500k <24H> Prologue
500k Cloudride Prologue
The 2023 Prologue starts 8:00am this Saturday at Stromlo Forest Park.
The field looks like heading out with 70+ starters going via Wee Jasper, Jugiong, Harden, Young, Boorowa, Jerawa. Gundaroo and finishing at Bent Spoke Brewing in Braddon. Still room for more starters if you have a late urge to join in the fun. It’s a fast flowing course 62% of gravel goodness with some paved sections feeding in and out of the towns along the way. Weather looks great for Saturday and Sunday, mid to high 20’s with some prospects of rain and cooler conditions on Monday. Plenty of beautiful country to ride through with highlights along the Murrumbidgee River into Jugiong and the mega Cow Stack sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist John Kelly on the way to Harden.
Pic by Doug Ingram ... the Milky Way story here
The race tracker is now live and populated with the full field up on the tracking page.
Maprogress
Plenty of riders with no exposed form on the gravel. Those with some dirt cred include past winners Wes Hart and Seb Dunne. Matt Warner-Smith set a blistering pace last year before the lights went out and plenty of top ten finishers from recent years who are sure to be up amongst the frontrunners by twilight time. Amongst the women we have three past Prologue winners Meredith Quinlan, Lauren Bartsch and Lucie van der Schalk with Scottish rider Lucy Coldwell adding quality with a strong road background including representing Scotland at Commonwealth Games level and a winner of the 2018 Elite Women’s category in the Cairns off road Crocodile Trophy Mountain Bike Stage Race.
Race updates and pics will be on the Bikepacking Ultra Racing Australia Facebook page …
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1088211551529916
1,000k Monaro Cloudride
START: Good Friday 7 April
Already a good field coming together to tackle the new faster route. The Tingaringy Wilderness section will remain as an alternate for a significant saving in distance and vertical climb however it’s unlikely to be a viable option based on recent reports. There is still a significant volume of water coming down the Snowy River at the route crossing point and it will be a very late call to get a green light for any rider to choose this alternate.
Plenty of experience through the field with Rowan Mcmurray, Daniel Gangur and Wes Whittle all having tackled the course in its previous iteration. Wes Whittle is on the start list for the 2023 US Tour Divide in June and looking to build his fitness for that event. More recently Tassie rider Emma Flukes [left] has signed on. Emma has a string of impressive results,winning the 2022 Tassie Gift which she organises and has a Race to the Rock and Vic Divide finish on her CV.
A number of Prologue riders testing their legs over the weekend before committing to the 1000k’s
Rider List as @ 7 March 2023 … one month to go!
2023 Monaro Cloudride 1000 - Friday 7 April 2023
Shaun Mcmanamny, M45+ Beechworth Vic
Tegwyn Mcmanamny, W35+ Beechworth Vic
Nick Avery, M30+ Inner South, Sydney NSW
Rowan Mcmurray M45+ Belconnen ACT
Annie Thompson W30+ Inner South Sydney NSW
Paul Millynn M50+ Wodonga Vic
Wes Whittle M40+ Nthn Beaches Sydney NSW
Doug Lynch M45+ Western Port Bay Vic
James Sloan M65+ Albury NSW
Troy Gabriel M50+ Leneva Vic
Daniel Gangur M45+ Sale Vic
Emma Flukes W30+ Hobart Tas
SPOT SALE!
I’ve still got a few SPOT Gen3’s [$100] and one SPOT Gen4 [$150] for Sale.
Go to the SPOT website and work through the registration costs.
Contact Steve
E: ride@breathtakingevents.info
M: +61 4 1771 0999