A large field of 180 riders from all over NSW and New Zealand will contest the 13th tour at Gunning and Breadalbane on Saturday and Sunday.

The New Zealand squad was selected following their national titles. A team of 12 under-17 riders, including national champions plus two coaches, is making the trip, spending four days in Goulburn.

This year’s tour is also a designated NSW selection event for the under-15 and u17 riders with participants in Saturday’s road race racing for selection points. With only four state spots in each division up for grabs, racing will be keen.

The tour is well established as a prestigious event and the biggest in the state. Having the New Zealand team entered and being a state selection race adds to the prestige. 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 will be keenly contested with the u15 and u17 men’s and women’s divisions split into two grades. In the men’s, the u15 with 27 riders, and u17 (39) have been split into two grades to cater for the large numbers. The u15 is the biggest field in the women’s with 26 riders. Also pleasing is the younger divisions, the u9 and u11, with a total of 36 entries.

Five riders will be representing Goulburn Cycle Club, with four stepping up a division from last year. 

Elsie Apps will be contesting the u11 division for the first time and Caitlin Bensley the u13. 

Emma St Vincent makes the harder step up to u15 and is working her way back from a knee injury. Tamika Wallace and Zac St Vincent will be tackling the tough uu17 division. Both have had a layoff after representing NSW at the Australian track championships, but are highly rated.

The u17 men’s division is once again very strong. Kurt Eather, (Dubbo),  Lincoln Hey, (Central Coast), Rohan Haydon-Smith (St George), Alex Micallef (Lidcombe Auburn), and Josh Brodie (Parramatta) were medalists at the recent national track championships and will be vying for one of the four state road team spots, along with several other riders in the field.

The u17 women are also very strong with multiple track nationals medallist Ashlee Jones (Northern Sydney) the top ranked rider. Lauren Robards (Canberra), Tahlia Dole and Shari Heffernan (Illawarra) along with former Goulburn rider Tasmin Davies, in Canberra colours for the first time, are sure to make life difficult for Jones.

The two day program has been changed to accommodate the state selection races. Saturdays events will be staged from Gunning instead of Breadalbane. Stage 1 on Saturday morning will be a short prologue for all divisions on the Cullerin Road followed by Stage 2 road races in the afternoon. The uphill finish provides a real test as does the 60 kilometre event for the under 17 men who will climb the Cullerin range twice.

Sunday switches to Breadalbane for Stage 3, a time trial. The fourth and final stage is another road race.

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, major sponsor since the beginning. He also acknowledged the great support of club members who volunteer each year, and the support of 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. It is regarded as one of the best junior courses due to its varying terrain but more importantly its safety’.

Lambert said that 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.