The big guy in the red suit is due in town next week so to get into the spirit we have our annual Christmas Ride and Awards this Saturday. Dress up yourself and dress up your bikes to help spread Christmas cheer. There are prizes on the day for the best dressed!
As we have done in previous years we will be running two separate routes on Saturday in order to get people away quicker and back to the DOME earlier in time for the awards. Please pay special attention to the notes in the ride route section below.
If you need an extra incentive to get out on the bike over the Christmas period (other than burning off that Christmas Pud!) then the Rapha Festive 500 – Strava Challenge could be for you! It starts Wednesday.
Grand Fondo Training — Reminder that we have published our plans for training toward the Road Nationals coming up in January – read all the details in our previous post Grand Fondo Training and More Grand Fondo Training.
SPR Peaks Challenge 2026 — SPR currently have 10 people participating in the Peaks Challenge, Victorian Alps on 8 March 2026. Dave Morley is coordinating this with some eastern states cycle clubs of which there are another 10+ participating.
This will make it a well-coordinated and supported event with invaluable insights from experienced riders of this event – the ultimate challenge of 235km over 4,000 metres of climbing is some wonderful scenery. You can get more information and / or register your EOI here.
Tour of the Blackwood 2026 — Registrations for the Rotary Tour of the Blackwood River 28 March 2026 are now open. This is an excellent event, with a great community atmosphere and well-marshalled roads- definitely one to consider. If interested you will need to book accommodation as soon as possible as limited availability.
More details in our earlier post. Please register your interest and that of your partner via this EOI.
Road Nationals 2026 SPR EOI — Everyone can be a part of this special experience – choose from the Team Time Trial, criterium or Gran Fondo – register your interest below!
- Team Time Trial (Clubs), Wednesday / Thursday 7 – 8th January
- Club Criterium, Northbridge Friday 9th January
- Steadyrack GranFondo (individual), Sunday 11th January [SOLD OUT]
Upcoming – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
1. Peel Sunset Crit #5 (20 Dec)
2. 2026 AusCycling State Criterium Championships – WA (4 Jan 2026)
Juniors
An end of year message from Giovanni…
This message wraps up our 2025 season, a year full of training, racing, CX, and gravel. I’m incredibly proud of the small community we’ve built and the amazing achievements of our young athletes. I’ve honestly lost count of the podiums and wins along the way.
Thank you all for the support throughout the Junior Program this year. I wish everyone a joyful festive season and all the very best for the year ahead. We’ll take a short break and resume our regular training after the Road Nationals on 17/1/2026.
From the Ride Coordinator — Be seen in green.
Sunday Hills rides now start at 6:00am.
Just in time for the Festive 500, we have the Christmas Day Ride (7am Coode St. Keep an eye on Facebook for details) and on Boxing Day we have the Public Holiday South ride. Take Stirling Hwy to get over the river to avoid the ongoing works on the Fremantle Traffic Bridge.
All riders note the different start this Saturday. Due to the Christmas Awards, we will have two main routes. This is similar to what we’ve done the past few years. The aim is to get everyone away quickly and back to Dome promptly, so that you can enjoy the festivities and presentations. The two main routes are:
Saturday 20th December
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
Fast and Main 1 will do Hale & Ridgehill:
Hale & Ridge Hill 50.58km SPR Saturday
Main 2, Main 3 and Main 4 will do Stock & Shelley:
Stock & Shelley 49.51km SPR Saturday
Transitionals will do Trans Shelley:
Trans Shelley 40.59km SPR Saturday
Groups will gather in separate zones of the carpark, with Fast and M1 on the West side (as per usual), and M2, M3, M4 and Transitionals in the middle row of the carpark (as per the old marshalling layout).
Note:
• Main 2, 3 and 4 should arrive for an earlier departure than normal.
• M1.2 becomes a no drop ride as they are last to leave on the Hale & Ridgehill route.
Order of departure:
1 Main 2.1 – Stock & Shelley
2 Main 2.2 – Stock & Shelley
3 Main 3 – Stock & Shelley
4 Main 4 – Stock & Shelley
5 Fast – Hale & Ridgehill
6 Main 1.1 – Hale & Ridgehill
7 Main 1.2 – Hale & Ridgehill (note this becomes a no drop ride)
8 Transition – Trans Shelley
Don’t forget your Xmas bling!
Sunday 21st December
- Rides start at Coode St carpark at 6:00am (SUMMER TIME)
- Rides start at Coode St carpark at 6:00am (SUMMER TIME)
- Social group – coffee ride
- Short Hills (Social) – Zig zag, Hummerston 71.79km SPR Sunday
Monday 22nd December
- Ride starts under the Narrows (Sth Perth side) at 5:30am
Tuesday 23rd December
- Ride starts under the Narrows (city side) at 5:30am
- Women’s Grand Fondo Training meet at Kings Park main carpark at 6:00am
Wednesday 24th December
- Ride starts under the Narrows (Sth Perth side) at 5:30am
Thursday 25th December – Christmas Day
- Ride starts at Coode St carpark at 7:00am – Keep an eye out for a Facebook post over the weekend
Friday 26th December – Boxing Day
- Ride starts under the Narrows (Sth Perth side) at 5:30am
- Public Holiday Ride starts at Coode St Carpark at 7:00am
- Public Holiday South 57.64km SPR Special – Stirling Hwy deviation