuit Franco Belge and the peloton lines up for the hot 1pm start in the Tournai main square. Conditions were hot for the 180k race to the finish at La Louviere

Walter Planckaert won the Tour of Flanders classic in 1976 and a legend in Flanders cycling

BiciSport in Belgium @ 10 Aug - At the Circuit Franco Belge start and Walter Planckaert (left) now runs the Baloise Belgian team. Walter won a Tour of Flanders and the other guy couldn’t win B grade at West Head

BiciSport in Belgium @ 14 Aug - At the rear patio at the Tour of Flanders Museum in Oudenaarde is a quiet spot for a coffee … until the Belgian Boogie Boys appear around the corner singing Dance Monkey

BiciSport in Belgium @ 14 Aug - Belgian Boogie Boys strut their stuff with Dance Monkey

BiciSport in Belgium @ 14 Aug - at the same Tour of Flanders Museum and after Dance Monkey then along came … this with classic Opera music …

BiciSport proudly sponsors an Elite race in Velle (near Antwerp) on 16 August. The race for Elites is over 119k

NATIONAL MASTERS ROAD & CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 16 Aug

  • Velle Elite Race (Belgium) sponsored by BiciSport

• 20 Aug

  • Great Divide Open (Goulburn CC)

• 21 Aug

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 17 August

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 19 August

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am 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

• Sat 20 August

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

GBC-Sony-Zimba Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1963-77

Sponsorship was GBC (manufactured televisions), Sony (electrical appliances) with sub sponsors in Wega (coffee), Zimba & Furzi did the framsets. Team manager was Franco Cribiori.

A long time Italian team sponsor for 14 years but they really didn’t win much. They had 8 starts at the Tour of Italy but only won one stage, so successes were few & far between.

Team riders were Wladmiro Panizza (had a great career after GBC), Rudi Altig (future World Pro World Champion riding for Molteni), Eric Spahn, Enzo Cardi (track specialist), Aldo & Diego Moser and Dino Zandegu (a podium at the Tour of Flanders).

GBC-Sony at the Tour of Italy

GBC team rider (bottom left) climbing the Dolomites at the Giro

GBC-Sony Team Presentation