Michael O'Reilly

2 April 2023

News Shorts - 3 April

Michael O'Reilly

2 April 2023

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 2 Apr - the day dawned very cold but the wind was pretty soft when compared to previous days. The BiciSport group decided on an early morning ride with the Force Team on the Dutch-Belgian border then headed back to Oudenaarde to see the Ronde. **The Womens Ronde (pictured above with 30k to go) was a cracker of an edition and the Men’s event was an all time classic.**

**Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 2 Apr - Belge fan action in the Maarke Kerkem local pub # 1. Laden with genuine Flanders atmosphere all routing for Wout the Wonderful.**

**Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 2 Apr - Belge fan action in the Maarke Kerkem local pub # 2. A great round of applause greeted the amazing Podge victory.**

Ronde Day Training Ride @ De Kikker @ 2 Apr - The Force Team lined up outside De Kikker Cafe in Niewerken Wass before a super brisk ride around the Dutch polders in the Netherlands (the Dutch Belge border is just 10k away).

**Ronde Day Training Ride @ De Kikker @ 2 Apr - Koen Verhulst (left) and Mike Lawson (BiciSport - near red helmet) lead the post ride discussion in De Kikker pool room**

Ronde Day Training Ride @ De Kikker Cafe @ 2 Apr - the church goers from across the road had departed the local church after Sunday service and headed straight for a cleansing ale at De Kikker (note - we hadn’t reached midday yet)

**BiciSport @ Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 29 Mar -** The Dwars race was a midweek semi Classic over 200k. BiciSport ventured firstly down to the Holleweg cobbles then to the Etikhove Railay Bridge

**BiciSport @ Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 29 Mar -** **Greg Van Avermatt on the Holleweg cobbles near Oudenaarde**

**BiciSport @ Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 29 Mar -** **Caleb Ewen @ Etikhove** **Railway Bridge**

**BiciSport @ Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 29 Mar -** **Caleb Ewen @ Etikhove**

**BiciSport @ Dwars door Vlaanderen @ 29 Mar - Phillipo Ganna on a charge**

**Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 2023 @ 1 Apr - Mike Lawson before the start in cold & damp conditions.**

**BiciSport to Belgium @ 30 Mar - Mike Lawson behind the Tom Boonen bronzed legs exhibition on top of the Taainberg cobbled climb near Etikhove in Flanders**

BiciSport to Belgium @ 30 Mar - Mike Lawson (left) & Koen Verhulst after a local training around Oudenaarde. Koen is wearing the Team Force jersey with BiciSport noted across the collarbone. The sponsorship with BiciSport is a 3 year deal.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

3 Apr - 24 Apr
- BiciSport to the Belgian Spring Classics
9 Apr
- Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)
10 Apr (Mon)
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Eric Mather Cup - Waratah Masters)
- Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 4 Apr & Thurs 6 Apr
- 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 Apr
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 8 Apr
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**The upcoming BiciSport Belgian calendar -**
**April**
**8 - Paris Roubaix CycloSportive, 9 - Paris Roubaix Classic**
**12 - Brabant Arrow Classic, 15 - Amstel Gold CycloSportive (Netherlands)**
**16 - Amstel Gold Classic (Neth), 19 - Fleche Walloon Classic. 23 - Liege Bastogne Liege Classic**

**Paris Roubaix 2023 - a time to eat cobbles as part of a balanced diet**

**BiciSport to Roubaix 2023 - A different approach for ‘23.**
Accommodation is 4 nights in the tiny village of Bachy (located between Orchies & Cysiong) near the top of the attached map. An early morning drive to Compiegne for the Sunday start in Compiegne, dash to the mid race cobbles at Viesly, then more than a mad dash to the cobbles at Cysiong, then find a cafe somewhere with a tv.

**Ugo De Rosa RIP - an inspiration to many and one of the most creative frame builders on the planet.**

Michael O'Reilly

25 March 2023

News Shorts - 27 March

Michael O'Reilly

25 March 2023

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - a Jayco rider leads the breakaway just after the Kortekeer climb**
The day dawned cold, wet & windy but improved late in the day. Missed spectating at the Holleweg cobbles due to heavy traffic congestion coupled with a downpour of rain. So it was off to the Kortekeer climb then down to the Mariaborrestraat cobbles just outside Oudenaarde. The race at that point was splitting badly with maybe five groups. Sadly Peter Sagan was right at the back looking forlorn. Van Aert took the victory. What a Classic day.

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - Wout van Aert just after the Kortekeer climb**

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - VdP causing some real agitation on the Mariaborrestraat cobbles just outside Oudenaarde**

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - Wout van Amazing on the Mariaborrstraat cobbles**

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - Peter Sagan looking like he wanted to be anywhere but on the Mariaborrestraat cobbles.**

**BiciSport @ E3 Saxo Classic @ 25 Mar - QuickStep team car near Oudenaarde**

Michel Wuyts Narration @ Maarke Kerkem @ 24 Mar - Michel has been the leading Belgian tv commentator for many years and presented a cycling narration about Tom Boonen, Frank Van Den Broucke, Andre Tchmil & Jacques Anquetil

**Michel Wuyts Narration @ Maarke Kerkem @ 24 Mar**

BiciSport report on the Ghent Wevelgem weekend can best be described as wet, windy & cold.

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 21 Mar - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes second overall & second in B grade and just a single point behind the B grade Series leader with one round to go on 28 March. Go Rolly !.

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 21 Mar - Henry Baird takes a great win and the B Grade Series pointscore lead by just one point from Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport)**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 21 Mar - Rolly Delaytz (wearing the B grade Series Leader Jersey)**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 21 Mar - Rolly Delaytz**

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ 19 Mar - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) takes the Gold medal**

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ 19 Mar - Jeremy Hopson takes third**

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ 19 Mar - Masters medallists for BiciSport include Davide Browne, Peter Verhoeven & Ian Grant**

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ 19 Mar - Davide Browne goes Gold again**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

28 Mar
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
  - Oh no, this is the last one until October 23
27 Mar-26 Apr
- BiciSport to the Belgian Spring Classics
  - De Ronde over 1 & 2 Apr
1 Apr
- Snowy Mountains Classic Cyclosportive (Jindabyne)
- Tour of Brisbane (Qld, NRS)
2 Apr
- Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 28 Mar & Thurs 30 Mar
- 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 30 Mar
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 1 Apr
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Belgium @ Patersberg Training Ride @ 24 Mar - on a pedal near the Patersberg climb on the day before the E3 Classic and along comes Johan Miuseeuw and a happy snap ensued.**
**Johan was World Champion in 1996, won Tour of Flanders x 3, Paris Roubaix x 3 and E3 Classic x 2**
**The upcoming Belgian calendar going forward -**
**March**
**29 - Dwars Vlaanderen Classic**
**April**
**1 - Tour of Flanders CycloSportive, 2 - Tour of Flanders Classic**
**8 - Paris Roubaix CycloSportive (France), 9 - Paris Roubaix Classic**
**12 - Brabant Arrow Classic, 15 - Amstel Gold CycloSportive (Netherlands)**
**16 - Amstel Gold Classic (Neth), 19 - Fleche Walloon Classic. 23 - Liege Bastogne Liege Classic**

The Ronde for 2023 - starts again in Brugge after a few years of starting in Antwerp. After the start a large loop out towards Kuurne, through Dienze, and the real action starts at Kluisbergen with 3 laps over the Old Kwaremont cobbled climb. The BiciSport group will follow the race by bike and see the Mens race five times and the Women’s race three times.

**Flanders Classics 2023 have a 70 car fleet (yes, 70 !) of delightfully decorated BMW’s and this is the Race Convoy Lead Car. Now we are talking bling.**

Michael O'Reilly

18 March 2023

News Shorts - 20 March

Michael O'Reilly

18 March 2023

**Force Team gathering @ Nieuwkerken @ 17 Mar - Koen Verhulst (in 2023 Force team jersey) and Mike Lawson (right)**
Mike Lawson & Mike O’Reilly met with the 20+ members of the Force Team at the Cafe De Kikker (The Frog Cafe) on the Belge-Dutch border. The team was in attendance to collect their 2023 team clothing & discuss the coming racing season (the teams first race is on 8 April in Nieuwkerken).
**For those into their cycling history - Cafe De Kikker was the official Tom Steels supporters club watering hole.**
BiciSport is co-sponsoring the Force team from 2023 (initially for a three year period). This collaboration is a great opportunity for BiciSport to support a progressive Belgian team and will open up further opportunities into the future. “*BiciSport Australia*” is located on the collarbone patch on the jersey.

Force Team gathering @ Nieuwkerken @ 17 Mar - back left is Mike Lawson, Koen VerHulst & Stijn VerHulst. A big thank you to Koen VerHulst for making the collaboration with the Belgian Force Team possible.

**Force Team gathering @ Nieuwkerken @ 19 Mar - two days later and Mike Lawson goes with the Force team for a 2 hour journey through the Polder Land into the Netherlands & returns to the Cafe de Kikker**

**Force Team gathering @ Nieuwkerken @ 19 Mar - two days later and the Force Team pose for a happy snap in the Cafe De Kikker**

Force Team gathering @ Nieuwkerken @ 17 Mar - Cafe De Kikker (The Frog Cafe) is the classic Flemish watering hole. Full of Flemish charm, a hint of rustic, nostalgic, neglected, edgy, blunt, old & smelly but above all completely friendly & welcoming.

**Velle Junior Race @ 19 Mar - 95 starters lined up for the 55k junior race in good weather conditions**

**Velle Junior Race @ 19 Mar - before the start with Stijn & Maarten VerHulst (on the podium) in charge**

**Velle Junior Race @ 19 Mar - the junior peloton with two laps to go**

**Velle Junior Race @ 19 Mar - the first place went to Thor Feyaerts (Belgium)**

Velle Junior Race @ 19 Mar - The Van Hoye sponsored Ford diesel is 30+ years old clunker and is an institution at the local Velle races as the official lead car. The term “*Wedstrijd”* just means *cycle race*.
**In the picture is L to R … Mike Lawson, Maarten VerHulst (Velle Race Organiser), MOR & Eddy VerHulst.**

**BiciSport in Flanders @ Nokere Kourse @ 15 Mar - the Holleweg cobbles are just 2k from the tiny hamlet of Maarke Kerkem where BiciSport base themselves for the Belgian Spring Classics**

**BiciSport in Flanders @ Nokere Kourse @ 15 Mar - the Holleweg cobbles with Tim Merlier (Soudal QuickStep) who won the race**

**BiciSport in Flanders @ Nokere Kourse @ 15 Mar - the best presented team car in the Belgian pro peloton coupled with the best bike in the business**

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 18 Mar - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes Gold in a Teams Pursuit !. Rumours that Davide is only a selfish sprinter has now been completely discounted, and we look forward to a blossoming road racing & hill climbing career

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 18 Mar - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes Gold in the Scratch Race**

**NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 18 Mar - Davide Brown (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took Silver in the Sprint**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

21 Mar
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
  - Summer Series concludes 28 Mar
20 Mar-26 Apr
- BiciSport to the Belgian Spring Classics
26 Mar
- Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)
- Bobbin Head Classic Cyclosportive (Turramurra)
- John Woodman Handicap (Wagga to Albury)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 21 Mar & Thurs 23 Mar
- 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 23 Mar
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 25 Mar
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**BiciSport to the Belgian Spring Classics 2023**
**In 2023 the Belgian Spring Classic program is detailed below with weekly updates in BiciSport News on this website or on the BiciSport Sydney Facebook page.**
**March**
**24 - E3 Saxo Classic, 25 - Ghent Wevelgem CycoSportive, 26 - Ghent Wevelgem Classic**
**29 - Dwars Vlaanderen Classic**
**April**
**1 - Tour of Flanders CycloSportive, 2 - Tour of Flanders Classic**
**8 - Paris Roubaix CycloSportive (France), 9 - Paris Roubaix Classic**
**12 - Brabant Arrow Classic, 15 - Amstel Gold CycloSportive (Netherlands)**
**16 - Amstel Gold Classic (Neth), 19 - Fleche Walloon Classic, 23 - Liege Bastogne Liege Classic**

**The Saxo E3 Classic is well known for the somewhat different pre publicity marketing. The marketing poster above is 2023, with 2017 below.**
The E3 Classic itself is a Friday event over 250k before the Ghent Wevelgem weekend. The E3 is a virtual replica of the Tour of Flanders in many ways with the same cobbled climbs often raced from a different direction.

**The feature of the Ghent Wevelgem weekend is the Menin Gate at Ieper. Dedicated to the lost soldiers with no known grave from World War 1.**

Michael O'Reilly

11 March 2023

News Shorts - 13 March

Michael O'Reilly

11 March 2023

BiciSport @ Tirenno Adriatico Pro Tour @ 10 Mar - Mike Lawson (BiciSport - white helmet) with the Italian tifosi (or fans) at the stage finish at Sassetteto. Conditions were best described as *BLEAK* in Italy (the stage in the Paris Nice race was cancelled due to the same awful weather system). The wind was that strong Mike’s glasses were blown off his face !, and riding a bike was virtually impossible. At one point some 400m from the stage finish Mike was blown to a standstill. Mike also experienced heavy rain & hail. .

**BiciSport @ Tirenno Adriatico Pro Tour @ 10 Mar - bleak conditions at Tirenno**

**BiciSport @ Castorano @ 9 Mar - Mike Lawson’s view from his apartment near Siena**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 7 Mar - Rolly Delaytz (far right - BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes first in B grade, with A grade taking the overall**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 7 Mar - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) hits the repeat button for a Tuesday night B grade victory**

**West Head Road Race @ 12 Mar - David Munro on the left (BiciSport Pilu Racing)**

**Carcoar @ Blayney Gravel @ 12 Mar - Marty Wright (BiciSport) centre of picture**

**Carcoar @ Blayney Gravel @ 12 Mar - Marty Wright**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

14 Mar
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
  - Summer Series concludes 28 Mar
14 Mar-26 Apr
- BiciSport to the Belgian Spring Classics
17-19 Mar
- NSW Masters Track Champs (DGV)
  - BiciSport starters Jeremy Hopson, Davide Browne, John Robb
19 Mar
- Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)
- Velle Junior Race (Antwerp, Belgium) sponsored by BiciSport

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 14 Mar & Thurs 16 Mar
- 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 16 Mar
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 18 Mar
- Odd Spoke Criteriums @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 6.45am
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Belgian Spring Classes 2023 @ 9 Mar - the Patersberg climb @ 9 Mar just 5k from Oudenaarde …..**

**Belgian Spring Classes 2023 @ 9 Mar - the BiciSport *Service Course* is at www.kokerelle.be (picture above taken @ 9 Mar). The swimming pool can wait until August ….**

**Belgian Spring Classes 2023 - another bbrrrr pic from the Kokerelle AirBnB towards the front garden @ 9 Mar. Even Santa’s little elf looks cold.**

**For the Belgian Spring Classics the “Wednesday” professional races are typically “semi Classics” whilst the weekend races are generally full status Classics.**
The first Wednesday race being the *Nokere Kourse* on 15 March starting in Deinze with the opening loop through Gavere, back towards Oudenaarde, up the Wolvenberg climb, across the Holleweg cobbles near Mater (just about every race in Flanders hits the Holleweg cobbles at some point) to finish with 4 local laps in the small village of Nokere
**The BiciSport accommodation is at the tiny hamlet of Etikhove (Maarke Kerkem) which is close to the Wolvenberg climb (see above, map towards the right)**

**BiciSport is a co-sponsor to the Velle Junior Road Race over 55k on 19 March near Antwerp**

**BiciSport Velle (Belgium) Junior Race over 55k attracted 100 starters in 2022 (start line picture above).**
**The next edition is Sunday 19 March 2023 and again in Velle.**

Michael O'Reilly

4 March 2023

News Shorts - 6 March

Michael O'Reilly

4 March 2023

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 28 Feb - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) comfortably won B grade at Heffron in a fine display of sprinting**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 28 Feb - Rolly Delaytz takes the B grade win**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 28 Feb - Rolly Delaytz**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 28 Feb - Rolly Delaytz crosses the finishing line**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 28 Feb - Giving Rolly the beauty treatment (… not that he needs it …)**

**Narrabeen Lakes Cycle Path @ 1 Mar - the Narrabeen Lakes cycle path is a mixture of bitumen and light gravel. It was a chance to pay respects to Graham Jones.**
Graham Jones was a long time member of firstly Manly Cycle Club then BiciSport in his later years. Graham was a keen race organiser and contributor to all things cycling - including the development of the Terrey Hills cyclo cross circuit. Graham was killed in an early morning training ride near Chatswood on 10 November 2002.
**In memory of Graham's strong community focus there is a walking bridge named in his honour along the Narrabeen Lakes Walk (near the Narrabeen Fitness Centre carpark).**

**Mike Lawson (BiciSport) is currently in Siena for the Strade Bianche Classic**

**The village of Melden at the bottom of the Koppenberg climb - the Koppenberg Cafe always has topical artwork on the front window.**

**Koppenberg climb with views towards the Schelde River, just 5k from Oudenaarde**

Oudenaarde dates are now confirmed for the BiciSport trip to the Belgian Spring Classics 2023. See the dates below. Weekly News updates and Facebook posts will be from 15 March starting at the Nokere Kourse near Oudenaarde. Mike Lawson gets the ball rolling at the Strada Bianche in Italy on 4 March
**The picture above was taken at the Kapel Mur (Chapel Wall) at Geraadsbergen with Marty Wright & Mike Lawson**
**March**
**4 - Strada Bianche (Italy), 15 - Nokere Kourse (Belgium), 18 - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive, 19 - Velle Junior Road Race (sponsored by BiciSport)**
**24 - E3 Classic, 25 - Ghent Wevelgem CycoSportive, 26 - Ghent Wevelgem Classic, 29 - Dwars Vlaanderen Classic**
**April**
**1 - Tour of Flanders CycloSportive, 2 - Tour of Flanders Classic, 8 - Paris Roubaix CycloSportive**
**9 - Paris Roubaix Classic, 12 - Brabant Arrow Classic, 15 - Amstel Gold CycloSportive**
**16 - Amstel Gold Classic, 19 - Fleche Walloon Classic, 23 - Liege Bastogne Liege Classic**

THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE 2023 - CANCELLED

Due to ongoing issues with a road slippage at Bogong near Falls Creek the 2023 event has been cancelled and the next edition will be held on 10 March 2024

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

7 Mar
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
11 Mar
- Bendigo Madison Weekend (Vic) - cancelled
12 Mar
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)
- West Head Road Race (Manly)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 7 Mar & Thurs 9 Mar
- 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 9 Mar
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 11 Mar
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Trofeo Baracchi Two Man Time (Italy) -** **1944 to 1991**
**Pictured above is Fausto Coppi (left) with Riccardo Filippi**
This unique 100k Italian classic was created by Mino Baracchi in memory of his father (Angelo). The who’s who of world cycling took the victory in the two man time trial in Ercole Baldini, Aldo & Francesco Moser, Jacques Anquetil, Rudi Altig, Eddy Merckx, Ferdi Bracke, Felice Gimondi, Fons De Wolf & Freddy Maertens

**Eddy Merckx (left) and Ferdi Bracke on the start ramp**

Davide Boifava (left - Molteni) was one of the few Baracchi partners who gave Eddy Merckx (right) a hard time. Boifava was an excellent rider in his own right but had much more success as a pro team Sports Director in future years

**Freddy Maertens (left) and Joop Zoetemelk**

**Felice Gimondi (left) & Martin Rodriguez**

**Roger De Vlaeminck (left) & Eddy Merckx**

Michael O'Reilly

25 February 2023

News Shorts - 27 February

Michael O'Reilly

25 February 2023

Quarter Everesting @ Newport @ 23 Feb over 2212m of climbing - Sam Green (BiciSport Happy Wheeels) recently completed the French climbs of Le Galibier & Alpe D’Huez simulating the steep gradients on a Wahoo Kicker.
**Full of tenacity Sam completed the effort in 6 hours. Well done Sam.**

**Recovery Ward**
Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) was involved in the West Head RR crash in mid February that resulted in a broken collarbone & 5 ribs. Tom goes in for additional shoulder surgery this week. Best wishes Tom.
**Ian Grant also had a rubber side up at an Eastern Creek Raceway criterium a few weeks back & should return to racing shortly**

**Riverina Interclub @ Cobram @ 26 Feb - Peter Budd (BiciSport Happy Wheels) raced at the Cobram handicap on the NSW-Vic border and rode well in the first handicap of the 23 season**

BiciSport coffee @ Sandstone Cafe @ 25 Feb - a bumper turn out to Saturday coffee @ 9.30am. Several legends had already departed before this pic was snapped … L to R … Ian Grainger, Ken Edwards, Karl Hoad, Sean Mura, Marty Wright, John Robb & Tony Rabbidge. All welcome to Saturday coffee @ Sandstone @ 9.30am

VALE CON TOPARIS

When you think of the Goulburn cycling community it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the Greengrocer Cafe and Con Toparis. Con was the linchpin of the local cycling community & fiercely passionate about just about everything he did … be it the cycling community, good coffee, high quality food and the love of go-karting. Sadly Con was killed on 18 February whilst cycling on the Goulburn-Crookwell Rd in a collision with a motorbike. RIP dear Con as you were much admired
Con’s funeral will be held in Goulburn on 17 March @ 2pm. Details will be posted on the Goulburn CC Facebook page in due course

THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE 2023 - CANCELLED

Due to ongoing issues with a road slippage at Bogong near Falls Creek the 2023 event has been cancelled and the next edition will be held on 10 March 2024

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

28 Feb
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
4-5 Mar
- Tolland (Wagga) Weekend
5 Mar
- Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 28 Feb & Thurs 2 Mar
- 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 2 Mar
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 4 Mar
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Linda McCartney Foods Pro Team (UK) -** **1998-2001**
A team based on vegetarianism & Linda McCartney Foods. The team moved from the domestic UK scene onto the UCI World Cup and selected Grand Tours (being the Tour of Italy - where David McKenzie won a stage). Sadly, the team itself had a shelf life less than the foods it was promoting, and eventually the team disbanded due to cost over runs and unpaid wages and less than satisfactory team management.
The team itself was an interesting mix of super talent … be it the Swiss one day Classic specialist in Pascal Richard and Max Sciandri, to the likes of Brad Wiggins, Charly Wegelius (ex Mapei), Chris Lillywhite and the great Aussie trio of David Mckenzie, Allan Iacone and Ben Brooks.

**A non event as much as it was a low point** **in sports governance**

Michael O'Reilly

18 February 2023

News Shorts - 20 February

Michael O'Reilly

18 February 2023

**Victorian Alps (Bright) @ 16 Feb - Marty Wright (left - BiciSport) & Dudley Hoskin (BiciSport) lost in the hidden gems of the Victorian Alps**

**Victorian Alps (Bright) @ 18 Feb - atop Mt Hotham with Craig Pager (left) and Dudley Hoskin**

**Victorian Alps (Bright) @ 18 Feb - Steve Holland, Craig Pager, Dudley Hoskin & Marty Wright** **at Mt Hotham**

**Grafton Inverell Classic for 2023 - The race promoters have announced a revised G2I Technical Guide for this annual Classic. Details can be found in Special Events in this website.**

**BiciSport is happy to announce it is sponsoring a 55k Junior road race in the village of Velle near Antwerp in East Flanders in Belgium on 19 March.**
**BiciSport is also sponsoring an Elite race in August in Velle and co sponsoring the Force Masters Team in Belgium from 2023 for a 3 year period.**

Dates are now confirmed for the BiciSport trip to the Belgian Spring Classics 2023. See the dates below. Weekly News updates and Facebook posts will be from 15 March starting at the Nokere Kourse near Oudenaarde. Mike Lawson gets the ball rolling at the Strada Bianche on 4 March
**March**
**4 - Strada Bianche (Italy), 15 - Nokere Kourse (Belgium), 18 - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive, 19 - Velle Junior Road Race (sponsored by BiciSport)**
**24 - E3 Classic, 25 - Ghent Wevelgem CycoSportive, 26 - Ghent Wevelgem Classic, 29 - Dwars Vlaanderen Classic**
**April**
**1 - Tour of Flanders CycloSportive, 2 - Tour of Flanders Classic, 8 - Paris Roubaix CycloSportive**
**9 - Paris Roubaix Classic, 12 - Brabant Arrow Classic, 15 - Amstel Gold CycloSportive**
**16 - Amstel Gold Classic, 19 - Fleche Walloon Classic, 23 - Liege Bastogne Liege Classic**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

21 Feb
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
25-26 Feb
- Husky Triathlon (Jervis Bay)
26 Feb
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 21 Feb & Thurs 23 Feb
- 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 23 Feb
- Belgian Waffle Ride @ Centennial Park @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ 10.30am for Park laps
Sat 25 Feb
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Miguel Poblet on the way to winning a stage in the Tour of Spain for IGNIS Pro Cycling Team**

**IGNIS Professional Cycling Team (Italy) - 1955-68**
Italy (and much of Europe) was addicted to cycling sponsorship in the form of kitchens, home improvements, coffee, cigarettes or alochol. The Italian sponsor in IGNIS was home appliances (fridges, washing machines). The picture above is Ercole Baldani in the World Champions jersey together with Jacques Antiquel (FYNSEC). Team bikes were Frejus.
The team was around for 14 years but getting a handle on team results was limited. The team itself was littered with legends & cycling icons be it Ercole Baldini (1958 World Champion & Giro winner, Italian Road Champion) plus finished 6th in the 1958 Tour de France, Reg Arnold (Aussie track specialist but just for one year), Louis Bobet (French legend), Antonio Maspes (Italian track specialist), Gastone Nencini (won numerous Giro stages), Miguel Poblet (won in Spain regularly plus 3 Giro stages).

**Ercole Baldini (IGNIS) in the World Champions jersey**

Team IGNIS takes second in a Tour of Italy stage. The IGNIS team won the 1960 Teams Classification at the Tour of Italy. Note the tv camera car between the stage winner and the third place getter just behind.

Michael O'Reilly

11 February 2023

News Shorts - 13 February

Michael O'Reilly

11 February 2023

**National MTB Championships @ Thredbo @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the start line. Eric took a Silver medal in the Masters Short Course and Bronze in the Enduro.**

**National MTB Championships @ Thredbo @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole**

**National MTB Championships @ Thredbo @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole on the podium**

**National MTB Championships @ Thredbo @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole on the Masters podium**

**West Head Road Race @ 12 Feb - Alex Gardiner (BiciSport Pilu Racing)**

**West Head Road Race @ 12 Feb - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels)**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 7 Feb - Rolly Delaytz (left - BiciSport Happy Wheels) in the action in B grade**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 7 Feb - Rolly Delaytz**

**2023 will be Peter Sagan’s last World Tour road season, with a focus on the MTB event at the Paris Olympics in 2024. A stellar career by any measure and a job well done.**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

14 Feb
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
9-18 Feb
- MTB National Championships (Thredbo)
17-19 Feb
- NSW Elite Track Champs (DGV, Bass Hill)
18 Feb
- Ballarat Classic CycloSportive (Vic)
19 Feb
- Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 14 Feb
- 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 16 Feb
- 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 18 Feb
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Bingoal Pauwels Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 2011 to today**
A Belgian team with a strong French bias & developmental focus. As the Flemish Belgian teams are loaded with Flemish speakers then so to is this French based (Wallonie) Belgian team with regional French speakers. Bikes are DeRosa, groupsets are Shimano with 25 riders on the team roster. Sponsors past & present are Wallonie Bruxelles (Regional government), Lotto, Credit Agricole (banking), Pauwels Sauces & Coca Cola. Clothing is from VerMarc
The racing program sits firmly with the Belgian Spring Classics from late February until the end of April. Getting in the “TV break of the day” is something of a fundamental obsession (as podium visits are more of a dream). Team results are somewhat rare (that’s an understatement) with Baptiste Planckaert & Kenny Dehaes the only notable exceptions (and they have a Flemish heritage).

**Bingoal Pauwels Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) -** **a nicely presented team car**

**Bingoal Pauwels Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - the team presentation in 2022 with the distinctive fluro team clothing**

Michael O'Reilly

4 February 2023

News Shorts - 6 February

Michael O'Reilly

4 February 2023

**Eastern Creek Dragway Criterium @ 5 Feb - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) in the A2 grade criterium**

**Eastern Creek Dragway Criterium @ 5 Feb - Eric Dole leads the A2 peloton with David Cooper (right) getting in on the action**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 31 Jan - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the start**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 31 Jan - Rolly Delaytz before the start**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 31 Jan - Rolly Delaytz exiting the “squarcircle’**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 31 Jan - Rolly Delaytz approaching the finish line with 6 laps to go**

**Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Davide Browne took second at the Goulburn Wheelrace Final**

Tom Boonen @ Maarkedal Belgium @ 25 Jan - Yes, Belgium is crazy about cycling (that is a given). There are monuments to numerous past champions - Merckx, Schotte & Wijnendaele (who organised the early editions of the Tour of Flanders). Along comes the bronzed legs only of Tom Boonen - Tom is pictured just to the right of the twin pins monument.

Tom Boonen @ Maarkedal Belgium @ 25 Jan - yes Tom … this really sounded like a great idea when first proposed and we really have to make something of this going forward. Every cyclist will now get a picture at the Taainberg climb near Oudenaarde … am currently figuring out how to squeeze BiciSport leg warmers & matching overshoes over this lot !

**Tom Boonen @ Maarkedal Belgium @ 25 Jan - Tom Boonen still looking somewhat baffled by the bronzed outcome**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

7 Feb
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
9-18 Feb
- MTB National Championships (Thredbo)
  - BiciSport starter Eric Dole
12 Feb
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)
- West Head Road Race (Manly)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 7 Feb
- 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 9 Feb
- 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 11 Feb
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Okay Whisky Pro Team (Belgium) -** **1966-77**
Okay Whisky started in 1966, and stayed as the primary sponsor until 1970 when it changed alcoholic beverages to Geens Watney (1970), then Watney Maes Pils (1973-74) and finally just Maes Pils (1975-77). Yes, it was all about the whisky or the beer sponsorship - heck it beats the “sports washing” by undemocratic & failed foreign countries which is commonplace these days. Original 1966 groupsets were firstly French Mafac but then moved onto Italian Campagnolo. Bikes were either Diamant or Groene Leeuw (both Belgian of course).
The team started in 1966 with just 5 riders, but in 1967 it jumped up to 34 riders and again up to 38 riders in 1968. The team was strictly Flemish and no French speakers sighted on any team listing. Team information and results are pretty sparse but riders included Alfons De Bal, Marcel Kubacki (a great sprinter who won numerous Belgian races but whose great career goes largely ignored), Frans Verbeek (Classics specialist), then the legendary Flemish triple crown of Herman Van Springel, Ward Sels & Rik Van Looy.

**Okay Whisky - a very talented start line with far left Herman Van Springel, Ward Sels (3rd from right) & Rik Van Looy (far right).**

**Frans Verbeek wins for Watney Geens in 1970 … let the beer flow**

**Frans Verbeek wins again for Watney beer. Verbeek went on to establish the VerMarc Belgian cycle clothing organisation.**

**Okay Whisky Team Presentation outside the sponsors factory in 1966. Apologies for the picture quality.**

Michael O'Reilly

28 January 2023

News Shorts - 30 January

Michael O'Reilly

28 January 2023

Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the Goulburn velodrome fence had a cracker of a night - two wins, second in the Goulburn Wheelrace final and another third in the Kierin sprint. Event entries were very good and an altogether enjoyable promotion.

**Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Davide Browne**

**Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Davide Browne wins the 2 lap sprint**

**Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Davide Browne in the Goulburn Wheelrace heat. Davide would finish second in the final**

**Lansdowne Park Criterium @ Waratah Masters @ 29 Jan - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes podium spot # 2 in A2 grade**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 24 Jan - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) with Lachlan Morton (EF EasyPost).**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 24 Jan - Rolly Delaytz on the start line**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 24 Jan - Rolly Delaytz climbing the Heffron Pimple with the finishing straight in the background**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 24 Jan - Rolly Delaytz after the finish**

**Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 24 Jan - making Rolly look pretty**

**Cadel Evans CycloSportive @ Geelong @ 28 Jan - start line with Eric Dole & Peter Budd**

**Cadel Evans CycloSportive @ Geelong @ 28 Jan - L to R … Tony Jones, Dom Piromalli & Albert Ravanello (BiciSport) at the Geelong start**

**Cadel Evans CycloSportive @ Geelong @ 28 Jan - Eric Dole**

**Cadel Evans CycloSportive @ Geelong @ 28 Jan - Eric Dole (centre) & Peter Budd (right)**

VALE RICHARD SPINKS

Very sad to report the recent passing of Richard Spinks (Northern Sydney CC). Known & admired by many across the cycling spectrum - be it Northern Sydney, Caravello, Waratahs, Manly & BiciSport. Richard was seen regularly on all of the local rides and won many friends and medals at Masters Championships. RIP Richard, you will be missed by many.
Funeral arrangements are to be a private family service

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

31 Jan
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
4 Feb
- Melbourne to Warnambool Classic (Vic)
5 Feb
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings
- Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park
  - Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe
Tues 24 Jan
- 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 26 Jan
- 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 28 Jan
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Zundert Continental Elite Team (Netherlands) - 1978-97**
**Ever wondered where the idea of the big professional cycling team bus came from ?.**
Prior to 1986 it was common for professional team riders to arrive/depart in the standard team cars. All very primitive even back then but it made for great viewing for spectators. The picture above is the original Zundert cycling team car (before the team bus concept was created)
Along came Frans Siemons who supported the local Zundert cycling team near the Dutch-Belgian border and had three sons that raced (Jan, Ruud and Maurice). They wanted something better than just a small & cramped team car …. so the team bus idea was devised by Frans. Frans purchased a very old & second hand fire engine red London bus and had it fitted out for enhanced rider comfort.
The idea caught on quickly and the Zundert team bus concept was then copied by the Dutch PDM Professional team in 1986 and the rest is now history as team buses are the order of the day. Some Italian professional teams even hired the Zundert bus in 1993 & 94 when Mario Cipollini was a member of the MG-TechnoGym professional team. The Zundert team bus regularly featured at the Tour de France until 1997 and was a regular on the Alpe d’Huez climb at the famous Turn 13 (Turn 13 was nicknamed the *Dutch Corner*).

**Zundert Team bus at the 1994 Tour de France with Johan Museeuw (left) & Patrick Lefevere (centre)**

**The original English fire engine red coloured Diana team bus at the Tour de France. Later bus versions were also in blue**

**Zundert Cycling Team Presentation @ Zundert on the Dutch-Belge border with the blue version of the team bus in the background’**

Michael O'Reilly

21 January 2023

News Shorts - 23 January

Michael O'Reilly

21 January 2023

**MTB National Series Round 1 @ ACT @ 21 Jan - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the start**

**MTB National Series Round 1 @ ACT @ 21 Jan - Eric Dole**

**MTB National Series Round 1 @ ACT @ 21 Jan - Eric Dole takes the victory**

**Mt Buffalo Victoria @ 15 Jan - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) sighted at Lake Catani at the top of Mt Buffalo**

**Goulburn Track Open @ 28 Jan - Best wishes to Davide Browne as he returns to the Goulburn Track Open next Saturday looking for victory in the Goulburn Wheelrace**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

24 Jan
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm
28-29 Jan
- Goulburn & Bowral Track Opens
  - BiciSport - Davide Browne
28-29 Jan
- Alpine Classic CycloSportive (Bright, Vic)
- Cadel Evans CycloSportive (Geelong, Vic)
- Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Tues 24 Jan
- 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 26 Jan
- 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 28 Jan
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Vittorio Adorni (Italy) - 1937-2022 (passed away 24 Dec 22)**
Vittorio raced for several teams since his career started in 1962 with Philco, then moved on to Cynar, Salvarani (1964-66), Salamini (1967), Faema (1968), then finally SCIC (1969-70). As was typical of the time the popular sponsors were either coffee machines (Faema) or kitchens (Del Tongo, SCIC and Salvarani).
**His career started in 1962, then won the Tour of Italy in 1965 (he went on to win 11 Giro stages). Other stage race victories included Romandie, Belgium & Switzerland.**
Single day victories were seemingly rare but they were big - won the World Pro Road Championships at Imola Italy by a massive 10 minutes when Eddy Merckx refused to chase Adorni (a close Faema team mate & personal friend) and the close knit Italian team did the rest at Imola. Adorni also won an Italian National Road Championship in 1969.
**Adorni was also a Salvarani Team Director, President of the Italian Riders Association, Italian TV cycling commentator plus a UCI Executive member. Elegant, faithful team mate, talented, a champion.**

**Felice Gimondi (left) and Vittorio Adorni. Loyal team mates and the best of friends.**

**Vittorio (left) & Felice riding the 1966 Barachi Trophy two rider time trial for Salvarani.**

**Adorni takes a rare sprint victory in 1968 for Faema**

**Team Faema in 1968 with Adorni (second left) and Merckx (third left)**

**The best of friends - Gimondi, Adorni, Merckx at the 1968 Tour of Italy**

**1969 Tour of Italy and Adorni had moved onto the SCIC team from Faema but the close friendship remained**

**Tour of Italy 1963 with Adorni riding for the Cynar team on the Dolomites gravel**

**Adorni wins the 1968 Worlds at Imola by a staggering 10 minutes when the Italian team put the block in and Merckx wouldn’t chase a close friend**

**Adorni in 1969 riding for the SCIC team in the World’s jersey**

**CYNAR circa 1963 and Adorni … 4th from the left**

**Adorni racing for Team Philco at the 1962 Tour of Italy**

**Team Philco presentation at the 1962 Tour of Italy (Adorni being far left)**

Michael O'Reilly

6 January 2023

News Shorts - 9 January

Michael O'Reilly

6 January 2023

**Tumut Classic Cyclosportive @ 8 Jan - Melissa & Peter Budd on the Tumut start line**

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park Criterium @ 8 Jan - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) in A2 grade rode aggresively all day and finished in the top 5. Lansdowne continues to attract good sized pelotons in each category.

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Criterium @ 8 Jan - Peter Verhoeven returned to Masters racing after a back injury & a dose of Covid 19. Peter rode C grade as a comeback effort with a target of returning to A2 grade in the immediate term.

**HART Criteriums @ St Ives @ 1 Jan - Ian Grant on the narrow climb at the St Ives Driver Training School circuit**

**Noosa Hinterland @ 1 Jan - Klayton Smith (BiciSport Happy Wheels) with the 2045 Happy Wheels Team Time Trial squad**

**BiciSport Belgium @ 1 Jan - Koen VerHulst on a damp gravel ride along the Schelde River in East Flanders**

**BiciSport Belgium @ 1 Jan - Olivia VerHulst**

**Happy Wheels @ Khancoban in the Snowy Mountains @ 6 Jan - Stew Campbell and the team**

**BiciSport Terrey Hills @ Sandstone Cafe @ 1 Jan - Ian Grainger, Eric Dole, Marty Wright, Richard Mulberry & Nigel Smith**

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

6-10 Jan
- National Road Championships (Ballarat, Vic)
15 Jan
- Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)
17 Jan
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Tues 10 Jan
- 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 12 Jan
- 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 14 Jan
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Malvor Bottecchia Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1978-90**
Numerous sponsors across 12 years with Malvor (womens cosmetics), Bottecchia (bikes), Colnago (bikes - for one year only), Hoonved (washing machines), Mavic (components), Sidi (cycling shoes). A team that existed over 10 years but wins were solely in Grand Tours. At the Tour of Italy they won 13 stages, France (x 2) and Spain (x 2).
**The lead riders were Giuseppe Saronni (pictured above), then Lech Piasecki (Poland), Roberto Pagnin, Mario Beccia (single day specialist), Acacio De Silva (Portugal) and Daniel Gisiger (Swiss).** **They won their usual Giro stage which kept the team dream alive for over a decade but it was generally slim pickings in single day races where victories were few & very far between.**

**Mario Beccia (left) & Acacio De Silva (right)**

Michael O'Reilly

30 December 2022

News Shorts - 2 January

Michael O'Reilly

30 December 2022

**BiciSport in Flanders in 2023 - BiciSport is proud to announce collaboration with the *Force Cycling Team* based at Nieuwkerken in East Flanders Belgium for a three year period.**
BiciSport will join Force Cycling as a sub sponsor with the name *‘BiciSport Australia’* along both sides of the jersey collarbone/shoulders. The Belgian sponsors are Sack, IT Figures, De Wilde, Bofi Boon, Zelfbouw, BiciSport Australia & Get Up Nutrition. **The** **Belgian Team Principal is Nick Felix and the clothing manufacturer is BioRacer. The release of the 2023 Force Cycling team jersey (front & rear) is above/below.**
**The collaboration presents BiciSport riders with a unique opportunity to develop future contacts in Belgium should they wish to race in the heartland of Belgian cycling.**

**Sydney Christmas Track Carnivals @ 28-30 Dec - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took 4th place overall in B grade at the Sydney Track Carnivals**

**BiciSport Belgium & 31 Dec @ St Niklaas Belgium - Koen VerHulst avoiding the harsh Belgian winter wishing his Aussie friends a Happy New Year**.

BiciSport Belgium & 31 Dec @ St Niklaas Belgium - Koen VerHulst somewhere in the *“Italian Alps”*

Wallers Arenberg Forest cobbles @ 19 Dec - The Arenberg Forest is famous as “the” cobbled section in the Paris Roubaix Classic. The picture above was taken on 19 December with a dusting of winter snow. **The Arenberg cobbles look somewhat ‘sleepy’**

**Wallers Arenberg Forest cobbles - Marty Wright & Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the same Arenberg Forest cobbles when the snow has disappeared**

National Road Championships are in Ballarat from 6-10 January

RACe ENTRIES SLIDE POST COVID AND HITS ECR & WEST HEAD

Race entries obviously were put on hold during the pandemic with numerous races cancelled. Post pandemic and restrictions have eased but race entries have most certainly not recovered.
Waratah Masters recently announced that Masters A grade is now open to any rider over 19+ years (a 6 month trial commences in January 2023). This switch relates to just A grade and not the lower grades that remain Masters only. Times they are a changing and Waratahs have a monopoly on Masters only racing yet this isn’t enough.
These trends are replicated at other races around Sydney, including those at West Head where the recent Wall Handicap saw a marked drop off in race entries (from pre Covid versus post Covid)

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

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
17 Jan
- Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 6pm

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

Tues 3 Jan
- 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 5 Jan
- 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 7 Jan
- Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

**Gerben Karstens racing the Paris Tours Classic on a single speed** **bike.**

**Gerben Karstens at the finish of the 1965 Paris Tours Classic. Karsetens rode for the dutch Televizier Professional Cycling Team. Televizier was a dutch TV magazine.**
**In 1965 something unusual and no longer repeated happened in the classic Paris-Tours Classic**
The controversy alive at that time related to the course profile being completely flat and there were those who defended it as adequate evidence to the "sprinters" - who were entitled to have a race on the professional calendar as proof of their single ability to just sprint.
**The organization decided to take an unusual step - no gears but riders could only use a single freewheel that could be changed mid race (but no gear could be changed whilst still riding).**
**In this way the choice of the single gear ratio became fundamental (that’s an understatement).**
**Jacques** **Anquetil** chose a 52 front chainwheel & a 16 single rear cog, Raymond Poulidor chose 51 x 17 at the start and then changed to 49 x 13 and then finally to 51 x 15. Gerben Karstens opted for 53 x 16, which would be replaced by 53 x 15 for the final sprint 25 km from the finish.
The race was furious but the escape that succeeded was that of the Dutchman Gerben Karstens. Karstens attacked with vigour and nothing could overcome it. Gerben Karstens was able to accomplish the feat of 246 km at an average of 45,029 km/h - setting a new record of the race (the current record belongs to the Ukrainian cyclist Andreï Tchmil - recorded 47.,539 km/h in 1997). The unusual experience of using single gears was not repeated again

**Gerben Karstens (now riding for the then TI Raleigh team)**

**Gerben Karstens (right) passed away in October 2022. RIP Karstens.**

Michael O'Reilly

23 December 2022

News Shorts - 26 December

Michael O'Reilly

23 December 2022

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**

Michael O'Reilly

17 December 2022

News Shorts - 19 December

Michael O'Reilly

17 December 2022

**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**

**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**

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

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

Michael O'Reilly

11 December 2022

News Shorts - 12 December

Michael O'Reilly

11 December 2022

**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**

**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 - 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**

Michael O'Reilly

3 December 2022

News Shorts - 5 December

Michael O'Reilly

3 December 2022

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**

Michael O'Reilly

26 November 2022

News Shorts - 28 November

Michael O'Reilly

26 November 2022

**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**

Michael O'Reilly

19 November 2022

News Shorts - 21 November

Michael O'Reilly

19 November 2022

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 - 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.

**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**

Michael O'Reilly

12 November 2022

News Shorts - 14 November

Michael O'Reilly

12 November 2022

**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