What's Next ?

Here is a quick overview of the races we will take part in over the next couple of months.

You can come and cheer us on !

Amy's Gran Fondo - Sunday 18 September 2011

Amy's Gran Fondo will commence from the Great Ocean Road starting point in Lorne, Victoria. The course will take in the idyllic Surf Coast and Colac Otway regions, including the iconic Great Ocean Road, local townships, and the surrounding rain forests and hinterland.

This is a timed event, with prize money for age group and team placegetters. This is a timed race and will allow the riders to qualify for the new UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) World Championships for amateurs.

Sandown Festival - Sunday 25.09.2011

A one hour criterium race around the Sandown racecourse. The Sandown Motor Circuit is 3.1km in circumference, and features 13 turns. One of the key features of the circuit is an exciting back straight which leads into a very fast entry into Dandenong Road corner.

The circuit is used for five major Motorsport events each year, including the V8 Supercars, Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships, Historic Sandown and Shannons Nationals.

The Sandown Festival criteriums are part of the Ride for Epilepsy ride on the same day.

Honda Women's Tour - 13 to 16.10.2011 (Part of the National Road Series)

Stage 1: Ballarat Circuit Race Wednesday 12 October; Start 12:50pm

Stage 2: Geelong Criterium Thurday 13 October; start 12:00pm

Stage 3: Drysdale Team Time Trial Friday 14 October; start 12:00pm

Stage 4: Sorrento Road Race Saturday 15 October; start 9:30am

Glenn Innes to Inverell - Saturday 22.10.2011 (Part of the National Road Series)

Shipwreck Coast Classic - Sunday 30.10.2011 (Part of the National Road Series)

This year the Shipwreck Coast Classic will be the last race of the National Road series. It will start at 11.30am at Warrnambool Flag Staff Hill and will finish at the Allansford Cheese World around 2.15pm.

The course is 116km and travels via Allansford, Nullawarre, Bay of Islands, Bay or Martyrs, Peterborough, Port Campbell and Curdievale.

The race will include 12 intermediate sprints and KOMs.

Last year's podium of the Shipwreck Coast Classic :

it was a 1-2 for the team with Chloe and Sarah.

Stay tuned for our race reports and photos.

Victorian Championships 2011

Sarah's report on racing the road race and the criterium of the Victorian Championships last week-end, 13-14/08/2011.

The state championships road race is held on a gruelling 47.7km course starting from Anakie and travelling through Meredith and Steiglitz. Two laps of the course would decide the Vic state champion. The bunch stayed together until the first decent followed by a steep uphill where a few riders got caught out and couldn't get back to the main bunch. A break of three girls from the teams of VIS, Bundaberg and Suzuki went shortly after and managed to stay away until the last climb on the first lap. Starting the second lap out of Anakie the bunch was just turning the legs over but there was the tense feeling that someone was going to attack. There were a few digs towards the top of the climb but the bunch was on to it. The bunch stayed together until the climb out of Steiglitz about 10km from the finish when the split in the bunch started to form. The main bunch finished approx 2min ahead of the second bunch followed by a couple of other riders behind them. The winner of the stage was Loren Rowney from Jessica Munday and Kendelle Hodges.

Profile of the Road Race on Saturday.

The crit at eastern gardens was met with perfect weather, sunshine and only a slight breeze, much different from the previous year which riders faced torrential rain. With VIS and Bundaberg again in the mix at the front the sprints every second lap were hotly contested. As there was little wind to string out the riders it came down to bunch sprint where those riders first into the last technical uphill left hand corner had all the advantage. Loren Rowney won from Jessica Munday and Grace Sulzberger.

Photo JXPPhotography, from the Cycling Victoria Website.