Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic

[D&M johnston]

Now that the wheels have slightly cooled from the excitement of TDF, which I
enjoyed very much when i could catch it on SBS, great race and fantastic
scenery over there in france, however we have some great races here in
Australia as well like the Grafton to Inverell National Cycle Classic which
this year is in it's 43rd year on 20th Sept 03.

This Classic is a huge one day event that covers 220kms over the Great
Dividing Range and also has some great scenery, not that you'd be that taken
by it busting your gut up 3,000 ft mountain range.

I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen much publicity about this race
over the last 3 yrs or more especially that Cycling has really taken off
here in Australia.

The Grafton to Inverell classic was almost cancelled this year due to the
new ruling about cycling on public roads and also litigation and insurance
problems but with the help of NSW Cycling Federation there was a turnaround
so that now the event is on. It would be a shame to see such a race being
cancelled after 43 years.Some events have not been so lucky.

I mean 220kms is only 23kms short of the mens Olympic cycle race in Sydney
2000 Olympics which was won by Jan Ullrich, that was one helluva race!!

This is only my opinion but I was thinking that if we could expand some of
these national events and do time trials and maybe many different stages
that could attract international teams like the TDF, maybe we could have a
TDA(Tour de Australia).

I beleive now that our lads have done so well over in France and we have
proven we are as good as other cycling teams, I reckon Australia has the
potential to become a Major Cycling venue.

I understand that everyone will have different opinions to me on this, but
please spare the sarcasms. I just thought i'd like to write this in here to
get other opinions why's and maybe why nots.

Thanks

Dave J.

[Nick Payne]

The Grafton used to have an international field. Back in the 1980s it was
run just before the Commonwealth Bank race, and the overseas riders who came
out for the Bank race would ride the Grafton as well. I can remember
watching it in 1985 when the English rider Paul Curran won from a four man
break in what I think is still the race record of six hours and a few odd
seconds. I thought that his win was somewhat fortunate in that there were
two Swiss riders in the break, but one of them, Thomas Wegmuller, pulled his
foot in the last couple of hundred metres as they were winding up for the
sprint (toeclips and straps in those days).

These riders used to come to Australia for several weeks and would also ride
a series of criteriums in the period leading up the the Bank race.

Nick Payne

"D&M johnston" > wrote in message
...
> Now that the wheels have slightly cooled from the excitement of TDF, which
I
> enjoyed very much when i could catch it on SBS, great race and fantastic
> scenery over there in france, however we have some great races here in
> Australia as well like the Grafton to Inverell National Cycle Classic
which
> this year is in it's 43rd year on 20th Sept 03.
>
> This Classic is a huge one day event that covers 220kms over the Great
> Dividing Range and also has some great scenery, not that you'd be that
taken
> by it busting your gut up 3,000 ft mountain range.
>
> I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen much publicity about this race
> over the last 3 yrs or more especially that Cycling has really taken off
> here in Australia.
>
> The Grafton to Inverell classic was almost cancelled this year due to the
> new ruling about cycling on public roads and also litigation and insurance
> problems but with the help of NSW Cycling Federation there was a
turnaround
> so that now the event is on. It would be a shame to see such a race being
> cancelled after 43 years.Some events have not been so lucky.
>
> I mean 220kms is only 23kms short of the mens Olympic cycle race in Sydney
> 2000 Olympics which was won by Jan Ullrich, that was one helluva race!!
>
> This is only my opinion but I was thinking that if we could expand some
of
> these national events and do time trials and maybe many different stages
> that could attract international teams like the TDF, maybe we could have a
> TDA(Tour de Australia).
>
> I beleive now that our lads have done so well over in France and we have
> proven we are as good as other cycling teams, I reckon Australia has the
> potential to become a Major Cycling venue.

[Nick Payne]

The Grafton used to have an international field. Back in the 1980s it was
run just before the Commonwealth Bank race, and the overseas riders who came
out for the Bank race would ride the Grafton as well. I can remember
watching it in 1985 when the English rider Paul Curran won from a four man
break in what I think is still the race record of six hours and a few odd
seconds. I thought that his win was somewhat fortunate in that there were
two Swiss riders in the break, but one of them, Thomas Wegmuller, pulled his
foot in the last couple of hundred metres as they were winding up for the
sprint (toeclips and straps in those days).

These riders used to come to Australia for several weeks and would also ride
a series of criteriums in the period leading up the the Bank race.

Nick Payne

"D&M johnston" > wrote in message
...
> Now that the wheels have slightly cooled from the excitement of TDF, which
I
> enjoyed very much when i could catch it on SBS, great race and fantastic
> scenery over there in france, however we have some great races here in
> Australia as well like the Grafton to Inverell National Cycle Classic
which
> this year is in it's 43rd year on 20th Sept 03.
>
> This Classic is a huge one day event that covers 220kms over the Great
> Dividing Range and also has some great scenery, not that you'd be that
taken
> by it busting your gut up 3,000 ft mountain range.
>
> I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen much publicity about this race
> over the last 3 yrs or more especially that Cycling has really taken off
> here in Australia.
>
> The Grafton to Inverell classic was almost cancelled this year due to the
> new ruling about cycling on public roads and also litigation and insurance
> problems but with the help of NSW Cycling Federation there was a
turnaround
> so that now the event is on. It would be a shame to see such a race being
> cancelled after 43 years.Some events have not been so lucky.
>
> I mean 220kms is only 23kms short of the mens Olympic cycle race in Sydney
> 2000 Olympics which was won by Jan Ullrich, that was one helluva race!!
>
> This is only my opinion but I was thinking that if we could expand some
of
> these national events and do time trials and maybe many different stages
> that could attract international teams like the TDF, maybe we could have a
> TDA(Tour de Australia).
>
> I beleive now that our lads have done so well over in France and we have
> proven we are as good as other cycling teams, I reckon Australia has the
> potential to become a Major Cycling venue.

[DJ]

Wow Nick, that was a fabulous recollection of the Gtn to Inv. race.

I remember when I lived up in Grafton between 1977 to 85 I used to stand up
there at the Copmanhurst turnoff on the Gwyder Hwy to watch the guys ride
past on this event and even though I wasn't a racing cycle fan back then, I
was amazed that one would even contemplate riding a bike all the way to
Inverell as it was quite a fair drive in a car going up O'sullivans Gap
heading to Glenn Innes where I had relatives at the time.I knew nothing
about TDF back then nor the Commonwalth Classic.

It's just been in recent times that I've taken a keen interest of cycling
events here and Overseas that I realised that the past years we all heard
about the Commonwelth Classic (now defunct unfortunately) and the Sydney to
Gong (though not a comp race) and Lindsay in the post above, just reminded
me that there is in fact a Tour Downunder.

I still don't know alot about the racing side of cycling but am
learning.....thanks guys!!

Ride Safe

regards

DJ
"Nick Payne" > wrote in message
...
> The Grafton used to have an international field. Back in the 1980s it was
> run just before the Commonwealth Bank race, and the overseas riders who
came
> out for the Bank race would ride the Grafton as well. I can remember
> watching it in 1985 when the English rider Paul Curran won from a four man
> break in what I think is still the race record of six hours and a few odd
> seconds. I thought that his win was somewhat fortunate in that there were
> two Swiss riders in the break, but one of them, Thomas Wegmuller, pulled
his
> foot in the last couple of hundred metres as they were winding up for the
> sprint (toeclips and straps in those days).
>
> These riders used to come to Australia for several weeks and would also
ride
> a series of criteriums in the period leading up the the Bank race.
>
> Nick Payne
>
> "D&M johnston" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Now that the wheels have slightly cooled from the excitement of TDF,
which
> I
> > enjoyed very much when i could catch it on SBS, great race and fantastic
> > scenery over there in france, however we have some great races here in
> > Australia as well like the Grafton to Inverell National Cycle Classic
> which
> > this year is in it's 43rd year on 20th Sept 03.
> >
> > This Classic is a huge one day event that covers 220kms over the Great
> > Dividing Range and also has some great scenery, not that you'd be that
> taken
> > by it busting your gut up 3,000 ft mountain range.
> >
> > I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen much publicity about this race
> > over the last 3 yrs or more especially that Cycling has really taken off
> > here in Australia.
> >
> > The Grafton to Inverell classic was almost cancelled this year due to
the
> > new ruling about cycling on public roads and also litigation and
insurance
> > problems but with the help of NSW Cycling Federation there was a
> turnaround
> > so that now the event is on. It would be a shame to see such a race
being
> > cancelled after 43 years.Some events have not been so lucky.
> >
> > I mean 220kms is only 23kms short of the mens Olympic cycle race in
Sydney
> > 2000 Olympics which was won by Jan Ullrich, that was one helluva race!!
> >
> > This is only my opinion but I was thinking that if we could expand some
> of
> > these national events and do time trials and maybe many different stages
> > that could attract international teams like the TDF, maybe we could have
a
> > TDA(Tour de Australia).
> >
> > I beleive now that our lads have done so well over in France and we have
> > proven we are as good as other cycling teams, I reckon Australia has the
> > potential to become a Major Cycling venue.
>
>
>

[DJ]

Wow Nick, that was a fabulous recollection of the Gtn to Inv. race.

I remember when I lived up in Grafton between 1977 to 85 I used to stand up
there at the Copmanhurst turnoff on the Gwyder Hwy to watch the guys ride
past on this event and even though I wasn't a racing cycle fan back then, I
was amazed that one would even contemplate riding a bike all the way to
Inverell as it was quite a fair drive in a car going up O'sullivans Gap
heading to Glenn Innes where I had relatives at the time.I knew nothing
about TDF back then nor the Commonwalth Classic.

It's just been in recent times that I've taken a keen interest of cycling
events here and Overseas that I realised that the past years we all heard
about the Commonwelth Classic (now defunct unfortunately) and the Sydney to
Gong (though not a comp race) and Lindsay in the post above, just reminded
me that there is in fact a Tour Downunder.

I still don't know alot about the racing side of cycling but am
learning.....thanks guys!!

Ride Safe

regards

DJ
"Nick Payne" > wrote in message
...
> The Grafton used to have an international field. Back in the 1980s it was
> run just before the Commonwealth Bank race, and the overseas riders who
came
> out for the Bank race would ride the Grafton as well. I can remember
> watching it in 1985 when the English rider Paul Curran won from a four man
> break in what I think is still the race record of six hours and a few odd
> seconds. I thought that his win was somewhat fortunate in that there were
> two Swiss riders in the break, but one of them, Thomas Wegmuller, pulled
his
> foot in the last couple of hundred metres as they were winding up for the
> sprint (toeclips and straps in those days).
>
> These riders used to come to Australia for several weeks and would also
ride
> a series of criteriums in the period leading up the the Bank race.
>
> Nick Payne
>
> "D&M johnston" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Now that the wheels have slightly cooled from the excitement of TDF,
which
> I
> > enjoyed very much when i could catch it on SBS, great race and fantastic
> > scenery over there in france, however we have some great races here in
> > Australia as well like the Grafton to Inverell National Cycle Classic
> which
> > this year is in it's 43rd year on 20th Sept 03.
> >
> > This Classic is a huge one day event that covers 220kms over the Great
> > Dividing Range and also has some great scenery, not that you'd be that
> taken
> > by it busting your gut up 3,000 ft mountain range.
> >
> > I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen much publicity about this race
> > over the last 3 yrs or more especially that Cycling has really taken off
> > here in Australia.
> >
> > The Grafton to Inverell classic was almost cancelled this year due to
the
> > new ruling about cycling on public roads and also litigation and
insurance
> > problems but with the help of NSW Cycling Federation there was a
> turnaround
> > so that now the event is on. It would be a shame to see such a race
being
> > cancelled after 43 years.Some events have not been so lucky.
> >
> > I mean 220kms is only 23kms short of the mens Olympic cycle race in
Sydney
> > 2000 Olympics which was won by Jan Ullrich, that was one helluva race!!
> >
> > This is only my opinion but I was thinking that if we could expand some
> of
> > these national events and do time trials and maybe many different stages
> > that could attract international teams like the TDF, maybe we could have
a
> > TDA(Tour de Australia).
> >
> > I beleive now that our lads have done so well over in France and we have
> > proven we are as good as other cycling teams, I reckon Australia has the
> > potential to become a Major Cycling venue.
>
>
>