Ride Routes 4th – 10th July

July 2, 2026 peter

The key focus for SPR has always been the training rides. Besides the Monday ride, which we are currently working on, we have at least one ride on every day of the week. Hopefully this caters for most people’s needs, whether it is the balance of work hours, or ride intensity, there should be enough variety to cater for most people. Of course there will be segments that feel that they are underrepresented, but the goal is always to provide what the club and community need. This, has and will change as the club also changes, but being inclusive is one of the cornerstones in which the club was formed.

Winter-time always makes this hard, as numbers are generally lower and therefore the spread of abilities is more pronounced. When the fair weather riders (and there is nothing wrong with being that) come back, there are generally bigger clumps of similar ability riders so it is easier to find a group to suit. The issue for us as a club is how to manage that and ensure that it is giving people what they need without disadvantaging others. Basically an impossible task, most of the time.

A great example of that was in this morning’s earlybird ride. Thursday is the fast day and it is expected that it will be hard no matter which group you are in. However, in group 3 today there were a number of times that the roll through stopped as someone got on the front and drilled it. This strung the group out with only 1 or 2 people attempting to get to the front. At the end of the day this is a group ride and therefore the more of the group that contribute the better. Now, not saying that there isn’t a place for the strong riders, but this was group 3 and if you are going to smash the group, then maybe jumping up to group 2 would have been a better ride for you. No-one looks at you on the front and says “wow, they are so strong”, it most likely gets people to re-evaluate if they will attempt to roll through again, leading to more and more just sitting in and not contributing. Even the person on the front can get disillusioned as they will also think that there is no point riding with the group if they don’t pull their weight.

There is a happy medium, though. If the stronger riders don’t jump up to the faster group, then they need to wind it back so that more people can contribute. At the end of the day, the group should dictate the pace, not just the fastest or slowest rider. Some groups we run are no-drop groups and they will deliberately stop and wait to ensure that riders are not left behind. Thursday is not the day for that and everyone understands that it will be hard. However, trying to smash the group does not make it fun for the majority. I realise that this doesn’t really apply to group 1 as they are trying to make it as hard as possible, but once you are in group 3, there needs to be a level of control or a “rules of engagement” to ensure stability of the group.

Like they say in Zwift, fast is fun, but in group riding smooth is fast, and that is what makes it fun.

There has been a lot of wet weather lately and this further complicates matters. Often when there has been showers overnight, and usual showing of 2-3 groups can be whittled down to just one. This is where we need to enforce a “wet weather protocol”. This is where the faster riders need to wind it back and ride at 80% to not just smash it up entirely. I have seen this occur on Thursday, Friday and Saturday rides, where riders just treat the group like normal, and ride hard at the front. Almost instantly, the majority aren’t rolling and soon riders are off the back.

The club tries to provide for all different segments of the riding community and our regular rides reflect that. Once there is a disruption to that, like cold or rain, riders must remember that these are still club training rides and as such we would like you to look out for all riders in your group. If you are strong, you can still show you are strong by dropping back and drafting someone back to the group. There are no medals or podiums on our rides, but we still want you to get what you need from the rides. Just not at the expense of the group as a whole.

Event Information

TdF Activities for SPR members

The Tour de France this year will be celebrated by South Perth Rouleurs through Alliance Française de Perth with presentations, food and drink inspired by three different regions of the cycling calendar.

Saturday 4 th July 2026 6.00-9.00pm celebrates the grand depart from Barcelona with route highlights, race predictions, festive Spanish themed catering including a cocktail, red wine, food and to top it off, a Chapoutier white wine from Roussillon region.

Thursday 9 th July 2026 6.30-8.30pm Quiz night, three rounds of 10 questions with prizes. An update on the race in the Pyrénées & Grand South-West Stage 6, Pau → Gavarnie, a regional presentation and tastings inspired by the region. Book tables with five people. If you are looking for others to make up your table, please complete this EOI and we will connect you to others who are interested.

Friday 24 th July 2026 6.00-8.30pm Alps Stage 19, Gap → Alpe d’Huez with regional food and tasting, reveal of the sealed jersey predictions from July 4 th and discussion of the most memorable moments of the Tour.

Cost: $63pp for each event separately with discount code ask mailto:admin@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Any two events is $117pp with discount code; All three costs $166.50pp with discount code. You can provide any dietary needs at time of registration.

For <18yo contact Alliance Française reception 9386 7921 or email mailto:reception@afperth.com.au– cost $50.

Location: 75 Broadway, Nedlands WA

More details and bookings: https://www.afperth.com.au/cultural-events/tour-de-france/

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –

The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18 th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Register for normal entry $125 until 30th September, then late registration $145-$180. If no SPR team already established when you go to register, please set up a SPR team based on the distance eg SPR-Gran, SPR-Medio or SPR-Piccolo so others can join you.

We have booked accommodation for three nights at the Leeuwin Apartments as per last year; in Friday 16th October out Monday 19th October 2026. This is now currently full with those who have already put in an EOI. However, in case there is a cancellation or enough new interest, we could book another apartment but would need to know soon via this EOI. Note shorter stays cost the same price. Please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au for more info.

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)
X-Speed Junior Road Series 2 (25 July)

Juniors

Last weeked was quite wet and unfortunately we had to stay home. The forecast for this coming weekend looks more promising and here is the program for this Saturday:

Saturday (4/7)

We will all meet at Garvey Park for a CX training session from 11am. A gravel or MTB bike is required for this activity. The trainig session is open to any age group and also adult beginners for approximately 1hr. I hope to see many of you !

Our U17 and U15 juniors are invited to join our main club rides from Coode St car park (South Perth) at 7am. I will be there supervising them.

Please check our WhatsApp SPR junior channel for any last minute call. If you are not in the group chat, please let me know if you wuold like to be included.

Events coming up:

CX: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/ (next event is on 19/7/2026)

From the Ride Coordinator

We are now just about in the middle of winter! Saturday should be dry and we may also get a ride on Sunday morning before the showers return. It is also the start of the school holidays so there could be more traffic with families heading away to escape the cold.

It’s Step Up Saturday! We’ve scheduled Abernethy Rd which is quite flat. Have a go if you want to be challenged. It is still a group ride so be mindful in your roll throughs and with your calling, and don’t run red lights – call “Split”.

PS: if you’re up at Night Owl times to follow Australia’s World Cup football (soccer) match, please, please, please don’t talk about it! Some of us want to watch it post-ride without any spoilers. TIA!

Saturday 4^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Abernethy 39.96km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Abernethy Rd 48.21km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 5^th July

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Brktn Araluen Palm 73.95km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Brktn Araluen Palm 73.95km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Canning Dam 96.46 km SPR Sunday

Monday 6^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 7^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 8^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 9^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 10^th July

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 27th – 4th July

June 25, 2026 peter

AusCycling is currently reviewing a number of areas within its operating system that will affect the membership structure of the individual clubs. The first is a new platform that riders can join via and the tool in which clubs use to check and maintain all membership information. This new platform is called JustGo and replaces TidyHQ after a number of years as the primary interface. There are a number of upgrades, in terms of functionality, but we should know more once club training begins in mid-July. The go-live date is August 3^rd and data will be migrated over then. As far as members are concerned, nothing really changes and no selections of any new memberships are available until your current membership expires.

Now there are a couple of changes to membership types, but before I get into that, it is important to know that AusCycling is also overhauling its sanctioning system. Sanctioning is what race events go through to get approved and therefore are covered under the AusCycling Public Liability Cover. Why this is important for race memberships is that events will be sanctioned based on the type of event it is. This will link directly to the new membership types and therefore allow you to race at the level you choose.

From the current selection of Lifestyle or All Race membership, the new memberships will be Ride, Club and Race. Ride is for people that don’t want to race but want a bit of insurance coverage with their memberships. These are the riders that do the club training rides, individual riding, commuting and maybe some non-competitive events, like the WaterTower Challenge. Not much has changed there from what we already have.

The new Club membership is for riders that want to race, but really only at the club level. Think of the Peel Crits or when RCCC ran them at the airport. This licence gives you insurance coverage for all the same things as Ride, but now includes Club and Interclub races. If this is all the racing you do, then this one is for you and the membership cost reduces down to $249/yr plus club fee.

If you are looking for more than that and want to race State or National level races, then you need to get the Race membership. This allows you to compete at the highest level in Australia and also all UCI events.

Now what does that mean for the events that we have in WA right now. As mentioned before, the crits and road races put on by clubs should be sanctioned as a club event and be available for those with a Club membership. The State champs later this year will require a Race membership and I am pretty certain that you cannot just get a day licence for this. An upgrade from Club to Race will be required if you want to compete. The TTT and Crits held during the Nationals will probably require a full Race licence as they are AusCycling national events.

Now there are a few interesting events in our calendar that I am not sure about. The Gran Fondo held during the nationals may not fall under the Club licence, but may allow a day licence. I am still waiting for that to be clarified. And events like SeVen are not a road race and get sanctioned differently, but as it is a UCI event, it may require an upgrade to Race. Cyclocross should allow a Club licence for the Numbat cup, but a Race licence for the 2 rounds of the national series that were held here recently. Gravel race in general should be covered by a Club licence, but again depends on where they fall under the new sanctioning procedures.

Again, there are somethings that haven’t been finalised, but you do have until your current membership expires, so things may be clearer by then.

For other segments of the riding community, there are also some discounts. Juniors (13-17) and plus 65 seniors can get a discount where the Club membership reduces from $249 to $149 (plus club fee). Under 13’s get a full Race membership for just $99 (plus club fee) to try to encourage more kids to pin a number on. There is also a family discount for 2 or more members that are linked in the system to receive 15% off the non-club portion. There is also a non-insurance membership which we will probably use to replace the “extra-ordinary” membership that we introduced years ago for those with other forms of insurance. This allows us to have all memberships in one place which will be easier to manage.

So a number of changes are expected to occur the second half of this year and for a lot of members, it may mean a reduced insurance cost. For those with partners in the club a discount can be added and for kids a full Race membership is now a lot cheaper. For some of the other events I mentioned, this is just my take with the information I have available. Hopefully this becomes a lot clearer once the sanctioning process is finalised and by the time you renew your membership, there will be a clear picture of what type is best for you.

Event Information

TdF Activities for SPR members

Saturday 4 th July 2026 6.00-9.00pm celebrates the grand depart from Barcelona with route highlights, race predictions, festive Spanish themed catering including a cocktail, red wine, food and to top it off, a Chapoutier white wine from Roussillon region. Book by 1 July.

Thursday 9 th July 2026 6.30-8.30pm Quiz night, three rounds of 10 questions with prizes. An update on the race in the Pyrénées & Grand South-West Stage 6, Pau → Gavarnie, a regional presentation and tastings inspired by the region. Book tables with five people. If you are looking for others to make up your table, please complete this EOI and we will connect you to others who are interested.

Friday 24 th July 2026 6.00-8.30pm Alps Stage 19, Gap → Alpe d’Huez with regional food and tasting, reveal of the sealed jersey predictions from July 4 th and discussion of the most memorable moments of the Tour.

Cost: $63pp for each event separately with discount code ask mailto:admin@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Any two events is $117pp with discount code; All three costs $166.50pp with discount code. You can provide any dietary needs at time of registration.

For <18yo contact Alliance Française reception 9386 7921 or email mailto:reception@afperth.com.au– cost $50.

Location: 75 Broadway, Nedlands WA

More details and bookings: https://www.afperth.com.au/cultural-events/tour-de-france/

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)
X-Speed Junior Road Series 2 (25 July)

Juniors

Great work to all the juniors who took part in Round 1 of the WA Junior Road State Series last weekend. Congratulations to Hugh and Oscar on their fantastic results, both securing 2nd place in their respective categories—Junior B and Junior A.

Due to the poor weather forecast for this Saturday, there will be no junior ride. Our scheduled cyclocross (CX) training session has been postponed and will now take place on 4 July 2026.

Events coming up:

4/7/2026 – SPR CX training for beginners – Garvey Park from 11am.

CX: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

This weekend looks like it will be very wet & windy. As you know, our Ride Leaders are volunteers and may choose not to ride when the weather is bad.

Have you had a look at the SPR website? In addition to the blog & the ride routes, it contains quite a lot of information, particularly for those just starting out with group riding. This following excerpt is particularly relevant for making the group rides enjoyable for all:
“Group rides are ALWAYS flexible entities; riders should respect the inherent purpose of the ride, which is to enjoy yourself whilst riding in a group with people who are generally similar in cycling ability, skill and fitness.
All riders participating in SPR group rides are expected to familiarise themselves with the “SPR group ride etiquette and guidelines”. If you are new to our club, a good suggestion is that you start in a group below where you think that you are at until you get used to how we do things.”

Saturday 27^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Cresswell 40.21km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Cresswell & Herdsman 48.86km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 28^th June

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Welsh Pat Lawn 65.16km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Welsh Pat Lawn 65.16km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Welsh ChmnBrk Canns Urch 99.17km SPR Sunday

Monday 29^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 30^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 1^st July

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 2^nd July

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 3^rd July

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alterna t e 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 20th – 26th June

June 18, 2026 peter

The current influx of e-bikes and scooters on our roads and paths today is, in part, thanks to Former Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce. Back in 2021 he amended to Road Vehicles Standards Act to remove the requirements that imported e-bikes meet strict Australian or European safety standards. This opened up the market to cheap, high-powered products that are legal to sell, but not necessarily legal to use. In some cases, they should fall under the same rules are electric motorbikes.

The cheap price means that more and more are being sold and are finding their ways onto our roads and paths. In 2017 there were around 9,000 sales of e-bikes and that increased dramatically to 200,000 in 2022. From a transportation sense, this is a great thing. More people commuting by e-bike reduces the load on the roads and public transport, and in places like Perth, where we have an average of 138.7 completely clear days, it makes sense (Melbourne has 48.6).

However, there has been a downside. Unlike the e-scooter revolution that took place before hand, the e-bikes are seen as a more viable way of group riding that has turned into a form of hooning. Mass groups of e-bikes meet up for “rideouts” where they have been condemned by police for their bad and dangerous behaviour. There was one in particular earlier this year where a large group rode over Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The increase in popularity, especially with younger people, has also meant an increase in e-bike related injuries, with a couple of notable deaths in Victoria this year. Emergency Departments in VIC and NSW have both reported and 400% increase in people arriving with e-bike related injuries since 2020.

So how does this affect us, as what I guess we consider to be regular bike riders. Well besides being tarred with the same brush, where unruly behaviour on the road in a pack of e-bikes puts the same angst onto us, it has at least made the government stand up and notice. In mid May, the WA State Government made changes to the road rules that affect both normal bike riders and eRidables. These aren’t sweeping changes that will see bikes given the same respect like they have in places like Amsterdam, but are definitely steps forward to improving our safety on the road.

There were four changes, but two are applicable to how we operate.

Bike riders and eRideable users are not required to use hand signals if it would be unsafe to do so, such as steep descents. If a device is fitted with brake lights, flashing light signalling devices or illuminated indicators then the rider is still required to use those.
Bike riders and eRideable users no longer need to keep left when travelling through single-lane roundabouts.

The first one is an interesting one as it makes sense that you need to control the bike and the brakes are on the handlebars. However, I do find that our safety as cyclists, is often in the hands of the drivers, and the clearer about our intentions we are, the safer we will be. If I’m doing a right hand turn and need to give way to oncoming traffic, I will be in the middle of the road. If I don’t make my intentions clear to the traffic coming up behind me, then things can start getting confusing. This is mainly due to everyone’s standard assumption that bikes should be hard left in the gutter at all times. I will always to try to shoot out a quick signal even if I need to put both hands back on to brake properly.

The second change is one that I have always done and it is purely for my own safety. Roundabouts are a notorious choke point. Even if the roads leading up to and away from have a shoulder or bike lane, they automatically disappear as they approach it. Road lanes with a shoulder will reduce from 4.5 metres down to 3.5 metres at the entry to the roundabout. The new Dodge RAM 2500 is 2.2 metres wide stretching to 2.6 metres when including the extended mirrors. It doesn’t leave us a lot of room. When riding by myself, I will always check for a small break in traffic then move out to “take the lane” before entering the roundabout. Drivers don’t always have a good understanding of where the off-side of their vehicle is and it doesn’t take much to be on the receiving end of a quarter panel. The interesting thing about this change is that it now brings WA in line with the Australian Road Rules.

Will these changes mean we need to operate differently? Not really. Will they mean that we get more respect and less angst on the road? Doubtful. But if the intent is for the rules to reflect how more people travel and attempt to improve safety for all road users, then hopefully, it is a good thing.

Other Information

Tour De France Event

The Tour de France this year will be celebrated by South Perth Rouleurs through Alliance Française de Perth inspired by three different regions of the cycling calendar. Events include: 1. Grand depart Barcelona; 2. Pyrenees and the Grand South-West; 3. The Alps and jersey predictions. This is in lieu of our traditional French dinner.

Saturday 4^th July 2026 6.00-9.00pm celebrates the grand depart from Barcelona with festive Spanish themed catering including a cocktail, red wine, food and to top it off, a Chapoutier white wine from Roussillon region.

Thursday 9^th July 2026 Quiz night 6.30-8.30pm features a Tour de France quiz with prizes, a regional presentation and tastings inspired by the Pyrenees and the Grand South-West. Book tables with five people.

Friday 24^th July 2026 6.00-8.30pm The Alps with regional tasting, the reveal of the sealed jersey predictions and discussion of the most memorable moments of the Tour.

Cost: $63pp for each event separately with discount code ask admin@southperthrouleurs.com.au

Any two events is $117pp with discount code; All three costs $166.50pp with discount code.

Contact reception for <18yo pricing 9386 7921 or by email at reception@afperth.com.au

Location: 75 Broadway, Nedlands WA

Bookings: https://www.afperth.com.au/cultural-events/tour-de-france/

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

Great job to all of the juniors who competed at the CX last weekend. It was fantastic to see so some of you there, especially given the poor weather forecast.

The weather this week is expected to be very cold, so it’s important that everyone dresses appropriately to stay warm and safe while riding. Long-sleeve jerseys, a jacket, and full-finger gloves are essential at this time of year. I would also strongly recommend wearing leg warmers and shoe covers to help keep your feet and legs warm.

The training program for this week is as follows:

Saturday (20/6)

For our U13 and U11 juniors, for those who are not at the velodrome with X-Speed, we will meet in Shelley (https://maps.app.goo.gl/7A2E5wHHmDC9yToe6) at 10:30 am for a skill session along Riverton Dr. We will learn how to give turns and roll in a bunch.

We may adjust the plan for the day to suit the abilities and experience of the riders attending. If you are a beginner and joining for the first time, it’s very important that you let me know in advance. I may plan a separate course for beginners, but I need to coordinate with other volunteers to make sure we have the right support.

I invite our U17 and U15 juniors to join our main club rides from Coode St car park (South Perth) at 7am. I will be there supervising them.

Please check our WhatsApp SPR junior channel for any last minute call. If you are not in the group chat, please let me know if you wuol like to be included.

Events coming up:

20/6/2026 – WA Junior Road State Series – Round 1
https://entryboss.cc/races/30575

27/6/2026 – SPR CX training for beginners – Garvey Park from 11am.
CX: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

Another reminder to everyone that our Saturday rides are group rides! You’ve heard this many times from us, and it applies every weekend, “it’s not a race!”
Don’t race off from the lights, or when you get to the top of a hill or even when cornering. Give the riders at the back a chance to clip in, crest that climb and catch up on those corners. Ease up just a touch and keep the bunch together.
Also, take your turns in the roll-throughs & don’t surge off the front. Group riding is a skill that needs practicing and there is no better feeling than working as part of a cohesive unit that cruises along.
To those riders that do these small things that make the bunch a better ride, know that we see you and appreciate you!

Saturday 20^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Abernethy 39.96km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Holmes & Ridge Hill Rd 53.35km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 21^st June

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Welsh Mel-Falls MWR 64.18km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Welsh Mel-Falls MWR 64.18km SPR Sunday

Long Hills:
Welsh Fall Forrest Patt Lawn Zigzag 89.7km SPR Sunday

Monday 22^nd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 23^rd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 24^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 25^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 26^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 13th – 19th June

June 11, 2026 peter

Burke Drive Traffic Study – goodbye to another cycling haven. Last night I was invited to contribute to a traffic study on Burke Drive as representative of a user group. Apparently on the back of complaints in 2025 a petition was raised by about 60 locals to investigate traffic calming strategies. There were about 50 – 60 people in attendance, mostly residents from the affected area as well as a few user group representatives like myself.

The complaints mainly revolved around traffic noise and speed, with groups of motor bikes late at night being the primary concern. The data for the area showed that there are 2500 – 3000 traffic movements per day which is was not excessive for the layout and width of the road. An 85 percentile distribution showed an average speed of 54 – 55 kph which is above the limit for the area, although not by a lot. However, this also means that there are a number of vehicles much higher than that. Cycling data, showed 600 – 700 riders per day during the week rising to 1500 on Saturday. Hence the need to engage with the cycling community.

Crash data showed that between 2020 – 2024 the majority occurred at intersections or involved parking. For cyclists, there were 9 accidents during that time, although we are not sure if that was only car/bike interactions or also included crashes in groups from wheel touches, etc. If an ambulance was called, then a good chance it ended up in these stats.

A bunch of options were shown, from speed cushions (those bolt down half humps that we can ride around) through to full raised intersections and choke points. Each table of 4 – 5 people were then asked to discuss what they saw as the issue and what solutions they found acceptable. I was totally lucky and ended up on a table with 3 retired guys that live just back from Burke Drive, with 2 of them being cyclists. The third guy was into his V8’s but had no problem with bikes being on the road.

The funny thing was that our solution, after discussion, was to do nothing. Not that it solved the problem, but at least it didn’t make it worse. Our reasoning was that humps cause the vehicles to slow down, but then they accelerate again, causing more noise, especially motor bikes. Choke points were dangerous and restricted visibility and stopped vehicles getting around bikes. And pedestrian crossings would be ineffective as there was no clear point where the majority of pedestrian traffic came through, meaning that you would need so many of them along the length of the road.

Each table then presented and that is when we really got to see the how and why of what people were concerned about. Surprisingly, there were very few that were concerned about the groups of cyclist coming through and “holding up traffic”. I think that the majority of Burke Drive does not have many traffic islands, so there are many opportunities for vehicles to pass. The majority of the concerns were concentrated down the Canning Hwy end especially alongside that long sweeping corner where Troy Park oval is situated. Weekend sport, with cars parking on the roadside, kids moving about and cyclists in groups all at the same time was highlighted. Motor bike groups sweeping through that long corner at speed especially at night was another common complaint.

From our perspective, we weren’t the target, but we certainly will be affected by any changes. The one complaint aimed at us was a common one, and that is, loud conversations in the early morning. Speed humps won’t solve that and will probably make it worse as we will call them out, but it is a fair complaint that we as a wider cycling community can, and should, be more respectful of the environments we are riding through.

Again this was just an initial workshop and all feedback was to be taken on board. However, it was clear that you don’t hire consultants and run sessions like this to accept that doing nothing was the correct answer. The timeline was for another workshop with another group of residents and an online survey before the consultants will make their recommendations. It will then go to council in Sept/Oct and a decision will be made from there. From that standpoint I cannot see any changes in 2026, but next year may see us having to ride differently along a much loved stretch of the river loop.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)
WACX Numbat Cup at Lake Gwellup Reserve (14 June)
WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

Last Saturday, the weather was fantastic, and we managed to get some of our juniors out for a ride. Unfortunately, James had a double puncture, but we still made it to the café in the city on time for a warm drink.

During our session with the younger kids, Henry and Claudia practiced going up and down Cardiac Hill in Kings Park. Henry is showing impressive improvement since he started, which is wonderful to see.

I understand that winter can make it harder to get motivated, but please don’t miss the opportunity to join our organized rides. Riding with our kids isn’t just great for physical health—it also helps build meaningful bonds with them.

Cycling is a fantastic sport because it mirrors life itself: there are ups and downs, moments of strength and struggle, and times of recovery after setbacks or illness. It teaches us resilience, patience, and perseverance—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. It’s one of the few activities that truly prepares us to face challenges and live better, more balanced lives. This is a great teaching for our children.

The training program for this week is:

Saturday (13/6)

For our U13 and U11 juniors, we will meet under the Mt Henry Bridge at 10:30 am for an endurance session. The planned route will take us to Point Walter and back (https://connect.garmin.com/app/course/404364880). We may adjust the route on the day to suit the abilities and experience of the riders attending. If needed, we will shorten the course to ensure the session is enjoyable, safe, and appropriate for everyone. If you are a beginner and joining for the first time, it’s very important that you let me know in advance. I may plan a separate course for beginners, but I need to coordinate with other volunteers to make sure we have the right support.

I invite our U17 and U15 juniors to join our main club rides from Coode St car park (South Perth) at 7am. I will be there supervising them.

Please check our WhatsApp SPR junior channel for any last minute call. If you are not in the group chat, please let me know if you would like to be included.

Upcoming events:

14/6/2026 – Liquor Barons Numbat Cup Series #4: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

20/6/2026 – WA Junior Road State Series – Round 1 https://entryboss.cc/races/30575

From the Ride Coordinator

The weather is looking promising for a dry, albeit cold, ride this Saturday. We’ve scheduled Freo & Canning Vale, a route that we haven’t ridden since last November. Please review the route.

Sunday Hills rides head off in a similar direction to last week, however this week, it is the Short Hills groups that turn off at Midland Rd and the Long Hills group continues along Helena Valley Rd. If you’re out on Sunday and it is wet, take care on the descents and give each other extra braking room.

Saturday 13^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Canning Vale 42.35km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Freo & Canning Vale 52.11km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 14^th June

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Kal Goose 64.50km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Kal Goose 64.50km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Kal Chook Obs Hum 87.14km SPR Sunday

Monday 15^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 16^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 17^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 18^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 19^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 6th – 12th June

June 4, 2026 peter

Social Media Scrum. You may have noticed an increase in our social media presence this year. It is part of our rebuilding strategy to get a broader reach and attract new riders to our club. Social media on the best of days is hard. Finding content, pulling stuff together, formatting and posting all takes time and although there are AI apps to help, getting the right message is not something I would leave to a bot.

Unfortunately I took an awkward turn into the world of rage baiting this last week. There was an incident where a very impatient ute came right up the back of the Main 3 group and aggressively honked his horn repeatedly until he got by. We had just entered a section where the shoulder is protected by a kerb and as such couldn’t move across so he had to wait. He didn’t like that and kept honking until we moved. He was delayed a total of 15 seconds. It probably would have been less if he hadn’t aggressively pushed up to the group in the first place.

Now the Main 3 group is not the stereotypical lycra wearing alpha male tough guys. I would say the average age would be in the +50’s with about 30% of the group being female. This was probably a group made up of the same demographic as the driver’s parents. But we all get tarred with the same brush and get labelled as arrogant and entitled no matter what the law says for our use of the road.

Where this took a dark turn was when I posted this interaction on our socials, and to be fair, I did label the driver an impatient twat. So that’s on me. Now I am never sure who really sees the things we post. A few weeks ago when I wrote about the AusCycling SGM we had our best engagement with well over 13,000 views and 41 interactions. Most videos we post get anywhere from 1,000-3,000 views depending on the content. However, in the world of rage baiting the key to engagement is getting people angry and this video seemed to get people angry.

The intent of the video was to call out some bad behaviour and maybe I should have refrained from the name calling. But the wonderful world of facebook algorithms meant that as soon as someone outside the cycling community commented, it then found its way into others feeds. By the time I turned off the commenting there were 318 comments and 263 reactions. This meant that it had pushed out even further than before and all of a sudden there are over 110,000 views. Now I would not recommend reading any of the comments. By the time I turned them off, there were a litany of homophobic slurs, multiple name calling, threats and pretty much anything else you can think of. It was clear that many people think we had “stolen” time from this poor innocent driver.

However, the old adage of “any publicity is good publicity” does hold true to some extent. The views of the surrounding posts have increased, and we have managed to pick up new followers to the page. The challenge now is to convert them to riders and then to members.

Rage baiting is not a strategy I would recommend, especially if you are not thick skinned as there are many people who feel big and strong behind the keyboard and are willing to let you know how right they are. But unfortunately social media is here to stay and we need to utilise it the best we can to get our message out there. I may just refrain from the name calling in the future, even if they were acting like a twat.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –
The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18 th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Register for early bird $105 until 30 April 2026; normal entry $125 until 30th September, late registration $145-$180. If no SPR team already established when you go to register, please set up a SPR team based on the distance eg SPR-Gran, SPR-Medio or SPR-Piccolo so others can join you.

We will look to book accommodation for three nights at the Leeuwin Apartments as per last year, cost to be advised; in Friday 16 th October out Monday 19 th October; shorter stay if preferred for the same price. You can register your interest for accommodation via this EOI.

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
ATTA Champion Lakes (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)
WACX Numbat Cup at Lake Gwellup Reserve (14 June)
XSpeed Junior Road State Series – Round 1 (20 June)
WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

Well done to all the SPR juniors who competed at the State Championships!

We had a fantastic race in the U11 category. Hugh and Riley kept us entertained with two thrilling contests, finishing neck-and-neck in both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race. The road race, in particular, came down to a spectacular sprint finish. I am incredibly proud of the effort and determination shown by our juniors.

In the U13 category, Oscar Winson dominated the field and capped off an outstanding performance with an impressive sprint to the finish.

In the U15 category, we still have some work to do to help James build the confidence needed to race with the front group. Despite crashing on the first lap, James did not give up and completed the race with determination. I am extremely proud of his effort, resilience, and passion for the sport. Experiences like this are an important part of development, and I am confident that James will learn from them and soon be able to showcase his full potential.

The training program for this week is:

Saturday (6/6): for our U13 and U11 juniors, we will meet at the DNA tower car park in Kings Park at 10.30am for a hill training session. I invite our U17 and U15 juniors to join our main club rides from Coode St car park (South Perth) at 7am. I will be ther supervising them.

Please check our WhatsApp SPR junior channel for any last minute call. If you are not in the group chat, please let me know if you wuol like to be included.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/
14/6/2026 – Liquor Barons Numbat Cup Series #4: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

20/6/2026 – WA Junior Road State Series – Round 1 https://entryboss.cc/races/30575

From the Ride Coordinator

This Saturday’s ride is “Step Up Saturday”. If you want to stave off the winter chills, you can challenge yourself by stepping up your ride & joining the next group up.

We’ve noticed that a few groups have been getting stuck at certain traffic lights! The vast majority of lights do trigger when you ride over the sensors. We suggest that the lead riders approach a red light by riding over the centre of the lane and not in parallel in “car wheel positions”. If this does not trigger the sensor then it is time to “bunch up”. Another option is to bunch up and encourage the car behind to move forward to trigger the sensor.
We know there are a few intersections that are extremely difficult such as GEH/Belmont Ave (@iFly), McDowell/Welshpool and under the Bayswater Bridge. Just be patient!

Saturday 6^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans North Lake & Shelley 40.50km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: South Lake 51.99km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 7^th June

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Victor Darl Zigzag 66.3km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Victor Darl Zigzag 66.3km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Kal Obs Goose 94.37km SPR Sunday

Monday 8^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 9^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 10^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 11^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 12^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 30th May – 5th June

May 28, 2026 peter

Perth Cup (not the horse race). Probably known under a few different names, depending on who you talk to, the Perth Cup is a small offshoot of the Aussie Cup during the main grand tours (Giro, Tour, Vuelta). In other words, who are the best placed Aussies during the race, and then who are the best place WA riders within that. At this years Giro, it has really been a “Perth Cup” as the top three Aussies in the race are all from Perth. Jai Hindley, Michael Storer and Ben O’Connor are currently sitting 4^th, 7^th and 10^th respectively. There are another eight Aussies currently in this race and it is testament to the quality of riders hailing from WA to see how well the SandGropers are going. The photo (that I always love to drag out during these times) shows the State Crit Champs at Tech Park and is probably the Under 15 or 17 race. With Jai and Michael, is Sam Welsford who is also in the ProTour, just no the Giro this year. Ben O’Connor apparently was a late starter to cycling so we never really saw him at the Tech Park Crits. With Jai winning the Giro a couple of years ago, Storer winning stages in 2 grand tours plus the mountains jersey and Welsford sprinting against the best in the world, it is easy to see why we think that Tech Park was where legends were made.

For a number of years, SPR and RCCC held crits at Tech Park and we had it running like clockwork. RCCC would manage approvals and timing and SPR would manage the program for the day. It was a big task that took the whole day but certainly was a highlight of the summer racing program. The natural amphitheatre along Brodie-Hall Dr made for excellent viewing with lots of trees to provide shade in the hotter months. There was one sketchy corner where some people would exit the circuit and end up on the grass, but overall it was a fast but tough circuit.

Whenever we have posted any memories of racing there, comments have asked for the resurrection of the circuit. Unfortunately I can’t see it happening. Like most things, progress has taken its toll on accessibility and there are now more 7 day a week businesses in that area. I did ride around there one Sunday morning after coming back from the hills and found a gym or church or something that meant that there were lots of cars parked along Sarich way. With Perth Park at least 18 months away, we will need to find another circuit to create some legends.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
ATTA Champion Lakes (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)
WACX Numbat Cup at Lake Gwellup Reserve (14 June)
WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

I’m finally back in Perth and resuming junior duties. A lot happened in the CX racing scene while I was away, and although I’m a little out of the loop, I understand our juniors gave it their all and rode brilliantly!

This weekend, our focus will be on the Junior State ITT and Road Race, so there will be no training sessions as I’ll be supporting our riders at the event. I encourage everyone to come along and cheer on the team!

The races will be held at Kwinana Motorplex, starting from 10:00 am.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)

From the Ride Coordinator

Consistent communication (e.g. highlighting potholes) during the ride helps with group coordination and contributes to the safety of the group. Where two groups get caught together at a junction let the front group pull ahead and resist the temptation to jump across. This preserves the group size that was initiated at the start of the ride and reduces the chance of a larger group forming, which is difficult for other road users to navigate around.

Saturday 30^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Benara 39.90km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Ridge Hill Rd 50.56km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 31^st May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Wlsh MWR 58.88km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Wlsh MWR 58.88km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Welsh Obs Zig Zag 87.92km SPR Sunday

Monday 1^st June – WA Day Public Holiday

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Public Holiday Ride: Public Holiday North 60.70km (2025ed) SPR Special

Tuesday 2^nd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 3^rd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 4^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 5^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 23rd – 29th May

May 21, 2026 peter

Perth Park is the name for the new development next to Optus Stadium in Burswood. Often controversial due to the inclusion of motorsport, the majority of the redevelopment will be focussing on everything but motorsport. It is important to us as cyclists as it will provide a new racing and training circuit close to the city. It is important to the rest of the community as it will provide an outdoor entertainment space and facilities for loads of other activities.

These two things, however, don’t always co-exist well and luckily SPR has been involved in the consultation process over the last couple of years. Last week it was announced that the major construction contract has been awarded. A few days before that, there was a meeting about the setup of the cycling circuit and it’s interaction with other aspects of the park. Hopefully our feedback is taken on board and we get a facility that can really benefit the cycling community.

There have been a number of announcements about the park in the last week some directly from the government and some from the dedicated website. However, there is a lot of talky, talk in there so let me explain what I know after having discussions with the designers and main roads.

There are three potential track layouts. A dedicated training track of 850m, a race circuit of 1.25km and a longer circuit of about 1.79kms (see pictures below). The longest circuit takes in some of the surrounding roads and would require traffic management as well as approval from Venues West, who will be managing the area. This circuit would potentially be used for bigger events like state or national races. The shorter 1.25km track circles the new pit lane and open air amphitheatre area. This does not require traffic management, but would require approval from Venues West. The shorter circuit, or “training track” is meant to be accessible for cyclist at all times except when used as part of the motorsport circuit or used as bus parking during a stadium event.

So, let me explain a few things before we delve further into track design, etc. A stadium event is any time that the stadium fully utilised. i.e. footy game, concert, etc. During these times, they generally close off the roads surrounding the stadium and force people to take public transport. Unfortunately, all these extra buses need to go somewhere and they will be parked on the training circuit. So, that is one caveat on our training circuit that is “available at all times”. Fortunately, most of these events don’t take place on a Sunday morning when our races usually do, so there is some room for negotiation.

Speaking of that, the relationship with Venues West and how things are booked is also an unknown at the moment. The fear is that the amphitheatre area will be booked out so often that we never get to use the 1.25km circuit. Our only saving grace is that we generally run races on a Sunday morning, so could probably negotiate around bump in, bump out access for another party setting up inside the race track. The same applies to organised training sessions on the smaller circuit. It is unknown at the moment how that will operate. If the Speeddome is anything to go buy (also managed by Venues West) then potentially slots of time could be booked out by clubs, or set times for all access bulk training could be organised.

The majority of the discussion that was had last week with the designers centred on the training circuit and what it would look like. The length of the circuit was raised as a concern if used for racing, but due to the camber of the race track and access for pedestrian walkways, this is the best option we have. The southern straight which shares alignment with the event track is part of the car race circuit and should be wide enough for competitive racing. The northern side runs parallel with Roger Mackay Drive and will be separated from normal traffic. However, the motorsport circuit uses the full width of the bike and car lanes, so any barriers need to be removable. Their initial suggestion was to put those small slightly elevated lumps (armadillos) between the cars and bikes. I cautioned against that as it is hard for bikes to see them when in a group and if you hit one you will end up on the road side of the circuit. They said they will look into a wall to separate the traffic.

Another bonus has been the advocacy work from Westcycle to push for lighting to be put around the training circuit. This gives us unprecedented access to a circuit all year round and potentially allows us to run midweek winter races. However, I can foresee a number of operational safety issues with having a circuit so readily accessible. For example, what happens when a training group is riding around and some random enters the circuit in the opposite direction. Should the circuit have only one direction, or does that then limit the usability of it?

So there is lots of discussion still to be had and lots of areas where this could swing either for or against us as cyclists. Hopefully we can get in front of the right people at the right time so that we can have a facility that we can actually utilise.

I realise that this blog goes out well past just our club, so I am willing to be used as a focal point for any questions that people may have or want to be presented when discussions are held. If you add any queries to the comments on the facebook posts, anything I can’t answer, I will try to table at the appropriate time.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Saturday (23/5):
Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next weekend. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

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 for those on the front to delay accelerating when coming out of corners.

Road Closures for this Sunday’s HBF running event are available here : https://www.hbf.com.au/run/road-closures#map

Saturday 23^rd May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Abernethy 39.96km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Morley Drive 50.77km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 24^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Brktn Weir 79.19km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Brktn Weir 79.19km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: F’berg Urch Obs 92.84 km SPR Sunday

Monday 25^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 26^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 27^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 28^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 29^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 16th – 22nd May

May 14, 2026 peter

Good luck to everyone competing down at Nannup this weekend at the seVen gravel race. I have a love/hate relationship with that event but I won’t be heading down this year even though it is a qualifier. I know what it takes to get a decent time, for me (probably not even a qualifying time) and I know that this year hasn’t been a good lead up as far as training is concerned.

The first year it was run, Leigh and myself decided to give it a go and ride together. I had done a bit of CX that year but very little gravel and we headed off not really knowing what to expect. Back then, there were very few gravel bikes in the field as the gravel “phenomenon” had not exploded yet. Looking back, I am pretty sure that I was poorly geared, running skinny cx tyres and totally under prepared for what lay ahead. It was brutal, long, the climbs kept coming and the descents were scary. That was 2018 and we managed a time of 7:33:45, with Leigh getting a gold buckle as she was one of the few in her age group on a gravel bike.

As bad as it was, we both returned next year but neither of us learned from our mistakes and did less training than the previous year. I didn’t realise that long can get longer if you are so much slower. 2019 we finished in 8:46:32. That was way too long to be sitting on a bike for. 2020 was a delayed start due to covid and this year I was riding with Marion. It was hard and fast and again I was under prepared for the event. I cramped bad. So bad in fact that I had to stop a number of times and ended up a DNF once I hit the feedzone at halfway. I know that I disappointed Marion that day as she had to stop with me and lost time that would have got her onto the age group podium.

In 2021 I was back again and this time riding by myself as I needed to focus on getting through the cramping. I still remember it being an issue but I managed it as best I could and finished in 6:52:00. 2022 same again. Back for more punishment and more cramping but managed to better my time with a 6:23:54. Accommodation was camping that year. Damn it gets cold down there.

In 2023 I had issues with my Achilles and was a DNS

In 2024 I finished working at Rio Tinto and decided to have a year off (I highly recommend if you can do it). I did a lot more riding and especially concentrated on my nemesis, which is seated climbing. I am one of those brought up in the Armstrong era of the Tour de France and like to stand when I climb. This does not translate well to gravel as your tyre can slip and you end up sitting on the top tube. So, on top of doing more gravel rides, I was also working on my endurance and seated climbing. I would do the SPR Thursday ride and then head off to the hills to do seated repeats of Gooseberry or Lawnbrook or anything that would stress the right muscles. I was aiming for sub 6 hours and for the first half, I was so scared of going too hard and cramping later, that I thought I didn’t have a chance. Especially after crashing about 30ks into the race. There was a section where the Five and Seven riders meet back up and suddenly there were more riders around me. We came across some deep ruts in the road and I didn’t have a choice of line and the front wheel slipped in and I went arse over the handlebars. Luckily it was not a rocky section and I managed to get back on and continue.

At the feedzone, I saw that I was actually still on time as long as I increased the effort. I managed to pick up a few riders that had passed me earlier and were now fading and I got to the line with only a little cramping on the last climb. A 5:55:34 but still 17mins off a qualifying spot for that year.

So no gravel for me this year, but good luck to those that are trying to qualify and good luck to those that are trying just to finish, as that in itself is an achievement.

Leigh is also back riding the event again and is using it to raise money for Lifeline. Click on the link to donate to help people in crisis.

Other Information

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner

Tuesday 19 May 2026 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

The 109th edition of the classic grand tour Giro d’Italia starts on the 8 May in Bulgaria and finishes 31^st May in Rome. The club is having a dinner at the Italian restaurant Bravo’s in East Vic Park to celebrate. – fabulous food and friendly staff make it special.

Bring family and join friends for a modern Italian meal. This year we have a new and expanded 3-course menu for $70 pp – fully licensed. Select your dietary requirements at checkout. Menu link

Tickets are available via the club shop.

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –

The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

seVen Gravel (17 May)
WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Saturday (15/5):
Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next 2 weekends. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

At SPR, we encourage riders to have a degree of self-sufficiency to cover: punctures, loose bolts, etc, that may arise whilst on a group ride.

Saturday 16^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans North Lake & Shelley 40.50km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Stock & Shelley 49.51km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 17^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Les Obs 67.37km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Les Obs 67.37km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Wlsh Obs Cam Goose 86.02km SPR Sunday

Monday 18^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 19^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 20^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 21^st May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 22^nd May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 9th – 15th May

May 7, 2026 peter

Over the last few weeks I have been trying to ride with and chat with different sections of the SPR cycling community. Previous weeks I’ve spent a time chaperoning juniors within the main rides helping them gain confidence in group situations and learning about group dynamics. Last week I hung out with Main 3 before being split out into a small Main 4 as we got caught at some lights along South St. It was an interesting experience for me as I really felt different about the traffic we encountered. Not that there was anything different about the traffic, but being in a smaller, slower group than what I am used to made me feel a lot more exposed than normal. Chatting with the ladies after the ride, I was trying to understand their perspective on some of our ride routes and whether they are always appropriate across all abilities.

One of the key cornerstones of the club, and what it was founded on, was being inclusive. We don’t turn people away if they want to ride with us and across the history of the club, there have only been a handful that we have asked to not ride with the club any more. This has been for either being straight out dangerous and not taking on board any direction, or just being generally disruptive to the running of the club. But being inclusive is also about understanding what we need to offer those that are already riding in the club. For many, it is about some of the other club cornerstones, social and organised. Some people just want to ride with the people they know and in a safe organised manner. Not saying that they are not accepting of outsiders, but rather there is a comfort in already knowing the abilities of the people you are riding with.

One of the things I have discovered since being back on deck was that there are a few organically grown rides that have appeared outside the normal advertised ones. On Tuesday mornings 06:30, for example, some of the Main 2-4/Transitional riders meet at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park and head into the park for some free ride efforts around Lovekin and Forrest. No planned route, no planned intervals, just come along, do some riding, then meet back at 07:30 for a coffee. Sessions like these form when there is a need that is currently not matched within the club structure. The right people organising sessions has slowly developed into something that we now advertise as part of the club weekly rides. This organic growth is usually the difference between a successful and unsuccessful attempt at change and why it is important to truly understand what the people want to see in a club.

Other Information

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner Tuesday 19 May 2026

6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Bring family and join friends for a modern Italian meal. This year we have a new and expanded 3-course menu for $70 pp – fully licensed. Select your dietary requirements at checkout. Menu link

Tickets are available via the club shop.

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

ATTA Season Close at Champion Lakes (10 May)
seVen Gravel (17 May)
WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Last weekend we enjoyed another fantastic day at Kings Park and the CX racing. Our new junior, Henry, is already showing great improvement, and it’s wonderful to see him getting involved in CX as well. Well done to all the children who gave the race a go! A special thank you to Adrian (pictured below in action) for his support in assisting the juniors on the day.

The training program for this week is as follows:

Saturday (9/5):
~~Our U11 riders will meet again under the Mt Henry bridge~~

Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next 3 weekends. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

Saturday 9^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Benara 39.90km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Benara Rd 50.76km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 10^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Khna Weir 68.66km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Khna Weir 68.66km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Khna Peet Can Mills MWR 90.55km SPR Sunday

Monday 11^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km SPR Monday

Tuesday 12^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 13^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 14^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 15^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 2nd – 8th May

April 30, 2026 peter

Governance on top of Governance. The other week we talked about club level governance and some of the boring things we had to do to run and maintain a club. Last week there was a Special General Meeting and all AusCycling affiliated clubs were requested to vote on a resolution to remove the current board chair. At the end of the day, a total of 243 clubs registered to vote (with 164 in attendance), representing approximately 35 per cent of AusCycling’s membership. Following a period of discussion and debate, the resolution was put to a vote and was unsuccessful, with 70.09 per cent of votes against the resolution and 29.91 per cent of votes for the resolution. As a result, Craig Bingham will remain in his position as Chairperson and Director.

So how did we get here? There is a lot, so if you are interested, strap in.

Over the last 6 months a number of clubs had started discussions with other member clubs about the possibility of an SGM. Harlequin Wheelman CC (Nov 2025), Canberra CC (Jan 2026), Midland CC (Feb 2026) all talked about similar issues that clubs have been facing the past few years. Declining membership, clubs seeing no value in aligning with AusCycling and not agreeing with strategic direction set out by AusCycling. On top of that, a view that AusCycling has not delivered on any of its planned strategic outcomes since the merger of the state based organisations into a national body.

A formal request was initiated by Midland asking for club support on the following resolutions –

The removal of Craig Bingham as a Director and Chair with immediate effect
The removal of Marne Fechner as Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect and initiation of an open, transparent recruitment process for a new CEO

A total of 32 clubs supported (more than 5%) and therefore triggered a SGM to be called by AusCycling. On the 13th Feb, a formal notification of SGM from AusCycling for 23^rd April was announced.

In March 2026 Canberra CC added 2 more resolutions –

The election of Chloe Hosking as a Director of AusCycling with effect from the close of the meeting
An expression of support from voting members for the appointment of Chloe Hosking to the position of Chair and a call upon the Board to give due consideration to the clearly expressed will of the membership in electing the Chair of AusCycling.

Now Chloe Hosking is a very decorated and experienced cyclist that represented Australia for many years on the world stage. She stood for the board in 2023 but was not voted in. In 2024 the eligibility criteria for board members was changed to require a minimum of 3 years board experience on a State or National board. It is important to note that Chloe Hosking’s partner is the current president of the Canberra CC that added these resolutions (edit: not president, but contacted clubs on behalf of Canberra CC).

3 of the 4 resolutions were rejected by AusCycling with only the resolution to remove the chair being allowed to be voted on. The removal of the Canberra CC resolutions was due to the ineligibility of Chloe to be voted into a board position, and the removal of the CEO (as far as I understand) was a legal matter where that position is not determined by the membership, so cannot vote it out.

Canberra was pushing hard to get proxy forms to vote in their favour and had prefilled forms supporting the resolution, making it easier for clubs to send a proxy instead. Leading up to the vote both sides put out comms restating their positions, with AusCycling showing that the cost to the organisation of holding a SGM was approximately $60k.

A meeting that could have been an email.

On the actual night of the SGM both parties (Midland and the Chair) had time to state their positions before the floor was opened up to any clubs that wanted to talk for or against the motion. There were also questions that clubs could submit to the SGM chair which were then directed at the appropriate people. The biggest and weirdest comment came from Canberra CC that spoke about not supporting the motion (edit: it was Canberra Off Road Club). Most clubs spoke against the motion even though they agreed that AusCycling may not have delivered on strategic outcomes and clubs still face the same issues. The general view was that stability was a better outcome.

We did discuss this as a committee before the SGM and decided to vote against the motion. Our reasoning is that although we may share some of the concerns about strategic outcomes, removing the chair did not fix the problem and not real solutions were presented by those presenting the resolution.

The meeting went for a bit over an hour (if I remember correctly) and my main takeaway was that middle-age men have little concept of time or know how to read a clock. People had either 3min or 90sec to state their case and most flew well passed that and often waffled on repeating their points. I’m sure that if time limits were enforced, the meeting would have been over in 30 min. An interesting question was asked in relation to the cost of the SGM at $60k. This was explained as the time to setup the event, hiring the platform to allow clubs to speak/vote, getting oversight so that votes are independently assessed, legal advice on the resolutions tabled, and I guess, just general time spent by AusCycling staff.

There are portions of constitutions that make allowances for members to have some say over how things are run. These are always very important guardrails to ensure that no one individual or group can take over and act like a dictator. Our own constitution requires that each committee position gets wiped every year to ensure that all positions are voted in by the membership. Calling for an SGM is an important right that the clubs have and can often be seen as the only way that they can get their message across. It was mentioned a few times over the course of the meeting that removing the chair was not personal, but rather a way to show displeasure with how things are being run. With the AusCycling AGM coming up soon, it will be interesting to see if the current board see this as a validation or a wake-up call.

Other Information

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner Tuesday 19 May 2026

6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Bring family and join friends for a modern Italian meal. This year we have a new and expanded 3-course menu for $70 pp – fully licensed. Select your dietary requirements at checkout. Menu link

Tickets are available via the club shop.

2026 and 2027 international trips –

PR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –
The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18 th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

1. WACX Numbat Cup #3 Fishmarket Reserve (3 May)

2. West Coast Masters Road Race Herne Hill (3 May)

3. ATTA Season Close at Champion Lakes (10 May)

Juniors

Last weekend, James took part in his first bike race at the Stan Gurney VC Memorial Criterium. He rode generously, launching attacks for much of the race and showing strong initiative throughout. Unfortunately, toward the end he missed the final moves after not hearing the bell for the last lap, and he finished toward the back of the field.

Overall, it was a very positive first race experience, highlighting both his determination and plenty of room for growth.

After the race, he joined the junior ride in Kings Park and delivered another impressive performance, particularly on Cardiac Hill, where he managed to drop Adriam Emilsen—who still recorded his second-best time on the climb, just two seconds off his personal best. I was quite relieved not to be involved in the final sprint!

The training program for this week is as follows:

Saturday (2/5):
Our U11 riders will meet again at the DNA Tower car park in Kings Park for a hill training session at 10:30am. The bravest riders will tackle Mount Street—and earn a well-deserved treat at the top!

Our teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth. I’ll be there to support our faster juniors.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

3/5/2026 CX: Liquor Barons Numbat Cup Series #3 (Fishmarket Reserve, Guildford)

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

Having a set of working lights is a great idea with sunrise now close to 7am.

At SPR, we encourage all riders to familiarise themselves with the planned route before joining a group ride. Not knowing the next turn can increase the risk of accidents — for you and others in the group.

Saturday 2^nd May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) 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

Transition: Trans Shelley 40.59km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Canning Vale & Welshpool 49.74km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 3^rd May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Kal Glenisla Palm Lwnbrk 60.03km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Kal Glenisla Palm Lwnbrk 60.03km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Kal Chook Obs Hum 87.14km SPR Sunday

Monday 4^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km SPR Monday

Tuesday 5^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Wednesday 6^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 7^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 8^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Monday
Coming Soon	5:30 am
Tuesday
River Loop - solid or relaxed	5:30 am	36.73 Km

Wednesday
Recovery Ride	5:30 am	35.3 Km
Thursday
Fast Pace River Loop	5:30 am	37.26 Km
Friday
Canning Vale	5:30 am	42.01 Km
Saturday
Early Bird	5:30 am	36.37 Km
Club Ride	7:00 am	See Blog
Sunday
Hills Ride	6:00 am	See Blog

Event Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Event Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

Other Information

Upcoming Racing

Juniors

From the Ride Coordinator

The website for the South Perth Cycle Club