The Central West is set to become a pilgrimage for cyclists from all across Australia this weekend, as the region gets set to host the Bathurst Cycling Classic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The main feature of the Bathurst Cycling Classic will be the Blayney to Bathurst race, where competitors will take on either the 110 kilometre or 70 kilometre course on Sunday morning
There'll also be the NSW Hill Climb Championships that will be held at Mount Panorama on Saturday and criterium racing at Kings Parade on the same day.
And while there'll be plenty of visiting cyclists, Bathurst will be represented by a strong core of competitors.
Julian Woods, who has called Bathurst home since late 2017, will compete in his third consecutive Blayney to Bathurst on Sunday.
His performance at the 2017 Blayney to Bathurst was enough to qualify him for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Albi, France.
Mr Woods originally started cycling in 2015.
"I picked it up during my honours year. I was on a road bike and I did a fair bit of commuting around Sydney," he said.
"I used a commuter bike on a self-supported ride to Sydney to Melbourne in 2015. On that ride, I went down the South Coast and that's when the cycling bug bit me."
Mr Woods also qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in 2018, but did compete in the event in Italy.
And after competing in the long course for the past two years, he'll now take on the short course for the first time.
"I haven't done it before, so it should be good. An ideal finish would be to finish in the front bunch," he said.
Preparation and training for the race has involved Mr Woods going on 150 kilometre rides on most weekends over the summer.
In recent weeks, he's been competing in the Bathurst Cycling Club's criterium races and, when he can make it, in the club's Tuesday and Friday morning rides.
Last year's long course was won by Manly rider Matthew Dinham, while Bathurst's own Kirsten Howard was the quickest female cyclist.
Something new for the 2019 edition of the Blayney to Bathurst, cyclists will get the chance to cross the finish line at Mount Panorama.
That means the Village, a place where spectators can enjoy food and drink, has been moved so supporters can watch and cheer as cyclists complete the course on the iconic track.
For more information, visit www.bathurstcyclingclassic.com.au.