[ Ran out of time to find and post photos for the State Champs run last week … will update over the weekend ]
Quick update today featuring some photos from the SPR French Alps 2024 trip. I have it on good authority there has been some serious climbing involving, including Col de la Joux Verte, Col des Gets, Col de la Colombiere and Col de la Croix Fry.
Hopefully some dry riding this weekend, and a racing opportunity with Midland Cycle Club.
See you out on the bike.
Daniel
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
There is another opportunity for racing on Sunday in Pickering Brook. The event is open to U11 and U13. Check out more details here: https://entryboss.cc/races/21121
From the Ride Coordinator — It’s the start of the month so it is “Step Up Saturday!”
Take this opportunity to see where your riding is at and STEP UP and have a go at riding with that next group above your usual Saturday ride.
Red lights mean STOP. If it’s amber and you’re near the front of the group, call STOPPING so the group slows and stops safely. If some go through, call SPLIT, so the front riders can ease up and wait. We don’t want anyone to feel pressured into shooting a red light.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 7th September
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
You will see from the cover that we had a great result at the Cyclocross Nationals several weeks back. Congratulations to Anna Schwartz for her Bronze medal 💚💪🏻!!
You can check out all the results and the WACX write-up for 2024 AusCycling WA State Cyclocross Championship held in Ballarat several weekends back (podium photos below).
Some solid SPR green in the results:
Anna Schwartz – 3rd place, Womens M4
Oscar Barratt – 6th place, Mens u15
Tom Barratt – 7th place, Mens M5
Congratulations. And if I missed anyone, please let me know.
🎄🎄 Shouting out to SPR members. The Committee would like your feedback on our Christmas event for 2024. Tell us what you think! Check out the poll on Facebook here. 🎄🎄
See you out on the bike.
Daniel
Anna
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
Juniors Ride — This Saturday, we won’t have our usual junior training session as we’ll be cheering on our kids at the State Champs! If you’d like to participate in the race, there’s still time to register here: https://entryboss.cc/races/21374.
If racing isn’t your thing, we still encourage you to come out and support all the kids and adults competing. It promises to be a fun and exciting day for everyone!
From the Ride Coordinator — One of the reasons we like to keep the size of Saturday groups to around 15 riders, is to limit the physical length of the group on the road. Longer groups are a greater disruption to traffic, and more susceptible to being split at lights.
One way to help maintain a compact group is to delay accelerating when coming out of corners. A good rule of thumb is to count up to the number of riders behind you, before picking up your pace. So if there are 10 riders behind you, count to 10 after the corner before picking up speed.
Try it this week, and enjoy the rides.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 31st August
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
Apart from a very few smiles (Sam B, what was that all about?!), the race looked wet, very wet. Huge kudos to the number of SPR riders who entered and raced, and thanks to Jon Hanson who took the SPR van to the event. And thanks to Collie Cycling Club for running the event!
Check out some of the photos below (and also on Facebook here and here). I think the pain face award goes to Brian S although Stuart G comes are close second. And did I mention it looks wet.
We saw some green in the results (the Collie Donnybrook is a handicap race and pays down to 15th – well done!):
I can’t say that the weather over the weekend will make for ideal riding conditions (again), but I hope you find space for some kms. And Sunday is looking better 🙂
Daniel
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
Juniors Ride — The junior ride on Saturday is cancelled given the quite bad weather forecast. Please remember the following events coming up for the juniors:
State Championship on 31/8/2024 (https://entryboss.cc/races/21374): It is a good opportunity for the juniors to get into a proper race with their peers.
Balidu gravel race (https://ballidugravel.com.au/) on 21/9/2024: an opportunity to ride with the kids the 12km family ride event with games and fun. For the more experienced juniors they can get challenged with the “Yes You Canola” 46km ride (minimum age is 10 years).
From the Ride Coordinator — Wasn’t the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes exciting? Especially with the finish on Alpe d’Huez. Truly a race right to the finish!
This weekend we may also have more time to watch La Vuelta as wind & heavy rain is, once again, forecast. It is highly likely that we’ll have wet roads on Saturday, regardless of how the BOM’s predictions for the morning turn out.
Don’t forget that the club and our ride leaders do value your feedback, especially in respect to making our group rides smoother & safer. Please share your thoughts with a committee member or a ride leader at the post ride coffee stop. Please do so respectfully!
No ride leader is scheduled for Transitional or Development this week. However your M4 ride leader will be flexible and run the best ride for the riders who turn up (if any this weekend!).
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 24th August
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
There have been some great SPR results over the past few weeks, and some shoutouts for the this weekend.
First up, check out the results for 2024 AusCycling WA State Cyclocross Championship results held several weekends back (podium photos below).
Oscar Barratt – 1st place, JM15
Anna Schwartz – 3rd place, WMA
Toby Brown – 2nd place, MB
Special shoutout to Oscar Barratt for his juniors win – great result 💚💪🏻! This weekend Oscar is over at the 2024 AusCycling Cyclocross National Championships – SPR has a few green jerseys in the mix at the CX Nationals. Kudos to AusCycling for putting together profiles of the WA riders (see link above and photos below of the SPR members racing).
Go hard.
Last weekend, we had a number of SPR members riding in the Backroads Gravel 2024, riding the 100 Mile race:
Marcus Van Dalen – 1st place, Mens 60+
Kate Bonner – 1st place, Womens 19-29
Damon Sunderland – 3rd place, Mens 50-59
(*) I don’t have a podium photo for Kate so included a gratuitous Seven photo 🙂
This weekend is also the 99th Collie to Donnybrook Return and the WestCycle Canola Classic. Jon Hanson is taking the SPR van to Collie on Saturday. If you’re there I am reliably informed that you should look for the van near the library below the pub. Come to the van after the race for a cold drink.
I can’t say that the weather over the weekend will make for ideal riding conditions, but I hope you find space for some kms.
Daniel
Backroads Gravel 2024 – Marcus Van DalenBackroads Gravel 2024 – Damon SunderlandKate Bonner @ SevenSPR Green @ Backroads Gravel 2024WACX Championship Podium – Oscar BarrattWACX Championship Podium – Anna SchwartzWACX Championship Podium – Toby Brown2024 WACX Nationals Team – Oscar Barratt2024 WACX Nationals Team – Anna Schwartz2024 WACX Nationals Team – Tom Barratt
Collie to Donnybrook ReturnCanola Classic
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
SPR Van will be onsite for the 99th (100 next year!) Collie to Donnybrook.
Juniors Ride — Congratulation to Oscar Barratt winning the U15 CX state championship on 4/Aug and also well done to the 3 SPR juniors who participated in the 10km family ride in Nabawa (Backroads) last weekend.
Unfortunately the weather forecast shows wet conditions with heavy falls on Saturday morning. So the junior session is cancelled for this week.
From the Ride Coordinator — More late nights or essential catchup viewing with the Tour de France Femmes taking place at the moment & La Vuelta starting this weekend!
The weather forecast is not looking good for the weekend and in particular the period of our Saturday rides. If it is wet many ride leaders may choose not to ride. Those of you who will ride, please take extra care & stay safe.
No ride leader is scheduled for Transitional or Development this week. However your M4 ride leader will be flexible and run the best ride for the riders who turn up (weather depending).
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 17th August
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
This comes as well-wishes combined with an apology. With all the riding and racing opportunities coming at the moment, I forgot to mention the Backroads Gravel 2024.
The mention is a little late if you didn’t already know about then event, but sending love to all the SPR members riding this weekend. And looking forward to some great photos 🙂
SPR Van will be onsite for the 99th (100 next year!) Collie to Donnybrook.
Juniors Ride — There will be no junior ride on Saturday. Some of our juniors will participate in the Backroads gravel event in Nabawa near Geraldton.
From the Ride Coordinator — We’ve had a positive response to last Saturday’s “Step Up Saturday”. The next one is the 7th September so put it in your diary!
How good has the Olympic cycling been so far? Definitely worth watching it on catchup.
This week’s ride route is Ridgehill. We haven’t ridden this for a while. Please be aware that part of Helena Valley Rd is currently one way due to drainage works being carried out (expected completion date is December). SPR has an infamous tradition of having some groups go the wrong way around! Don’t go the wrong way! Otherwise you have to go around the roundabout and back up Ridgehill!
No ride leader is scheduled for Development this week.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 10th August
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
A reminder that there are some great opportunities coming up in terms of events.
If you’re keen to race, in addition to the weekly Masters racing there is the WA Cyclocross championships this weekend as well as the 99th Collie to Donnybrook Return road race coming up later this month. Details below and reach out to race@southperthrouleurs.com.au if you’re interested.
For those keen to get some out and ride some different roads than our usual metro rides, look no further than the WestCycle Canola Classic coming up 18th August. Again, get in touch with comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au if you have questions or want to find out who else from SPR is involved.
There should be good weather this weekend, so our Saturday and Sunday rides should be very pleasant!
See you out on the bike.
Daniel
Collie to Donnybrook ReturnHarvey Teams Series
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
SPR Van will be onsite for the 99th (100 next year!) Collie to Donnybrook.
Juniors Ride — This Saturday offers us promising weather for a morning ride. We will meet at 10:30 AM in Shelley at our usual meeting spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqqgtLwv5CKEWWuc6.
Our focus will be on bunch riding skill practice.
From the Ride Coordinator — It’s the start of the month so it is “Step Up Saturday!”
For this occasion we thought one of the flatter ride routes would be appropriate. According to Mainroads the roadworks on William St, at the railway crossing, are no longer an issue, so we’re going with Canning Vale & Welshpool for the Fast & Main rides. The last time we rode this was in October 2023. Please remember that there is a tricky lane change when turning right from Nicholson Rd onto Albany Hwy. You will need to keep an eye out on Nicholson Rd once you have gone through the lights at the T-junction with Spencer Rd & crossed the bridge.
Take this opportunity to see where your riding is at and STEP UP and have a go at riding with that next group above your usual Saturday ride.
No ride leader is scheduled for Transitional or Development this week. However your M4 ride leader will be flexible and run the best ride for the riders who turns up.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 3rd August
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
So the impact of the rain on cycling … depends. Unfortunately, Peel’s Harvey Team Series Race 3 this weekend has been canceled due to weather.
There seems to have been different views regarding the rain when it came to the WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup #5 that ran last weekend (see results and photos here and here).
“The cyclocross on the weekend was horrible.”
“Mud cravings satisfied.”
“Reports from others about the swamp like conditions was that they had a lot of fun playing in the mud. Some saying they’ve never seen so much mud. From the pictures no one was spared.”
If you are interested in racing, there are lots of opportunities. There is the Collie to Donnybrook for the road, the WA Cyclocross Championships and Masters racing most weeks.
All the details regarding upcoming racing below. Do get in touch via the Facebook, website or the race@southperthrouleurs.com.au email if you are interested.
Collie to Donnybrook ReturnHarvey Teams Series
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
SPR Van will be onsite for the 99th (100 next year!) Collie to Donnybrook.
Juniors Ride — Unfortunately, the weather tomorrow around 10/11am looks to be wet and for this reason I decided to cancel our weekly appointment (again 😢).
We’ll have to wait another week and hope for better weather.
From the Ride Coordinator — Let’s be mindful of the recent rain that’s swept through our region. While it’s refreshing for nature, it does mean our roads are now littered with debris, increasing the risk of punctures. Remember to pack your essentials – spare tubes, tire levers, plugs, pumps, and CO2 canisters – and ensure you’re familiar with how to use them.
The unsettled weather might also thin out our usual group, leading to a mix of abilities among riders. Let’s adjust our pace accordingly, aiming for a safer and more inclusive ride. It might mean taking it easier than planned, but it’ll ensure everyone has a great and incident-free cycling experience.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 27th July
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
If you are interested in racing, there are lots of opportunities to do that with SPR. There are a number of clubs that put on excellent races, both the summer season (crits) and road races during winter. And the Race Subcommittee provides excellent support for any members who put their hand up to give racing a go (get involved!). There are some excellent opportunities coming up with Race 3 of the PDCC Harvey Teams Series coming up next week and the classic Collie to Donnybrook next month. Not to mention Masters racing most weeks.
And to top it off, we have the Tour of Margaret River in the mix. Our teams have been put together (14 teams this year 💚), but having said that, do reach out if you missed out and are interested – we have a reserve list and you will likely get a call as life happens and we often need to make changes.
All the details regarding upcoming racing below. Do get in touch via the Facebook, website or the race@southperthrouleurs.com.au email if you are interested.
Collie to Donnybrook ReturnHarvey Teams Series
Final Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.
SPR Van will be onsite for both Harvey Teams Series and 99th (100 next year!) Collie to Donnybrook.
Juniors Ride — Unfortunately, the weather tomorrow around 10/11am looks to be wet and for this reason I decided to cancel our weekly appointment.
I hope we can meet next week, weather permitting.
From the Ride Coordinator — As the sun peeks over the horizon and paints the sky in hues of pink and orange, we gear up for another SPR Saturday ride. With the early hours come responsibilities – ensuring our bikes are equipped with bright, reliable lights isn’t just a precaution; it’s essential for safety, especially as we navigate dimly lit streets. Beyond safety, respecting traffic signals, including those pesky red lights, keeps us in harmony with other road users and showcases our commitment to responsible cycling.
Of course, there’s a reward waiting at the end of our journey: the anticipation of great coffee shared among friends, recounting our adventures on two wheels.
Please note, the development group currently runs 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 20th July
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
[ We have a number of SPR members that ride cyclocross, with WA Cyclocross running great events that suit serious competitors and family alike. Have a read of Gilbert’s write-up from last week! And… you might have noticed that the Tour de France is on (congratulations Mark Cavendish on 35 stage wins 💪🏻)… with tickets still available for our dinner next Tuesday. Finally, we’re running a Ride Leader course shortly – interested? (more here). One more thing – read ride routes below for our inaugural “Step up Saturday”. Daniel ]
Cyclocross Action — family friendly fun filled day in the park, with some cardio.
Round 4 of the Numbat Cyclocross series was held on Sunday the 23rd of June, and I decided to enter myself and my son. A bit of fun in the park and racing with my son is what I expected but we got more than that. It was women’s round so my daughter made inspirational quotes biscuits.
Once we arrived it was right in the middle of the toddlers and U13 racing. Lots of parents out running beside the toddlers and smiles all round as we watched the little uns hurdle the boards.
Once the Biscuits were handed over, it was mums and dads turn on the course. We picked up our registration packs and did a lap or two prior to our race. My son was riding his single speed Malvern star with 35mm tyres and I was on my 19 year old Scott MTB. There were plenty of other bikes in all shapes and sizes. Both bikes were fine for the long grass and sharp turns but a touch heavy for the hurdles and we both finished.
It was my son’s first time riding a bike in a race or event, I was a touch nervous, but I had nothing to worry about. Everyone (there were four races on the course) kindly gave plenty of room and encouragement. Getting to race with my son at the same time was a massive thrill.
We will be back.
Gilbert
PS – on return to the house he looked over at the carbon gravel bike I built. “Dad, i’ll use that one next time” , the curse of a 15 year old being the same height (Editors note: 🤣).
PPS – he has also decided to go to the speed dome for kids track night on the 2nd of July 4 30 pm.
Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.
SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.
To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; tickets and details here.
SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚
The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.
The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.
SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
1.
Juniors Ride — It’s great to be back in Perth after such a rejuvenating holiday. Now, it’s time to gather once more and dive back into our training regime. Despite the chill of the mornings and winter’s firm grip, our commitment to gearing up remains strong.
This Saturday offers us a promising break in the weather for a morning ride. Let’s convene at 10:30 AM in Shelley at our usual meeting spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqqgtLwv5CKEWWuc6.
Our focus will be on honing our skills in bunch riding as we navigate the stretches of Riverton Drive.
From the Ride Coordinator —Step Up Saturday is an SPR initiative to encourage riders to try out a higher group, as part of the organised Saturday group ride. For example, if you normally ride in Main 2, try riding in Main 1.4. This scheme will run on the first Saturday of each month.
The benefits of this are that you’ll:
Develop as a rider
Make new friends within the club
Complement training for a future event.
This weekend we have the inaugural run of the “Step Up Saturday” initiative and we would love to hear your thoughts.
Finally, consider what to wear for this Saturday’s group ride as it’ll be dry but cold. Making the right choice will make it a safer, more enjoyable experience.
Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 6th July
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.
Whilst teams have not yet been announced, this year we have received over eighty (80!) expressions of interest… so however it works out, we’re going to have a a sea of SPR green 💚. We are proud of the the opportunities we have provided for our members to participate in what is arguably the best event of its kind in Australia.
And here in lies an opportunity… sponsorship enables us a club to enhance the experience for members of our teams — through event-specific club kit and the like — providing a sense camaraderie and identity, whilst at the same time promoting local businesses through involvement with the sport of cycling.
A real win-win.
If this is you or your business we would love to hear from you!
We will provide preference to any club members who would like to sponsor, but also consider sharing this opportunity with any businesses that you know of that might be interested.
SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.
To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; cost $78 with multiple choices from a three-course menu plus coffee and BYO included.
This event has always been an excellent night with Chez Pierre putting on amazing food. It is after all something for which the French are renowned. Bring your own wine to make it an extra special night as corkage is included in the price. All dietary needs are covered so please specify when booking your tickets; sample menu here (coming soon!). Cost $78 including BYO, coffee and regional menu.
SPR Ride Leader Program Call for Expressions of Interest — SPR’s training rides set us apart as a cycling Club; we have a large range of group ride on weekends, covering all skills and abilities, with a broad range of opportunities for people to cycle in a group every day during the week. Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the value delivered by our organised and regular training rides. A key part of running these training rides is our ride leadership programme. Consistent, trained and visible ride leaders results in safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for everyone.
To this end, the Club developed a ride leader development program, with the objectives of:
Developing SPR ride leaders’ knowledge and skills of both ride leadership and core cycling skills
Building the confidence of ride leaders to ensure ride consistency and enhanced decision making during group rides
Growing the pool of capable, confident ride leaders
We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our next public Ride Leader Development Program.
If interested, please submit your EOI via this form:
There is space for questions as part of the EOI, but if you have any questions about the Ride Leader Program before submitting your EOI, please send them through to development@southperthrouleurs.com.au and we will get back to you ASAP.
SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚
The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.
The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.
SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.
Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.
Juniors Ride — Please check your email tomorrow for confirmation regarding our Juniors Ride this weekend. Or reach out via email on juniors@southperthrouleurs.com.au or feedback@southperthrouleurs.com.
From the Ride Coordinator — There’s a big possibility that it may be raining Saturday morning. If so, and you are out & about, take care on the slippery roads especially on roundabouts. Make sure you are visible and ride in a predictable manner.
As you know, our ride leaders are volunteers, and most do not want to ride in bad weather. So please be understanding if the ride leaders can’t make it. On that note, have you thought about becoming a ride leader? Speak to one of your friendly ride leaders if you have any questions. See the main blog for more info and the link to the EOI.
Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.
IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶
Saturday 22nd June
Ride starts under the Narrows (cityside) at 5:30am
