All posts by Andrew Ballam

Annual VP’s Good Friday Ride – 11th edition

This year’s ride is on Friday March 29!

Starting at the Coode Street carpark at 6am (lights compulsory), we’ll head out along the old three dams course via Midland, then up Greenmount.

Ride route is available here –https://www.strava.com/routes/2945613494759605610

There will likely be a slight detour as we enter Wungong Dam due to construction works. We may have to turn right off Springfield Rd at Wallangarra Dr, and then turn left in Admiral Rd to take us down to the same carpark where we had morning tea last year. You can see the detour in the route which Petra has prepared, below.

Pace for the ride is Main 1ish and there will be SHORT regroups after each climb, as time is of the essence to make it to Wungong Dam for the morning tea and photo opportunity.

There will be a Medio Hills ride on offer for those who think that then main ride might be a little out of their reach. The medio ride will join us at Wungong Dam for morning tea.

Andy and Petra have kindly volunteered to lead the Medio ride this year. https://www.strava.com/routes/3206580534663868148…,

Medio ride will be a 7am meet at the Coode Street carpark, and will rendezvous with the main ride for morning tea at Wungong Dam about 10am.

Preferred dress code is SPR national kit or any other variation of official SPR kits.

No need to pick which ride you are doing at this stage, we just need to know who is coming so that there is a hot cross bun for everyone! Please let us know in the comments here or by responding to the Facebook event – here.

Iain Dow-Vine has kindly offered to help with morning tea at Wungong Dam, but we probably need another volunteer! Please let me know if you can help… 

Kit shop open…knicks on sale

The kit shop is open!! Get in quick, it will close on Wednesday next week – 6 September.

Mayeur SPR kit shop

This is a great opportunity to get into the supercomfy SPR knicks to go with your Tour of Margaret River race jersey! The new second generation knicks are outstanding, and as a special offer this time Mayeur is providing a $20 discount per pair…so a comfortable rear end will only set you back $135!

Tour Down Under

It is Grand Tour season and we are about to watch 4 West Australians go around in the biggest and most famous bike race on the planet – the Tour de France. While we all dream of lining the route at Le Tour the reality is that you can experience something very similar right here in Australia at the Tour Down Under. The photo at the top of this post was taken by David Menarry on this year’s final stage – winner Jay Vine and runner up Simon Yates duking it out on Mt Lofty. Dates for the 2024 edition have just been announced – 12-21 January 2024.

Quite simply, if you love cycling and you have not been to the TDU you are missing out! In the edition just gone we got to see the strongest field ever for the race – 4 Grand Tour winners, all of the top Aussies and many emerging stars. The riding in Adelaide and surrounds is fabulous and the city is taken over by bikes while the tour is on. You can ride as much or as little as you like while taking in this epic festival of cycling.

SPR on Mt Lofty

Every year there is a large group from SPR over at the TDU, not to mention a big chunk of the Perth cycling community, so if you haven’t been before there is plenty of support and plenty of people to answer your questions or provide advice. We even have a Facebook group which we use to coordinate SPR activities while we are there (and to build our excitement in the lead up!).

Each day of the tour we will have a plan, but there is so much more than just the riding and watching the pros smash each other. The eating and drinking is as much a part of the fun! The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide hills wineries are generally worth a visit. And there is local club racing during the week if you are keen on that too…

Tony cleared his plate before riding back to Adelaide from Hahndorf #australiasbiggeststeaksandwich
Amanda driving the peleton at Victoria Park with World Tour and NRS riders trying to hold her wheel!

Accommodation books up pretty quickly so it’s a good idea to be planning now. If you are thinking about going and want to know more send me an email vp@southperthrouleurs.com.au or message me here or on Facebook.

Oh, and Willunga Hill is back this year…

Kit Shop is open

Kit shop is now open for general kit orders. Orders will close on 4 June so get in quick!

SPRxAUS kit is also available for Gran Fondo and Gravel Worlds qualifiers. If you are going to Gran Fondo Worlds get your order in by Sunday 21 May to ensure your kit arrives in time!

Happy riders...

10th Annual VP’s Good Friday Ride

Trying to work out what to do on Good Friday? Come and join us for what is arguably the best club ride of the year!!

This year’s ride is on Friday April 7, and will be celebrating a decade of Good Friday fun!

Starting at the Coode Street carpark at 6am (lights compulsory), we’ll head out along the old three dams course via Midland, then up Greenmount.

Ride route is available here – SPR VP’s Good Friday Ride

Pace for the ride is Main 1ish and there will be SHORT regroups after each climb, as time is of the essence to make it to Wungong Dam for the morning tea and photo opportunity.

There will likely be a Medio Hills ride on offer for those who think that then main ride might be a little out of their reach. The plan would be for the medio ride to to join us at Wungong Dam for morning tea.

Approximate route for the Medio Ride is here – SPR VP’s Good Friday Ride – Medio edition, but it is subject to adjustment depending on interest. Medio ride will be a 7am meet ate the Coode Street carpark.

Preferred dress code is SPR national kit or any other variation of official SPR kits.

Please respond to the Facebook event (or leave a comment below if Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t have all of your details yet) to let us know if you’ll be coming…we want to make sure there is a hot cross bun for everyone!

If anybody is available to assist with the logistics of the morning tea we would be very keen to hear from you!

KIT SALE!!!

MAYEUR have just added a limited range of spare ‘series 1’ SPR clubline kit to their webshop.

There’s limited sizes available, but it’s a great opportunity to grab a bargain on some of the original range, with the prices all reduced by 50%. All orders of the original range will be postage only.

MAYEUR kit shop

*The shop will open again for sale of the updated range on 18th Feb – 5th March, for delivery mid April.

Kit shop is open

It will stop raining soon, and we will all be able to ride outside again. Will you have enough kit?

The club kit shop is open. Orders will close 20 August to allow time for kit to arrive before the Tour of Margaret River.

Click here and fill your basket – Mayeur

SPR Aussie kit

The borders are open and international travel is a possibility again!

If you have qualified for Gran Fondo or Gravel Worlds, or if you just want to rep your club on an international stage you’ll want to be getting the new SPR Australian kit!

Kit shop will be open for national kit only until 3 July. Get in quick!

9th Annual VP’s Ride

What is Good Friday good for? The VP’s Annual Good Friday Ride, of course!

Pre-dawn depart

This year’s ride is on Friday April 15, and will be the 9th edition. Rumour has it the ride founder, and former VP, Julian Johnson will be joining us!

Starting at the Coode Street carpark at 6am (lights compulsory), we’ll head out along the old three dams course via Midland, then up Greenmount.

Ride route is available here – VP’s Good Friday Ride on Strava

Morning tea photo opportunities…

Pace for the ride is Main 1ish and there will be SHORT regroups after each climb, as time is of the essence to make it to Wungong Dam for the morning tea and photo opportunity.

Preferred dress code is national kit or (in honour of Julian!) mixed SPR kits.

Please leave a comment, or respond to the Facebook event to let us know if you’ll be coming…we want to make sure there is a hot cross bun for everyone!

If you can’t commit for the whole ride you’re welcome to join us for parts, or just morning tea at Wungong Dam if you wish.

If anybody is available to assist with the logistics of the morning tea we would be very keen to hear from you!