TOMORROW and Sunday Goulburn Cycle Club is hosting its annual Goulburn Workers Junior Two Day Cycling Tour, a major event on the NSW junior cycling calendar..
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The field for this weekend’s event is one of the highest quality fields in its 12 year history.
A large field of 185 riders, from all over NSW, will contest the 12th tour on the Old Hume Highway between Breadalbane and Gunning.
Tour Director and state selector, Graeme Northey, said that the quality is exceptional with the state’s top junior riders in all age groups lining up.
A good number of them are in line for state selection and real medal chances at this year’s national road titles.
All divisions are sure to be keenly contested with a number of divisions split into two grades.
The men’s, the under 13 (23 riders), under 15 (27) and under 17 (44) have been split into two grades to cater for the large numbers.
The under 15’s is the biggest field in the women’s with 24 riders.
Also pleasing is the younger divisions, the under 9s and 11s, with a total of 38 entries.
Eight riders will be representing Goulburn Cycle Club. Katelyn Rawlinson and Elsie Apps will be contesting their first tour in the under 9’s.
Costa Toparis goes up a division to the under 11s after taking out the under nines last year.
Emma St Vincent in the under 13s is somewhat of a veteran and has been training hard.
Tamika Wallace, Tasmin Davies, Zac St Vincent and Callum Emmerton are showing the benefits from the South East Regional Academy of Sport Cycling Program having attended the recent Regional Academies road camp at Bathurst, under the guidance of Australian Olympian and Tour de France yellow jersey wearer Bradley Magee and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Ben Kirsten.
After making her first State Team on the track this year, Tamika has emerged as one of the top under 15 riders in NSW, but will face some tough competition this weekend.
Tasmin is in her first year in under 17s.
After making last year’s under 15 State Road Team, she is looking forward to a strong showing on the road this year.
Zac and Callum line up in the under 17s and face a tough test. Zac has been putting in a lot of hours on the road training and although a first year has earned a start in A grade.
Recent form says he could well figure in the results.
Callum has made a miraculous recovery from a hip injury.
After biding his time during recovery, he has been putting in the hours training and deserves a result in his last local junior tour.
The Under 17 Men’s Division is the strongest ever to race in the GoulburnTour.
Tom Cornish (Southern Cross), Stephen Cuff (Penrith), Luke Ensor (Dubbo), Tom Lynch (Central Coast) and Zac Marshall (Illawarra) were medalists at the recent National Track Championships and will be vying for one of only four spots in the State Road Team along with a number of other riders in the field.
The Under 17 Women’s is also very strong with Lucie Fityus (Hunter Districts), Ashlee Jones (Northern Sydney), Kate Vickers (Wagga), Emily Watts (Bathurst) and Emily Yeaman (St George) providing tough competition for Tasmin Davies.
The weekend’s program kicks off on Saturday morning on the Cullerin Road at Breadalbane with Stage 1, a time trial against the clock followed by Stage 2, a road race in the afternoon.
This stage provides a flat finish, which favors the sprinters.
The start shifts to Gunning on Sunday morning with Stage 3 a short but tough 5.4 kilometre prologue, an individual event against the clock.
The final stage is another road race. With its uphill finish, the climbers are sure to come to the fore.
The Under 17 Men’s A Grade riders face an extended 67 kilometre road race this year, which will extend them, as they tackle the Cullerin Range climb twice.
Goulburn Cycle Club President Adam Lambert said that the Goulburn Tour has a reputation as being one of the best due to the support of the Goulburn Workers Club, as major sponsor since the beginning.
He also acknowledged the great support of club members who volunteer each year, and that of the Upper Lachlan and Goulburn Mulwaree Councils, Police and RMS, plus the Breadalbane and Gunning communities.
“‘We are lucky to have such a great venue at Breadalbane and Gunning. Lambert said.
“ It is regarded as one of the best junior courses due to its varying terrain but more importantly its safety.
“With such a large field, there will be a big number of families staying in Goulburn and Gunning over the weekend.
“The tour has given the district a great economic boost over the years and this year is no exception.”
