Tamworth Cycle Club will be well represented at this weekend’s Bathurst Cycle Classic.
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The club has 22 riders contesting the two day event, which incorporates a hill climb at Mt Panorama, criterium race in the heart of the Bathurst CBD and a 110km road race on Sunday from Blayney to Bathurst.
Six of the contingent are returning after competing in last years event.
“It’s been exciting to see such a diverse range of people becoming involved in racing at Tamworth Cycle Club over the last 18 months, and our junior and women’s numbers just continue to rise,” club president Min McDonald said.
“Now we’re increasingly seeing our members travel away to represent the club at these large events across the state, and we’re looking forward to seeing what they achieve.”
Fraser Ashford and Mick Sherwood who have both looked strong throughout the local criterium series, and are two expected to do well.
Juniors Josh Deasey (10 years) and Isobel O’Connor (9 years) will represent the club in the children’s criteriums, while NIAS athletes Fletcher Partlin and Zane Tapp are also expected to perform well after spending time training with the Western Region Academy of Sports cyclists last week.
“The Bathurst Cycle Classic is a really exciting and dynamic event that has grown dramatically over the last ten years and now sees attendance of around 3,000 entrants and their support people each year,” McDonald said.
“While we will be starting much smaller, Tamworth Cycle Club is looking to emulate some of this success when we hold our first Cycling Festival later this year.”
She said the committee members are looking forward to trying everything on offer and talking with organisers with a view to bringing back some ideas for the September 1 and 2 event.
The Tamworth contingent is: Pip Ash, Katrina Ashford, Fraser Ashford, Simone Church, Jeremy Deasey, Luke Deasey, Josh Deasey, Joe Kelly, Luke O’Connor, Isobel O’Connor, Min McDonald, Fletcher Partlin, Jayne Puttman, Alyssa Rogan, Murray Russell, Mick Sherwood, Ash Smith, Barry Stockman, Zane Tapp, Robert Wright