Self Righteous Cyclist

Glenaroua outside of Broadford, provided a tantalising course for the puncheurs and rolleurs of the Northern Cycling Club. Pure climbers and flat trackers, need not apply, but then again, with a decent handicap and some grit, anything is possible. On the drive out with Tommy "the oracle" McDonough, we review the field, the ones to watch. Tommy in his wisdom says that there will be a new name on the trophy by the end of the day. Could Tom know something that I don't? Let's wait and see. First of all, let's take a look at what this is all about, because there are three races within one event: The Secret Handicap, Age Group Championship and Club Championship for fastest man and woman. All riders start at the same time, without knowing what their handicap is, which is what makes this such an interesting ride. It's mano a mano. The male Club Champion gets to wear the coveted number 1 for the next year, currently worn by Tim Anderson. The conditions Strong norther...

It was a picture perfect day, that cyclists dream of. Not too windy, not hot and not too cold, somewhere in the Goldilocks zone. With 138 starters, the race attracted riders from Victoria and interstate, including a strong contingent of ProVelo riders in Scratch and Chop groups. My club Brunswick CC, was one of the most strongly represented clubs with 13 starters across the breadth of the field. 23min bunch pre-race Scratch Aston KEY 5 Minutes Taj HINDELL, Leo WORSAM and Nicholas MAHONEY 11 Minutes Patrick RUGGLES 17 Minutes Lucas FITZGERALD and John Adrian D'ALFONSO 23 Minutes Michael KANIZAY, Andrew GANNON, Stewart HAY, Jeremy HINDELL and Max MCKAY 30 Minutes Karla BELL (best placed, 11th overall) Handicaps have a habit of bringing out the optimist in me. I quietly had confidence in the 23min bunch of 27 riders, the largest of the race being able to catch the groups in front and hold off those behind. The group spanned in ages from 16 (Bendigo's Sebastian Freer) to 62...

Brunswick Cycling Club member Luke Markov has been consistently on the podium at the Auscycling Victorian Time Trial 2025 series..He has kindly penned his account of the Victorian Time Trial Championships held at Philip Island. After the 35 min+ wait in line for scrutineering, this leaves a stunning 15 mins for warm up. I hit the rollers and start loosening the legs. I wrap that, pop the last of the aero gear on and head to the starting gantry. It’s a 4.4km lap for 22km total with plenty of corners on the Phillip Island Grand Prix track. Funnily enough, despite the slightly annoying lead in - I feel tremendously relaxed. I have seen this course before (18 years ago!) behind the wheel and am confident in the space and lines. Before I know it, I’m up. Get the hold, double check I’m in a good gear, hit “start” on the computer 2s before release and then I’m off. I punch out hard to get up to speed as fast as possible and then settle into position. Running anti-clockwise we come into an exp...

Hands down the hardest road race I’ve ever done. The BCC club champs attracted riders from the youngsters, the up and comers, the newbies, defending title holder che d and the old’uns. Just think of a field of 27 riders between the ages of 9-69 and from A to E grade. Before the main event got underway the juniors raced a shorter 12km loop chaperoned by the main peloton and  few parents. In fairness to the older riders, they were given a choice of one or two laps of the Granite Rd course. My request for 4 laps was declined by Mr Pink and very welcomed in hindsight. Right from the start the posse of u19s like a herd of young bulls, were keen to assert their dominance over their older rivals, but we weren’t about to rollover and let them take an early break.  Stewart Hay, Phil Naidoo, Andrew Gannon and myself got into an early break and worked well together, until Stewart’s intensity shredded the attempt. I soon paid for it by falling out the back of the bunch scrambling to sta...

Thanks to Tim Carroll for penning this story about his recent bike packing adventure with two mates. Tuillio, Rob and I just completed our first bikepacking adventure. We’d hoped to ride in autumn, but as always, work and life got in the way. Rather than postpone again until summer, we chose to head off in mid-winter—right after a week of heavy rain and freezing conditions. (We gave that zero thought.) It was now or never. Tim, Rob & Tuillio Day One We caught the train to Lilydale, followed the easy gravel route to Warburton, then rode onto The Reefton Pub for an early lunch around 11:30 AM—burgers and chips. We all said, “Don’t eat the chips, they’ll make the Reefton climb harder.” We ate the chips. We regretted the chips. At the top of the climb we spotted a dusting of snow, got excited, snapped a few photos, and continued on. We turned off onto Cambarville Road—a dirt track that leads to the back of Eildon, about 60 km long. The snow thickened quickly, covering the road and ...

The recent June long weekend here in Victoria saw the running of the Bendigo District Cycling Club's Merv Dean Memorial Senior Club 3 day tour.  Stages 1 & 2 departed from Sutton Grange and Stage 3 at neighbouring Harcourt. The event attracted about 90 riders from as far afield as Adelaide and Mt Gambier in South Australia.  Grassroots events like this are the lifeblood of our sport and give our young riders the opportunity to pit themselves against some of the best riders in the country. It might have been chilly but the competition was hot and the camerarderie between us was warm.   Stage 1 50km loop course of rolling hills, starting from Sutton Grange C grade was made up of 8 women (in their own grade) and 12 men. The race started with the KoM at 4.3km. Fergus Fitzwater and Andrew Gannon pushed hard, but Sophie Edwards pushed even harder and took top points.   A bunch of 11, including 5 women broke away at this point and worked hard to establish the ...