The Great Hunter Cycling Classic 2009

[V2B]

“Be there for the beginning”

> FAMILY FUN COURSE 19km
> SHORT COURSE 60 km
> & LONG COURSE 100km

The Great Hunter Cycling Classic® - V2B Challenge® is a mass participation cycling event catering for all levels of cycling enthusiast from the serious to touring and recreational riders. Set in the picturesque wine country, this Exclusive Hunter Valley event offers riders the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of individual and team challenges circumnavigating central Pokolbin.
Given the vast spectrum of cycling experience expected at the event, riders can choose a fun, team, short or long course ride, with the flexibility of the course encouraging both non-competitive participation/ leisure pursuits and elite competition options - You Choose
Inaugural Event

ENTER ONLINE (AT)
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au

An excellent new guide is available from CYCLING NSW to
help you with your preparation and training

[Rockford]

I hope you don't have to go down Broke Rd, you'll think you're in the Paris-Roubaix.

[cjrich]

I'm interested. Is there a map of the coarse somewhere?

[L'iota]

For an inaugral event the links give no detail about 1. Course route 2. Start time 3.Entry cost 4. Licence requirements. Furthermore the event is on the same day as the Central Coast Century Challenge, an event which has been run annually at this time of the year for over a decade and is well patronised by Central Coast, Sydney and Hunter Valley riders. Not a good start for an inaugral event. I hope that the rest of the event organisation is better thought out than the start.
L'iota

[1q2w3e4r]

All the info for the event bar the course route is on the cycling NSW website here

Entry
https://bne100v.server-secure.com/vs711 ... bLOGIN.cfm

Long and short course details
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/cy_nsw/ca ... winter.htm

[L'iota]

Thanks for the link 1q2w3d4r, still didn't have licence detail. I have a CA Audax licence but not a CA racing licence & presumably it would not cover and I would need a 1 day licence to ride making the total entry cost $100. With this and the course being 5 laps of a 19 Km circuit, I think I'll be riding the Central Coast Century again particularly as the $25 entry fee goes to charity.
L'iota

[1q2w3e4r]

You don't need to have a race licence to ride the event. You just leave the licence no category blank on the entry form, I just did the B2B ride and the mate that came with me didn't have a CA race licence and it wasn't a problem, in fact many people didn't have one.

[gorilla monsoon]

Is there a route map available?

[V2B]

Dear Fellow Riders,

Thank you for the great response, it would appear many of us like the idea of a beautiful ride followed by some beatuful wine!

The chosen circuit will comprise four of Pokolbin’s most central roads with Broke Road, McDonalds Road, Deaseys Road and Hermitage Roads providing the challenge. The roads pass some of The Hunters finest properties and vineyards including HVG, Bimbadgen Estate, The Vintage, Gabriels Paddocks, Marsh Estate, Keith Tulloch, Casuarina Estate, Oakvale, Tyrells and Peppers Creek to name a few.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?utm_camp ... gle%20maps

With nicknames already issued you will have the chance to come up with your own version. Riders will have the chance to

* “RATTLE” along Broke(n) Road - In Europe many of the cycling events take riders along the bounce and grind of old cobble stone streets which could be compared to Pokolbins highly used Broke Road

* “MARVEL” along McDonalds – A short but challenging stretch where you can find your feet

* “DREAM” along Deasys & - A quiet stretch passing some lovely properties with a few challenging hills.

* “HUM” along Hermitage – As participants head for Broke this essentially flat stretch might be a good spot to find some rhythm with your legs and build some speed.

No trip to the Hunter is complete without visiting The Hunter Valley Gardens who are hosting The Great Hunter Cycling Classic. The start and finish line at The Hunter Valley Gardens will ensure a wonderful spectacle for participants and onlookers alike after a challenging rattle along the Broke Road straight.

This unique event has a vision to grow into the future and become a tradition for both the local community and visitors alike. The Hunter Valley provides the ideal location and is perfected structured to cater for a large scale event of this nature as it grows into the future. And, like many of the Hunters Wines which get better with age so to will The Great Hunter Cycling Classic.

[gorilla monsoon]

I think I'll be a non-starter.
Mrs Monsoon is having a birthday that weekend and anyway, I think we'd probably get in the way of the fast guys. The blurb suggests this is more a speed-oriented event than a social one.

[1q2w3e4r]

It doesn't work like that, they have staggered start times. So the fast guys go off first. Plenty of people doing the B2B ride were just out for a ride on the day, they have you grouped by average speed from 40km/h+ down to 20-25 km/h groups.

[gorilla monsoon]

So who went?
I spoke to a friend yesterday who said she rode the 60km and was glad to finish. She said it was cold, wet and the roads were pretty ordinary.
Bit of a shame if that's the case.

[1q2w3e4r]

I did it, good event. You had to get into a bunch though as there weren't huge numbers.

Were going back again next year, hopefully they'll have more starters. The roads weren't too bad, only one section out of 19 km was frustrating the rest of it was fine.

[snedden9485]

I heard the prize money was pretty skimpy for an $80 entry fee or whatever it was. I have spoken to a person who done well and recieved a pretty poor prize considering.