IT is rare enough to witness a renowned Le Mans style race start at Mount Panorama, but come this Friday night it will be deployed at an entirely unexpected venue.
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It will be seen at the Bathurst Bike Park.
As its name suggests, the unique start comes from the famous Le Mans motor sport event.
The starting procedure, used prior to 1970, involved drivers standing off the track, waiting for the green flag to fall.
As soon as the flag dropped, they would run across to their cars, jump in, and drive off.
But the Bathurst Cycling Club has decided to adopt its own style Le Mans start as part of its final track night event of the year.
It will see riders take their cleates off and leave them by their bike and walk to the start line. When given the nod, they will run to their bike, put their shoes on, hop on and ride away. This is just one of five events - some more wacky than others - to be staged on the evening.
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The program will also feature a chariot race, which is all about a mixture of experience and youth as two-rider teams square off against each other.
The more experienced rider leads their partner, and is in charge of all the tactical decisions such as speed and line. Managing each other will be crucial for victory in this event.
Other events include the scratch race as a warm up, the longest lap and a timed skills course.
Glenn Carter, who is the event organiser, said that the night has something for everyone, not only experienced cyclists.
“The night is all about getting the kids involved, as well as people who are relatively new to cycling,” he said.
The meeting rounds out a successful year for the club, which boasts a number of current state champions.
For more information, check out the Bathurst Cycling Club Facebook page.
