The 2016 Western Division Road Championships are on this Saturday in Orange, after being rescheduled.
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The event was originally scheduled for September 10, but was postponed due to heavy rainfall and damage on roads caused by the extreme weather.
It will be the first event since 2014, after last year’s Mudgee championships where cancelled due to road safety concerns.
Bathurst cyclist Mark Windsor won the last championship and said this year’s tournament should be fascinating.
“It will be interesting who can make it this year [with it being rescheduled],” Windsor said.
“We can still expect a good field and some good, worthy champions.”
Orange and Mudgee Cycling Club have had strong entrants in recent years, but Windsor said Bathurst hold a dominate record.
“Aiden Toovey from Mudgee is a quality rider,” Windsor said.
“Dubbo also have two strong, young guys in Adam Mitchell and Chris Cooper.”
Windsor has been riding in the championships since the 1980s and said it is a big deal to represent your club.
“The event has a big social feeling, racing with and against people you know,” Windsor said.
The championships are one of the oldest organised sporting events in Australia, with the first event held in 1886.
When questioned on his championship defence, Windsor was in two minds.
“I can work through the tough parts, but the young fellas are a bit to quick when it comes down to those sprint finishes,” Windsor said.
The road race circuit features parts where the road is at 950m, with the lowest parts almost 100m lower.
The senior individual time trialists will start from 9.30am and 11am for juniors, with sign-on’s from the east side of Jack Brabham Park.
The road race will commence at 1.30pm for A grade, with following grades commencing at five minute intervals.