Ride Routes 13 – 19th July

The term “Granfondo” was first used in Italy in 1971, originating with the Nove Colli race in Cesenatico, one of the oldest and most famous Granfondos. The term translates to “Big Ride” in English and refers to long-distance, mass-participation cycling events popular among amateur cyclists.

Why am I talking about this? I have some unfinished business with the Italian Granfondos. In 1996, I couldn’t finish the Nove Colli due to health issues. However, 28 years later, I challenged myself with the toughest Granfondo in Europe: the Sportful Dolomiti Race in Feltre, Veneto, Italy, on the 16th of June. This race features a grueling 200 km course with an elevation gain of 5000 meters, tackling several climbs in the Dolomites of Belluno. The final climb, Passo Croce d’Aune, leads to a monument dedicated to Tullio Campagnolo and concludes in Feltre’s charming Piazza Maggiore.

I made the decision to participate at the last minute. One week before my planned departure to Italy for a holiday, while finishing work, I wondered if there was a long-distance race in Italy during my stay. A quick online search led me to the Sportful-Dolomiti, and I thought, “Why not?” It was a rush to complete the paperwork. Italian competitions require a medical certificate and a UCI conversion of my AusCycling license. Luckily, I had recently done heart tests, so my GP had no problem signing off. AusCycling provided the necessary UCI code, and after a payment of just 90 euros, I was ready to collect my race package in Feltre, which included the event jersey. Considering the level of organization, the spectacular views, and the thrill of riding in the Alps, it was a real bargain.

The next challenge was my bike. In Italy I have an old (26 years old) Fondriest with a steel frame and challenging gear ratios (the easiest was 39×25). Fortunately, I had a new Campagnolo groupset I want to put together with my bike on my own, but given the short time, I opted for a local bike shop in Rome to assemble it. The transformation was astonishing. From an old bike, I ended up with a super nice vintage bike with decent gears for climbing the Dolomites. During the ride, I received many compliments on my bike.

I arrived in Feltre the day before the event to collect my race pack but stayed 10 km away with my family, who came to support me. I had to ride to the start, allowing my family to meet me at the finish. The night before the race, I suffered from stomach problems and bad weather. Despite not sleeping much, I was ready with my number pinned on the SPR jersey. As I reached the start in Feltre, the clouds cleared, and the temperature was pleasant. Nearly 4000 participants were ready to start at 7 am, and it took over five minutes to cross the start line due to the crowd.

The initial 40 km were not too difficult, but the pace was high, and I tried to conserve energy. After the first hard climb, the organizers slowed us down due to a terrible incident where a car hit three riders. The driver, late for church (this was her excuse), failed to stop at three checkpoints. Seeing the injured riders was the only negative part of the day. The news even made national TV. Despite the fast and technical descents, I managed well with my old rim brake bike.

Passo Duran was the hardest climb. I rode it with Ash, one of the three Australians registered, recognizable by his Baum bike. We kept each other company for three climbs, but he eventually pulled ahead on the last part of Passo Croce d’Aune, where I was exhausted. The last 4 km were extremely tough, with steep grades not lower than 10% and peaks around 15%. Adding to the challenge, a group of people humorously claimed “Dopo la curva spiana” (after the corner, it’s flat), but it was actually the steepest part!

The final descent and finish in picturesque Feltre were my rewards. I finished 924th out of over 1700 finishers and 131st in my age category out of 232. The whole experience was incredible: the spectacular views, the amazing food at the feed stations, and the available assistance. I highly recommend participating in this event if you have the chance to be in Italy in mid-June.

Giovanni

Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.

Interested in sponsoring? All the details here.

SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — Another truly lovely dinner at Chez Pierres on Tuesday just gone – enjoy watching the tour.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WCMCC Splendid Park – Yanchep – Race 1 of Winter 3 Race Tour

2. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 3 (28/Jul)

Juniors Ride — Weather looks nice over the weekend, so we can meet again for another ride with the juniors. The plan for this week is to meet in Kings Park to practice descending and climbing skills. Let’s all meet at the DNA car park (https://maps.app.goo.gl/Uoet1CC6jzQpviVS7) at 11am. If the DNA car park is closed for constructions like last time, you can park here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SBc8kP44ZLpD5mQM7.

As usual, we can end our ride with a treat at the Botanical Cafe or at the nearby Kings Park Kiosk

From the Ride Coordinator — We all know communication is key to a safe and successful group ride. When you are the rider at the front, you must call out all hazards and indicate route directions, and following riders must pass it back down the group. Calls from the back of the group must also be passed to the front of the group. Remember that it can be even more difficult to hear in windy conditions.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 13th July

Sunday 14th July

Monday 15th July

Tuesday 16th July

Wednesday 17th July

Thursday 18th July

Friday 19th July

Ride Routes 6 – 12th July

[ We have a number of SPR members that ride cyclocross, with WA Cyclocross running great events that suit serious competitors and family alike. Have a read of Gilbert’s write-up from last week! And… you might have noticed that the Tour de France is on (congratulations Mark Cavendish on 35 stage wins 💪🏻)… with tickets still available for our dinner next Tuesday. Finally, we’re running a Ride Leader course shortly – interested? (more here). One more thing – read ride routes below for our inaugural “Step up Saturday”. Daniel ]

Cyclocross Action — family friendly fun filled day in the park, with some cardio.

Round  4 of the Numbat Cyclocross series was held on Sunday the 23rd of June, and I decided to enter myself and my son.  A bit of fun in the park and racing with my son is what I expected but we got more than that. It was women’s round so my daughter made  inspirational quotes biscuits.

Once we arrived it was right in the middle of the toddlers and U13 racing. Lots of parents out running beside the toddlers and smiles all round as we watched the little uns hurdle the boards. 

Once the Biscuits were handed over, it was mums and dads turn on the course. We picked up our registration packs and did a lap or two prior to our race. My son was riding his single speed Malvern star with 35mm tyres and I was on my 19 year old Scott MTB. There were plenty of other bikes in all shapes and sizes. Both bikes were fine for the long grass and sharp turns but a touch heavy for the hurdles and we both finished.

It was my son’s first time riding a bike in a race or event, I was a touch nervous, but I had nothing to worry about. Everyone (there were four races on the course) kindly gave plenty of room and encouragement. Getting to race with my son at the same time was a massive thrill.

We will be back.

Gilbert

PS – on return to the house he looked over at the carbon gravel bike I built. “Dad, i’ll use that one next time” , the curse of a 15 year old being the same height (Editors note: 🤣).

PPS –  he has also decided to go to the speed dome for kids track night on the 2nd of July 4 30 pm. 

Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.

Interested in sponsoring? All the details here.

SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.

To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; tickets and details here.

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1.

Juniors Ride — It’s great to be back in Perth after such a rejuvenating holiday. Now, it’s time to gather once more and dive back into our training regime. Despite the chill of the mornings and winter’s firm grip, our commitment to gearing up remains strong.

This Saturday offers us a promising break in the weather for a morning ride. Let’s convene at 10:30 AM in Shelley at our usual meeting spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EqqgtLwv5CKEWWuc6.

Our focus will be on honing our skills in bunch riding as we navigate the stretches of Riverton Drive.

From the Ride Coordinator — Step Up Saturday is an SPR initiative to encourage riders to try out a higher group, as part of the organised Saturday group ride. For example, if you normally ride in Main 2, try riding in Main 1.4. This scheme will run on the first Saturday of each month.

The benefits of this are that you’ll:

  • Develop as a rider
  • Make new friends within the club
  • Complement training for a future event.

This weekend we have the inaugural run of the “Step Up Saturday” initiative and we would love to hear your thoughts.

Finally, consider what to wear for this Saturday’s group ride as it’ll be dry but cold. Making the right choice will make it a safer, more enjoyable experience.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 6th July

Sunday 7th July

Monday 8th July

Tuesday 9th July

Wednesday 10th July

Thursday 11th July

Friday 12th July

Ride Routes 29th June – 5th July

[ Great write-up by Carol this week regarding Canteen. Huge congrats to Mark De Castro, Steve Burns, Jarred Anderson and the SPR teams for the great results at the PDCC Harvey Teams Series #2 and Dave Hind for the win at the WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Round 4. Daniel ]

Thank you Canteen 💚 — The Canteen committee has decided to stop offering the 3-day on road Perth to Busselton ride after 25 years. This event has raised millions of dollars to help kids cope with cancer and has been such a fabulous event for all level of cyclists. SPR is very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate for many years. Our thanks go to the organisers who offered so much of their time and the companies who sponsored the event year-in year-out that allowed our cyclists to participate in a unique, special and collegial experience.   

So this is recognition and a huge thank you to those who dedicate their time to make our cycling experiences happen. We should never take it for granted. Canteen was special – no one could commit as much time as their volunteers have over 25 years or provide year on year sponsorship. However, you too can volunteer or sponsor an event – the tour of Margaret River is one of those opportunities, or just participate – it makes the commitment of the volunteers and sponsors feel worthwhile. 

Cycling events also only work when there is an early and sufficient uptake to participate. The cessation of Canteen is a reminder to embrace what is offered at that time – it might not be offered again. One of these events is the French Alps with three places still available – this unique offering is not likely to run again.

Our enjoyment of cycling is so dependent on volunteers and sponsors – grab what is offered!

Carol

Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.

Interested in sponsoring? All the details here.

SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.

To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; tickets and details here.

SPR Ride Leader Program Call for Expressions of Interest — SPR’s training rides set us apart as a cycling Club; we have a large range of group ride on weekends, covering all skills and abilities, with a broad range of opportunities for people to cycle in a group every day during the week.  Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the value delivered by our organised and regular training rides. A key part of running these training rides is our ride leadership programme. Consistent, trained and visible ride leaders results in safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for everyone.

To this end, the Club developed a ride leader development program, with the objectives of:

  1. Developing SPR ride leaders’ knowledge and skills of both ride leadership and core cycling skills
  2. Building the confidence of ride leaders to ensure ride consistency and enhanced decision making during group rides
  3. Growing the pool of capable, confident ride leaders

We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our next public Ride Leader Development Program.

If interested, please submit your EOI via this form:

Submit Expression of Interest

There is space for questions as part of the EOI, but if you have any questions about the Ride Leader Program before submitting your EOI, please send them through to development@southperthrouleurs.com.au and we will get back to you ASAP.

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WCMCC Herne Hill – Chopper Marshall Family Race

Some great results from the weekend just gone (see here, here and here). Keep an eye our for a full SPR write-up soon!

Juniors Ride — Please check your email tomorrow for confirmation regarding our Juniors Ride this weekend. Or reach out via email on juniors@southperthrouleurs.com.au or feedback@southperthrouleurs.com.

From the Ride Coordinator — Hard to believe at the moment but it looks like our weekend will be dry giving us 2 days of riding. Enjoy!

Our ride route committee got together this week and had a look at creating some new variations of our Saturday routes and Sunday Short Hills routes. Hopefully we can start including them in the route roster over the next few months.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 29th June

Sunday 30th June

Monday 1st July

Tuesday 2nd July

Wednesday 3rd July

Thursday 4th July

Friday 5th July

Ride Routes 22nd – 28th June

Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.

Whilst teams have not yet been announced, this year we have received over eighty (80!) expressions of interest… so however it works out, we’re going to have a a sea of SPR green 💚. We are proud of the the opportunities we have provided for our members to participate in what is arguably the best event of its kind in Australia.

And here in lies an opportunity… sponsorship enables us a club to enhance the experience for members of our teams — through event-specific club kit and the like — providing a sense camaraderie and identity, whilst at the same time promoting local businesses through involvement with the sport of cycling.

A real win-win.

If this is you or your business we would love to hear from you!

Please get in touch via race@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

We will provide preference to any club members who would like to sponsor, but also consider sharing this opportunity with any businesses that you know of that might be interested.

SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.

To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; cost $78 with multiple choices from a three-course menu plus coffee and BYO included.

This event has always been an excellent night with Chez Pierre putting on amazing food. It is after all something for which the French are renowned. Bring your own wine to make it an extra special night as corkage is included in the price. All dietary needs are covered so please specify when booking your tickets; sample menu here (coming soon!). Cost $78 including BYO, coffee and regional menu.

Get your tickets here.

SPR Ride Leader Program Call for Expressions of Interest — SPR’s training rides set us apart as a cycling Club; we have a large range of group ride on weekends, covering all skills and abilities, with a broad range of opportunities for people to cycle in a group every day during the week.  Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the value delivered by our organised and regular training rides. A key part of running these training rides is our ride leadership programme. Consistent, trained and visible ride leaders results in safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for everyone.

To this end, the Club developed a ride leader development program, with the objectives of:

  1. Developing SPR ride leaders’ knowledge and skills of both ride leadership and core cycling skills
  2. Building the confidence of ride leaders to ensure ride consistency and enhanced decision making during group rides
  3. Growing the pool of capable, confident ride leaders

We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our next public Ride Leader Development Program.

If interested, please submit your EOI via this form:

Submit Expression of Interest

There is space for questions as part of the EOI, but if you have any questions about the Ride Leader Program before submitting your EOI, please send them through to development@southperthrouleurs.com.au and we will get back to you ASAP.

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Four

2. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 2

3. WCMCC Dog Hill Graded Scratch Race

Juniors Ride — Please check your email tomorrow for confirmation regarding our Juniors Ride this weekend. Or reach out via email on juniors@southperthrouleurs.com.au or feedback@southperthrouleurs.com.

From the Ride Coordinator — There’s a big possibility that it may be raining Saturday morning. If so, and you are out & about, take care on the slippery roads especially on roundabouts. Make sure you are visible and ride in a predictable manner.

As you know, our ride leaders are volunteers, and most do not want to ride in bad weather. So please be understanding if the ride leaders can’t make it. On that note, have you thought about becoming a ride leader? Speak to one of your friendly ride leaders if you have any questions. See the main blog for more info and the link to the EOI.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 22nd June

Sunday 23rd June

Monday 24th June

Tuesday 25th June

Wednesday 26th June

Thursday 27th June

Friday 28th June

Ride Routes 15th – 21st June

SPR Ride Leader Program Call for Expressions of Interest — SPR’s training rides set us apart as a cycling Club; we have a large range of group ride on weekends, covering all skills and abilities, with a broad range of opportunities for people to cycle in a group every day during the week.  Since its inception in 2009, a key feature of the feedback the Club receives is the value delivered by our organised and regular training rides. A key part of running these training rides is our ride leadership programme. Consistent, trained and visible ride leaders results in safer, more enjoyable ride experiences for everyone.

To this end, the Club developed a ride leader development program, with the objectives of:

  1. Developing SPR ride leaders’ knowledge and skills of both ride leadership and core cycling skills
  2. Building the confidence of ride leaders to ensure ride consistency and enhanced decision making during group rides
  3. Growing the pool of capable, confident ride leaders

We are now seeking Expressions of Interest from SPR members who would like to be part of our next public Ride Leader Development Program.

If interested, please submit your EOI via this form:

Submit Expression of Interest

There is space for questions as part of the EOI, but if you have any questions about the Ride Leader Program before submitting your EOI, please send them through to development@southperthrouleurs.com.au and we will get back to you ASAP.

Call for Sponsors — SPR Tour of Margaret River 2024. The Tour of Margaret River three day cycling event has been a key success of the South Perth Rouleurs through the Clubs commitment to providing a well organised, safe and social ride experience. The hard work and dedication of each and every cyclist in the months leading up to the event and its race volunteers ensure a quality experience for all.

Whilst teams have not yet been announced, this year we have received over eighty (80!) expressions of interest… so however it works out, we’re going to have a a sea of SPR green 💚. We are proud of the the opportunities we have provided for our members to participate in what is arguably the best event of its kind in Australia.

And here in lies an opportunity… sponsorship enables us a club to enhance the experience for members of our teams — through event-specific club kit and the like — providing a sense camaraderie and identity, whilst at the same time promoting local businesses through involvement with the sport of cycling.

A real win-win.

If this is you or your business we would love to hear from you!

Please get in touch via race@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

We will provide preference to any club members who would like to sponsor, but also consider sharing this opportunity with any businesses that you know of that might be interested.

SPR Tour de France Dinner 2024 — This year is the first time the Tour de France will not finish in, or near Paris since its inception owing to preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games; starting in Florence 29th June and finishing in Nice on 21st July.

To celebrate the event in style, you and your family are invited to come along to Chez Pierre in Nedlands on Tuesday 9th July; cost $78 with multiple choices from a three-course menu plus coffee and BYO included.

This event has always been an excellent night with Chez Pierre putting on amazing food. It is after all something for which the French are renowned. Bring your own wine to make it an extra special night as corkage is included in the price. All dietary needs are covered so please specify when booking your tickets; sample menu here (coming soon!). Cost $78 including BYO, coffee and regional menu.

Get your tickets here.

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out, only a few spots left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WCMCC Chidlow Graded Road Race

2. WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Four (23/Jun)

3. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 2 (23/Jun)

Juniors Ride — Please check your email tomorrow for confirmation regarding our Juniors Ride this weekend. Or reach out via email on juniors@southperthrouleurs.com.au or feedback@southperthrouleurs.com.

From the Ride Coordinator — Hoping that our lucky streak continues & we’ll get a third dry Saturday morning in a row! This week we’re heading out towards the hills for Holmes Rd.

Lots of reports of riders puncturing over the past two weeks. So check your tyres and make sure your spares kit is topped up.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 15th June

Sunday 16th June

Monday 17th June

Tuesday 18th June

Wednesday 19th June

Thursday 20th June

Friday 21st June

Ride Routes 8 – 14th June

This week has been a little mixed on a range of fronts, not unlike the weather we’ve had — with the rain that had been so very slow in coming, having arrived in spades this past week.

Starting on a plus — congratulations to the SPR members who raced in Kalgoorlie last weekend — in particular Jarred Anderson who placed 2nd on day one (The Shire of Menzies Classic) and Kate Bonner who placed 3rd on day two (Womens A Grade, Leonora Golden Wheels). Kudos to everyone who raced, especially given the somewhat wet and windy conditions on day two. Check out the Goldfields Cyclassic Facebook page for photos, results and write-ups.

I want to put out a final call for the remaining 3 places in SPR’s 2024 French Alps tour. All of the details are below, including a full itinerary. Submit an EOI or feel to reach out by email to have any questions answered.

Thank you to everyone who put in an EOI for SPR TOMR 2024 — we have had over 80 people on the list so it is going to be great event. Keep an eye out for an email from the Race Subcommittee in the upcoming week!

My final piece of news is of the “not so good” variety though it ends with a get well soon having had the best of medical care. Sadly, our Vice President, Andrew Ballam came down hard on the Tuesday EBR just gone. A somewhat innocuous off on a wet road, but one with result being a broken hip and a visit to the surgeon. The good news is that Andrew is back home albeit needing to take some time off the bike to recover! We wish Andrew all the best for his recovery, and as is our custom for these unfortunate accidents, we sent well wishes in the form of an SPR hamper 💚. Finally, special thanks to John and Gary on the day for assisting at scene. Truly appreciated.

Daniel

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out – only three places left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. Full itinerary here. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link. You can also get in touch via email if you have any questions — comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Three

2. WCMCC Neerubup Graded Road Race

3. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 2 (23/Jun)

And finally, a photo from the Goldfields Cyclassic last weekend:

Juniors Ride — What with the weather looking doubtful, please check your email tomorrow for confirmation regarding our Juniors Ride this weekend! Or reach out via email on juniors@southperthrouleurs.com.au or feedback@southperthrouleurs.com.

From the Ride Coordinator — How lucky were we last Saturday with what turned out to be great riding weather? Hopefully we shall have similar conditions this Saturday. Expecting light winds.

There’s still lots of debris on the roads, so call out any hazards. Now’s also a good time to keep on top of your bike cleaning & maintenance with all this riding on wet & sandy roads.

Please note, there is no ride leader scheduled for development this weekend. Sunday hills riders take note that there could be roadworks on Shepperton Rd.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 8th June

Sunday 9th June

Monday 10th June

Tuesday 11th June

Wednesday 12th June

Thursday 13th June

Friday 14th June

Ride Routes 1st – 7th June

Thrilling Start to the PDCC Harvey Teams Series: Recap of Race #1 — The South Perth Rouleurs kicked off their racing season in style at the PDCC Harvey Teams Series #1Race. The event featured four formidable men’s teams: SPR Zephyr, SPR Hornets, SPR Wheelie Bins, and SPR 4 Zone 2 Masters.

Undeterred by the damp and drizzling conditions, the South Perth Rouleurs showcased their resilience at the PDCC Harvey Teams Series #1Race. The course, a true test of endurance and teamwork, with its flat terrain favouring solid endurance riders, underscored the importance of collaboration among teammates. Despite the challenging weather, the SPR Hornets pushed to A grade, a remarkable feat against some top Perth riders. SPR Zephyr and SPR Wheelie Bins raced B Grade, and SPR 4 Zone 2 Masters raced C Grade.

Amongst the standout performances of the day, SPR Zephyr’s Jace Collingridge claimed first place in B Grade, leading his team to a well-deserved victory. Their impressive display of teamwork and determination set the tone for what promises to be an exciting racing season ahead.

We look forward to series #2 at the end of June. With another strong lineup of riders and a focus on teamwork, we are confident that our teams will continue to shine on the racecourse and make their mark on the PDCC Harvey Teams Series.

Well done to all SPR riders for their outstanding efforts and support of the Harvey Series Race Event. Here’s to many more thrilling races and victories in the races to come!

SPR Race Committee

SPR TOMR 2024 EOI Open (but closes 31 May!) — SPR is pleased to formally launch the TOMR 2024 campaign, and call for Expressions of Interest from riders, volunteers, and/or sponsors, who are considering joining the SPR team for this year’s event.

This is not a locked in commitment rather a starting point for contact in the future and further information.

Please use the “I’m interested” link and answer the few brief questions. This will enable the Race Subcommittee to gather information for everything from accommodation to team composition.

We want to ensure that we enable everyone that wants to participate to do so.

TOMR 2024 – I’m interested!

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out – only three places left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. Goldfields Cyclassic 2024

 

Juniors Ride — It looks to have a chance of being quite wet this weekend, so no Juniors Ride has been scheduled. Check back next week!

From the Ride Coordinator — To those of you who say there’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing/equipment choices, then you’ll be in your element this weekend! For those of us fair weather riders, it’ll be a “check the radar” situation. Currently it looks like we have a chance of it being dry on Saturday morning. Benara Rd is scheduled and we should have a nice tailwind to bring us to Dome. Don’t forget there’s a public holiday ride on Monday.

Whatever your cycling outlook, take care this weekend – watch out for flooded bits, lots of debris and all the new potholes.

Oh yeah, and keep your fingers crossed for a bit of sunshine this long weekend!

Please note, there are no ride leaders scheduled for transitional or development this weekend. However M4 can be adjusted to suit those who turn up for a ride.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 1st June

Sunday 2nd June

Monday 3rd June – WA Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 4th June

Wednesday 5th June

Thursday 6th June

Friday 7th June

Ride Routes 25th – 31st May

Many will be aware that ATTA held their 160km ITT Championships last weekend. There are a number SPR members who ride time trial, particularly the summer Early Bird series run by ATTA in Kings Park. If you’re interested, you should definitely give it a go — ATTA even has a road-bike category so you don’t necessarily need a TT bike. If you have questions, check out ATTA Facebook page or ask around at coffee after a Saturday SPR ride.

One of the SPR riders who rides time trial, does so very well. I want to offer congratulations to Jarred Anderson for his win on the weekend — a seriously impressive time of 3:26:37.6, which translates to an average of 45.9 km/hr over 160km — a course record. The full results are here and there is a write-up on Facebook here.

Not to mention that if you have a look back over ATTA’s results you’ll see more than a few impressive results by Jarred.

Serious kudos.

Daniel

SPR TOMR 2024 EOI Open (but closes 31 May!) — SPR is pleased to formally launch the TOMR 2024 campaign, and call for Expressions of Interest from riders, volunteers, and/or sponsors, who are considering joining the SPR team for this year’s event.

This is not a locked in commitment rather a starting point for contact in the future and further information.

Please use the “I’m interested” link and answer the few brief questions. This will enable the Race Subcommittee to gather information for everything from accommodation to team composition.

We want to ensure that we enable everyone that wants to participate to do so.

TOMR 2024 – I’m interested!

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out – only three places left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 1

2. WCMCC Casuarina Graded Road Race

 

Juniors Ride — The program for this Saturday is to ride around Shelley and Manning. Here is the course:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/251017135

The idea for this session is just to practice endurance and build some Ks in the legs. The course is ~18km and we will end the ride at Lo Quay cafe. We will ride at a very easy pace and regroup a few times. The appointment is at 10.30am in Shelley: corner Riverton Dr and Watersby Cres (https://maps.app.goo.gl/3c9C6PnYGtVEdcNSA) where you can find a better and safer car park.

Keep in mind that the weather forecast predicts some rain in the morning of Saturday, so we may need alter our plans.

From the Ride Coordinator — This Saturday morning is definitely one where we need to check the rain radar. Even if it’s not raining when we are due to ride, there is a good chance that the roads will be wet and therefore slippery. If you ride, take extra care in your bunch, especially with descending, braking and cornering.

Should Saturday be a wash out, you can come out for one of the Sunday rides – be it the coffee ride around the river, or one of the hills rides (long, short or short social). All rides start from the usual place on Coode St at 7am. The post ride coffee stop is in Vic Park for the hills groups. Plenty of options on the coffee ride.

Please note there is no ride leader assigned to take the Development group this Saturday. Sunday Hills riders take care when going through the ongoing roadworks on Helena Valley Rd.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 25th May

Sunday 26th May

Monday 27th May

Tuesday 28th May

Wednesday 29th May

Thursday 30th May

Friday 31st May

Ride Routes 18 – 24th May

SEVEN was last weekend, for those of you that don’t know. And it was a huge weekend in the WA sport of cycling with over 1,400 people participating.

We had some great results from SPR members so I went to take a closer look at results for members of the club. It turned out to be a bit of a daunting task – I had some help but I’m sure I still missed people, so apologies in advance. Kudos to everyone who participated, and to Brendon and Rebecca for putting on the race.

Looking over the results, you can see that we have lots of riders (and lots of excellent results) in both male and female categories and across all ages.

So here we go for some accolades. First up, podiums:

  • Nathalie Laurendeau – Winner (Seven, 55-59 age group)
  • Stefanie Van Amerongen – Winner (Seven, 45-49)
  • Zoe Davison – Winner (Seven, 19-34)
  • David Manners – 2nd (Seven, 40-44)
  • Mark De Castro – 2nd (Five, 60-64)
  • Oscar Barrett – 2nd (Three, U/19)
  • Sarah Summerscales – 2nd (Seven, 19-34 age group)
  • Stuart Gee – 2nd (Five, 65-69)
  • Tom Barrett – 2nd (Three, 40-49)
  • Annie Bramley – 3rd (Seven, 55-59)
  • Corrie Johnstone – 3rd (Seven, 35-39)
  • Helen Breed – 3rd (Three, 60+)
  • Lauren Humphries – 3rd (Seven, 19-34)
  • Marcus van Dalen – 3rd (Seven, 60-64)

And special mentions for SPR top ten results:

  • Adelia Neethling (Seven, 8th 45-49)
  • Belinda Evans (Three, 6th 40-49)
  • Daryl Puyales (Seven, 10th 35-39)
  • Doug Pavlovic (Seven, 8th 40-44)
  • Jake Harper (Seven, 5th 55-59)
  • Jamie Fabrizio (Seven, 10th 50-54)
  • Kate Bonner (Seven, 5th Elite Female)
  • Kate Nelligan (Seven, 6th 35-39)
  • Michelle Bonner (Three, 4th 60+)
  • Peter Lander (Five, 4th 70-74)
  • Sandra Bektic (Seven, 5th 50-54)
  • Vanessa Johnson (Five, 4th 55-59)

And kudos to everyone else who raced on the day – Adam Ralph, Bryan Bergkamp, Damon Sunderland, Elar Kalda, Gilbert Moore, Giovanni Firmani, Herman du Plessis, Jay Ashford, Johnny Leong, Judd Otley, Lily Handoyo, Michael du Plessis, Peter Lawrence, Peter Mah and Tod Trower.

Well done all 💚

Daniel

SPR TOMR 2024 EOI Open — SPR is pleased to formally launch the TOMR 2024 campaign, and call for Expressions of Interest from riders, volunteers, and/or sponsors, who are considering joining the SPR team for this year’s event.

This is not a locked in commitment rather a starting point for contact in the future and further information.

Please use the “I’m interested” link and answer the few brief questions. This will enable the Race Subcommittee to gather information for everything from accommodation to team composition.

We want to ensure that we enable everyone that wants to participate to do so.

TOMR 2024 – I’m interested!

National Volunteers Week is being celebrated right across Australia this week and as a gesture for all the committee, sub committees and ride leaders who give their precious time to keep our club alive and well, please find myself or our treasurer Shirley Vine after this Saturday’s ride for a complimentary coffee.

Giro d’Italia Dinner — Thank you to everyone who came out Tuesday for the Giro dinner. A great night was had by all.

And thank you to Carol and Danielle for organising 🙏🏻

Canning Road E-Petition — A City of Kalamunda resident has a launched a WA Government petition to make Canning Road safer for cyclists – or create a bypass.

The petition states Canning Road, “is narrow, winding, has no sealed shoulders, frequently no shoulders, high kerbs with steep drop-offs in places, restricted sight-lines, and large trees within 1 metre of the carriageway. Kangaroos cross it.”

“It is unsafe for ALL road users, but particularly so for cyclists.”

It calls for the Government to, “prioritise the remediation of this serious road safety issue,” and calls out, “A designated Cycleway connecting Brockton Highway and Glenisla Road…” as a safer option.

Member for Thornlie Chris Tallentire MLA supports the petition, and shares the concerns about riding on riding on parts of Canning Road.

The petition is here: https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/…/petitions/24-0003

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out – only three places left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Two

2. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 1 (26/May – contact race regarding SPR teams)

 

Juniors Ride — We will meet in Shelley to practice some efforts, tactics and bike strategies.

I can see that meeting at the Shelley beach public toilets is a bit dangerous with the traffic. So let’s catch up at 10.30am in Watersby Cres (https://maps.app.goo.gl/i2wkShUZU5Bmo8ZS9) corner with Riverton Dr N. It is a safer place to stop and there is plenty of parking there.

From the Ride Coordinator — More great riding weather this weekend. It might be a bit windier than what we’ve enjoyed recently.

Pick your ride groups wisely! These people are going to be your teammates for the ride and you will be wanting to work together to make the ride as smooth, safe and enjoyable as possible. If gaps open up in your roll throughs, or riders are not rolling through, then please look around and moderate your pace to keep the group together. Don’t forget to call “clear” and “last wheel”.

Enjoy being out in these mild mornings!

Please note there is no ride leader assigned to take the Development group this Saturday. Sunday Hills riders take care when going through the ongoing roadworks on Albany Hwy.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 18th May

Sunday 19th May

Monday 20th May

Tuesday 21st May

Wednesday 22nd May

Thursday 23rd May

Friday 24th May

Ride Routes 11 – 17th May

SPR is pleased to formally launch the TOMR 2024 campaign, and call for Expressions of Interest from riders, volunteers, and/or sponsors, who are considering joining the SPR team for this year’s event.

This is not a locked in commitment rather a starting point for contact in the future and further information.

Please use the “I’m interested” link and answer the few brief questions. This will enable the Race Subcommittee to gather information for everything from accommodation to team composition.

We want to ensure that we enable everyone that wants to participate to do so.

A reminder to sign up for the Giro d’Italia dinner coming up next week on 14 May. All the details below.

Good luck to everyone riding Seven this weekend! Go hard, and may your training pay dividends.

See you out on the bike.

Daniel

TOMR 2024 – I’m interested!

Canning Road E-Petition — A City of Kalamunda resident has a launched a WA Government petition to make Canning Road safer for cyclists – or create a bypass.

The petition states Canning Road, “is narrow, winding, has no sealed shoulders, frequently no shoulders, high kerbs with steep drop-offs in places, restricted sight-lines, and large trees within 1 metre of the carriageway. Kangaroos cross it.”

“It is unsafe for ALL road users, but particularly so for cyclists.”

It calls for the Government to, “prioritise the remediation of this serious road safety issue,” and calls out, “A designated Cycleway connecting Brockton Highway and Glenisla Road…” as a safer option.

Member for Thornlie Chris Tallentire MLA supports the petition, and shares the concerns about riding on riding on parts of Canning Road.

The petition is here: https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/…/petitions/24-0003

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner — The recent Paris–Roubaix was certainly exciting viewing and soon we will be treated with the Giro d’Italia. To mark the start of the grand tours in Europe 2024, the club is having a dinner at Bravo’s in East Victoria Park – fabulous food and friendly staff make it special.

Bring family and join friends for a classic Italian meal.

Menu $65 pp for a 3-course meal – fully licensed.

Tickets and all the details

SPR French Alps Trip 2024 — The French Alps are calling cyclists – don’t miss out – only three places left!! 💚

The itinerary, quality hotels, fully equipped support vehicles provided throughout the trip is truly remarkable for a very affordable price. Thirteen Main 2 riders have already signed up for the SPR French Alps cycle trip with Christophe so don’t miss out – itinerary attached.

The 16-day trip starting in Geneva 31 August takes you through the iconic French Alps for ~ 700km to Nice. If you are interested, please put in an expression of interest via this link.

SPR is arranging this tour to support a collegial cycling experience in Europe with familiar likeminded colleagues.

Racing this weekend – If you want to race, or get in on the action watching others race, read on.

1. WCMCC Herne Hill – Graded Road Race

2. WA Cyclocross Numbat Cup Two (19/May)

3. PDCC Harvey Teams Series – Round 1 (26/May)

 

Juniors Ride — No juniors ride this week. Giovanni will be in Nannup for Seven (good luck!). Check back next week.

From the Ride Coordinator — Saturday looks like it’s going to be the best day for those riding this weekend. Wishing a great day out to all participants at SeVen: riders, vollies & supporters.

We all know communication is key to a safe and successful group ride. When you are the rider at the front, you must call out all hazards and indicate route directions, and following riders must pass it back down the group. Calls from the back of the group must also be passed to the front of the group. Remember that it can be even more difficult to hear in windy conditions.

Please note there is no ride leader assigned to take the Development group this Saturday.

IMPORTANT: We have changed the start time of our Sunday Hills rides back to our winter time of 7am. Take note 🥶

Saturday 11th May

Sunday 12th May

Monday 13th May

Tuesday 14th May

Wednesday 15th May

Thursday 16th May

Friday 17th May

The website for the South Perth Cycle Club