ONE of Australia’s premier sprinters, two Olympic gold medallists, and a Giro d’Italia stage winner will all be among a stacked field of quality riders when Bathurst hosts the opening round of the NSW Grand Prix criterium series next Wednesday.
Rabobank rider Graeme Brown at this stage will headline a classy list of entrants for the main event to be held over 30 kilometres round the Bathurst city area on Wednesday night, the two-time Athens Olympic gold medal winner set to be among the favourites for the event.
With entries still open until the end of the week, Brown will be joined by British rider Ed Clancy, a four-time world champion as well as an Olympic gold in Beijing for the team pursuit.
Team Sky professional Chris Sutton, a time trial winner at the Giro d’Italia in 2008 is another of the heavyweights already on the entry sheet for what is sure to be one of the biggest events in the sport’s history in this region.
“We have some riders from the Garmin Transitions team as well, the Russian and New Zealand national squads and Ben Kersten from Fly V Australia is another of the big-name riders contesting the series,” Cycling NSW CEO Kevin Young explained.
“Events NSW has gotten right behind the idea and we are hopeful this is the first of many events of its type.
“The government is starting to realise just how popular the sport has become on the back of things like the Tour Down Under and the recent world titles in Victoria. The criterium races are fast and furious and of course all free for the public and it is set to be a great event,” he said.
Young says that despite the fact that the concept and establishment of the event seemingly came from nowhere, he is not surprised by the quality of the field who are set to take part in the five races, starting in Bathurst on Wednesday and concluding at Cronulla on Sunday week.
“I’m not surprised because I know a lot of riders are coming to prepare for the 2011 season,”
he said. “This sort of series really does get the riders’ legs back into action in time for the busy months ahead and also gets them ready for the national titles in the new year.”
He added that Bathurst was an obvious choice to join Cronulla, Coogee, Gosford and Parramatta given the way the sport has exploded in the area.
“This follows on from the well-established Blayney to Bathurst event that has now turned into basically a week-long extravaganza. So as far as I’m concerned Bathurst was a logical location to start this sort of idea,” Young said.
“There are already over 80 riders in the men’s field, and a strong line-up for the women’s race including [Commonwealth Games road race winner] Rochelle Gilmore who brings a strong team with her as well.”
The opening round of the NSW Grand Prix series kicks off at 6.15pm on Wednesday night.
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