WA's answer to the TdF

over 2000 racers!!!
Makes for an intresting points race.

Marx SS said:

over 2000 racers!!!
Makes for an intresting points race.

And the peleton would go for miles. Paul and Phil will have their work
cut out for them remembering all the riders names.

DaveB

"SteveA" wrote

Quoted message said:

Listening to the ABC radio this morning, discussion was about WA trying
to attract back major sporting events (particularly from Vic which
steals everything that is not nailed down 😄 )

Senior person from the WA Tourist Commission announced that WA now had
the equivalent of the TdF - the Great Western Australian Bike Race -
which would be raced from Albany to Perth over 14 days in 2006.
Someone else in the studio called it the Great Western Australian Bike
Ride and she corrected them, calling it a race. She also said that
over 2000 racers and others will come from outside WA, bringing
important tourist income with them.

She was very enthusiastic about cycling in general and gave the
impression that she might have known something about cycling. Or
perhaps she was just a competent spin doctor who can appear
enthusiastic about anything as long as the money is right.

So if you were planning on going on a leisurely Great Western
Australian Bike Ride next year, beware, it has now become a race.

Or perhaps there is a race that I'm not aware of.

Or perhaps the WA Tourist Commission is just very very confused.

Definately very confused!

http://tinyurl.com/bwj5v

75km a day wouldn't be much of a race!

BruceA

BruceA said:

Definately very confused!

http://tinyurl.com/bwj5v

75km a day wouldn't be much of a race!

Bike Vic organised it. I'm out.

(Me? Disappointed in last year's GVBR? Fsck yeah.)

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My Usenet From: address now expires after two weeks. If you email me, and
the mail bounces, try changing the bit before the "@ to usenet".

SteveA said:

Listening to the ABC radio this morning, discussion was about WA trying to attract back major sporting events (particularly from Vic which steals everything that is not nailed down 😄 )

Senior person from the WA Tourist Commission announced that WA now had the equivalent of the TdF - the Great Western Australian Bike Race - which would be raced from Albany to Perth over 14 days in 2006. Someone else in the studio called it the Great Western Australian Bike Ride and she corrected them, calling it a race. She also said that over 2000 racers and others will come from outside WA, bringing important tourist income with them.

She was very enthusiastic about cycling in general and gave the impression that she might have known something about cycling. Or perhaps she was just a competent spin doctor who can appear enthusiastic about anything as long as the money is right.

So if you were planning on going on a leisurely Great Western Australian Bike Ride next year, beware, it has now become a race.

Or perhaps there is a race that I'm not aware of.

Or perhaps the WA Tourist Commission is just very very confused.

SteveA

No race. Its a charity ride.

Since the new year crit series finished they have been trying to set up a mini tour down in the south west but it hasnt gone far as of yet.

It hasn't gone too far because the South Australian event has an
agreement with the Australian Cycling Federation (I think?) that stops
any other events from being in the month before or after their event.

The West Australian race wanted to be a fortnight before or after to
increase the chances on international riders hanging about for both
races.

So essentially it is a political issue at present.

Quoted message said:

No race. Its a charity ride.

For some people, *every* ride *is* a race, though
the other parties may not be aware of it. :-)

Mea culpa.

The TDU issue sounds like the old Commonwealth Bank Race & Sun Tour problems
where promoters don't like other promoters piggy-backing off their events.
Unfortunately these organisers usually have inflated egoes & are more
worried about their bank balances than making Australia an even more
desirable location for early season racing for the Euros.
Steve