Gravel Worlds — The chance to be part of cycling history lured a small group of friends with common allegiances (SPR, 4Five+, Strive Cycle Training) to northern Italy to compete in the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships.
Adam Ralph, Amy Currie, Deb Kempe & Vanessa Johnson had to dip into their buckets of bravery to book flights and accommodation, and commit to a race where the location and course details remained undisclosed until 3 weeks before the event.
The course was about as different from the SeVen qualifier as it could be, and the criticism of the lack of elevation from afar was plentiful. Yes, the Saturday course for the women and men 50+ was a mostly flat 140km with less than 700m of elevation, traversing typically European urban-countryside. The unexpected challenge was the many technical direction changes and enormous variation in surface which was mentally fatiguing. The course followed the Bacchiglione River from Vicenza to Padova to Citadella, traversing gravel paths and roads, fields, river banks, levees, forested single track, rocky paths, fields, and yes – quite a bit of paved road to link the gravel sectors…
If you would like to read more about the race pop over to the 4Five+ blog https://www.4fiveplus.org/blog/uci-gravel-worlds (spoiler alert – someone came home with a rainbow jersey).
Vanessa Johnson
SPR Social & Race Award Nominations 2022 — Each year SPR recognises riders and volunteers for their achievements and contributions to all things cycling.
Please give a few minutes to nominate these individuals in a quick survey via this link. There is a prize of nutritional goodies for cyclists for one lucky responder so don’t delay.
The awards will be presented at our Annual Christmas Ride to be held on Saturday 17 December 2022 at Dome after the ride. Come along for the ride in Christmas dress – there is a prize for the best dressed bike and/or cyclist.
Any queries, get in touch with Carol at comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.
SPR Chicks — Reminder that the next SPR Chicks event is on Sunday 20th November, our social ride followed by dinner at the South Perth Food trucks.
We will meet at 5pm at Coode Street jetty for a 30 km, no drop ride (we stay together and ride as a group), returning back to Coode St, finishing with dinner at the South Perth Food Trucks. Remember your lights particularly if you are commuting to/from the event. If you just want to join us for the food trucks, we will be back roughly 6.15pm.
If interested in either event, please respond to the event on the Facebook SPR Chicks page, or by emailing women@southperthrouleurs.com.au.
Tour of Blackwood — Blackwood 2023 is on 18 March, a timed event over undulating terrain offering three distances: 134km (elevation 1700m) or 65km (elevation 841km) or 30km.
The accommodation around Bridgetown is going quickly and although registrations are yet to open for 2023, if you are interested you will need to book accommodation as soon as possible due to limited availability. Details for the 2022 event https://www.blackwoodtour.info/.
For SPR specific queries please email race@southperthrouleurs.com.au.
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
1. 4Five+ Twilight Series – Round 1
2. PDCC 22-23 Summer Criterium Race 1
Announcement: We’ve needed to delay the Watertower Challenge until next year. Stayed tuned.
From the Ride Coordinator — The BOM are saying we’ll be OK on Saturday morning as I write this – but we’ll wait and see with fingers crossed.
A few people pointed out that they encountered lots of red lights on last week’s ride – so I’m hoping this week brings better luck. Either way, please err on the side of caution when deciding whether to stop or go for an amber light; there is a blanket rule to ease up for a split caused by a red light – it’s good to know these club protocols. On that note, if you move to a faster group for the first time, it’s a good idea to let the ride leader know, and if you bring a friend to a ride with SPR we always recommend their first ride be with the Transitional group.
On Saturday we’re doing Stock and Shelley, a relatively new and always popular ride, with less dependence on green lights. Take care changing lanes for the right turn from North Lake into South St, and enjoy!
Remember the Sunday Long and Short hills rides start at 6am, Social Hills starts at 7am.
Saturday 19th November
- Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
- Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special
- All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am
- Development group – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday
- Transitional 1/2 – Trans Mosman 40.39km SPR Saturday
- Fast, Main – Stock & Shelley 49.51km SPR Saturday
- SPR Zwift – <not this week>
Sunday 20th November
- Rides start at Coode St carpark at 6:00am (‼️SUMMER TIME‼️)
- Rides start at Coode st carpark at 7:00am
- Development group – coffee ride
- Short Hills (Social) – Kahuna Irymple C-Mills 73.19km SPR Sunday
Monday 21st November
- Ride starts under the Narrows (Sth Perth side) at 5:30am
Tuesday 22nd November
- Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
- Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
- Development group – interval training kings park
Wednesday 23rd November
- Ride starts Raffles bike path at 5:30am
- Interval training – stock road repeats
- Rides start at Coode St carpark at 10:00am
- Midweek Transitional – Trans Shelley Midweek SPR 29.58km
Thursday 24th November
- Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
- Ride starts Frasers ave at 5:45am
- Development group – interval training kings park
Friday 25th November
- Ride starts under the Narrows (Sth Perth side) at 5:30am