By TANIA PHILLIPS
GEAR up for The Pines Tour de Valley at Currumbin Waters on Sunday, 13 October.
The event, a joint effort between Cycling Queensland and CycleSense = Excellence, is aimed at sports enthusiasts, families and the community.
The feature event is a road cycling time trial for teams and individuals that starts from the Elanora Community Centre car park at 7am and follows a picturesque course through the Currumbin Valley.
Event organiser Chris Thompson from CycleSense = Excellence said the format chosen for the event had been shown to attract cyclists of all abilities, from serious competitive club riders to novices.
“The team environment provides support and motivation for competitors on all levels. Time trialling has become an increasingly popular discipline of cycling that attracts participants from outside the sport, including triathletes and mountain bikers,” Chris Thompson said.
“It is also a perfect introduction for newcomers and ideally promotes cycling as a healthy lifestyle,” he said.
CEO of Connecting Southern Gold Coast, Peter Doggett, said the Tour de Valley was a perfect opportunity to promote the diversity of the region and its capacity for hosting large scale sporting events.
“The Tour de Valley will follow a flat to undulating journey through lush, scenic countryside and will introduce the beauty of Currumbin Valley to competitors and spectators alike,” Mr Doggett said.
“The Currumbin Valley course ticks all the boxes as a world-class cycling time trial venue. It is accessible, has a perfect surface for cyclists and it follows one of the most picturesque roads on the Gold Coast.”
Riders of any standard can compete individually or as a team with friends, colleagues or club members over distances of either 36km or 72km. Competitors can aim to be the King or Queen of the Valley, or just enjoy a fun ride with spectacular scenery.
The event begins at the Merv Craig Sporting Complex on Galleon Way from 8.45am and continues to 11.30am. There will food stalls, exhibitions, a jumping castle and a variety of activities.
Those new to the sport can learn about orienteering and cycling. There will be a kids’ ride around the complex and ‘Cyclocross’, a new adventure with obstacles on an off-road circuit.
A BMX ramp will be set up at the complex for a display by BMX stunt riders between 8.30am and 11.30am.
The Pines Tour de Valley will help raise funds to improve the safety of Gold Coast cyclists through the Amy Gillett Foundation. Visit www.tourdevalley.com.au for more information.
