Melbourne Cup on Wheels

[Brentos]

How good do you have to be to race in the Melbourne Cup on Wheels. Is it pretty open or is it mainly only for gun people.

 

[classic1]

As long as you have a racing licence and a track bike you can ride. The Melbourne Cup is a 2000m handicap event, so riders are given head starts based on ability eg the World champs and guns are off 'scratch' and the lesser riders are handicapped anything out to 240m.

Ideally youd have some experience at club level before racing on the very steep indoor velodrome. Note too that the MCoW is held in November, so the event has been run and won. The next big track meet in Melbourne is the Sid Patterson memorial this weekend at the DISC track at Darebin.

 

[Brentos]

As long as you have a racing licence and a track bike you can ride. The Melbourne Cup is a 2000m handicap event, so riders are given head starts based on ability eg the World champs and guns are off 'scratch' and the lesser riders are handicapped anything out to 240m.

Ideally youd have some experience at club level before racing on the very steep indoor velodrome. Note too that the MCoW is held in November, so the event has been run and won. The next big track meet in Melbourne is the Sid Patterson memorial this weekend at the DISC track at Darebin.

Ok thanks. I read that you have to get invited though, what does it take to get invited?

 

[classic1]

no. You just have to enter through Cycle Sport Victoria, just like you do for any other 'Open' event.

 

[Brentos]

no. You just have to enter through Cycle Sport Victoria, just like you do for any other 'Open' event.

ok, have you raced it, it sounds like you've had experience with it

 

[classic1]

ok, have you raced it, it sounds like you've had experience with it

About a 100 years ago I rode a few at Northcote. I rode the first one held at Vodophone but was sick, went terrible and ended up at hospital that night on the drip, so the memory is a bit hazy

Im just a spectator now. Format is the same as for the Austral, or pretty much any wheelrace. They have heats, first couple of placings from each heat go into the final. The rest of the racing program is generally a scratch race for each grade, with the Aces getting a few more rides.

Are you a member of a club?

 

[Brentos]

About a 100 years ago I rode a few at Northcote. I rode the first one held at Vodophone but was sick, went terrible and ended up at hospital that night on the drip, so the memory is a bit hazy

Im just a spectator now. Format is the same as for the Austral, or pretty much any wheelrace. They have heats, first couple of placings from each heat go into the final. The rest of the racing program is generally a scratch race for each grade, with the Aces getting a few more rides.

Are you a member of a club?

Yeah, blackburn. Thanks for the info.