THE Limestone Coast will be on the international stage over the next few days as the annual Tour of the Great South Coast hits the region.
The National Road Series event kicks off today with a criterium around Vansittart Park, before stage two around the Blue Lake and Reidy Park school.
The big coup for the tour – now in its eighth year – is the announcement recently the world champion Australian track pursuit team will attend and look to claim the overall honours.
They will race as the Pro Racing Sunshine Coast team and their cause will possibly be aided by the extension of the tour to six days, with the extra day including a 16.4-kilometre team time trial at Naracoorte.
While the field is not as large as recent years, event founder and organiser John Craven said the quality was impressive.
“We have 12 teams with 80 riders and in the eight years of the tour this is the best quality field we have ever had by far,” he said.
“The changes this year have been a bit controversial, with some suggesting this world-record-breaking Australian pursuit team will win the time trial by about three or four minutes, which will shut down the race.”
Despite that suggestion Craven said he was confident the new format would be a hit with spectators.
“It is the first time we have had the time trial,” he said.
“The team time trial is a feature of the Tour de France and we have modelled ours on that.
“I think it is a terrific addition and so do most people.”
The extra day makes the tour the longest bicycle race in Australia.
Craven said many people in the cycling fraternity class it as Australia’s best NRS event, which this year will include around eight hours of live streaming around the country and overseas.
While the Australian team would certainly start as favourites, the tour is renowned for throwing up plenty of obstacles along the way, including the weather.
Much of that is experienced at stage three in the Port MacDonnell region tomorrow.
The stage begins in the seaside township and runs over a 128.5km course consisting of five laps through the town.
The result often sees the field split early, with the cross and head winds playing havoc with the riders.
However, Craven said he expects the track team to be hard to beat even on the toughest road sections.
“That is a tough stage,” he said.
“Because it is in a rectangle you are going to get savage weather at some stage of the race – five times.
“But the Australian team is pretty good – they are the best time trial pursuit team in the world, so someone will have to go pretty quick to beat them.
“They do the road stuff as strengtheners for the track and this event is pretty important for their development leading up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.”
Craven said that aspect was sure to provide plenty of entertainment for spectators around the region as the team gears up for a tilt at Olympic gold.
“Of all the Olympic teams, this cycling pursuit team is the red-hot favourite to win a gold medal for Australia,” he said.
“It is exciting to have them here.”
Despite the obvious favourite status, the Australian team will have plenty of opposition along the way.
Last year’s winner Ayden Toovey will be right in the mix to claim another victory.
“Ayden is not long back from overseas after riding the Tour of Utah in the United States,” Craven said.
“He won a stage of the Tour of Japan this year, raced in France and Thailand and he is primed for this race.
“He is with the Bridgelane team which is always strong.”
Likewise Jarrad Drizners would be in the mix, with the backing of a strong team, which includes German international Raphael Freienstein.
“He is in the Olympics second team,” Craven said.
“When the current crop of riders get a bit older the likes of Drizners have been trained to take a spot.
“Freienstein is a strong rider and finished third in the stage at Vansittart Park last year.”
Drapac is a team which will compete in its last NRS event after 15 years in the sport, while Anchor Point will be keen to record a podium finish in a stage after competing in every tour to date, without success.
Two Mount Gambier riders will also be among the field, with Angus Maddern riding for the Campolina team and Luke Wight for the South Australian Sports Institute.
Wight has tasted some international success in recent years and will be backed by a strong team of up-and-coming stars, while Maddern is part of a team of riders from various parts of the country.
Further interest will created with the Rising Star honours for riders under 21 years of age – including Wight.
This year 27 riders are eligible for the honours.
Overall Craven said he was pleased with how the event has panned out.
“We have taken some risks this year and right at this moment they are looking good,” he said.
“The extension to six days was a gamble, but we have good municipal sponsors and good backing from the Victorian state government, our sponsorship is shored up, so all we need now is decent weather and the riders to put on a good show, which they will.
“It will be a terrific race.”
For the full course outline turn to page 21 of today’s issue.
