GEELONG TO ADELAIDE

With the World Road Race Championships arriving in Geelong will come the rest of the world. I am speaking of Equipment , Media , UCI Officials ,Protour Team Officials , their mechanics and other support staff , families , friends and supporters. In addition to those with connection to the racing will be visitors with an interest in Cycle racing some of whom will be retired and will have an interest in seeing more of Australia than two cycle events.

I will not be the first to have thought of this but I wonder what has been done in the last years to make sure that those that arrive early for Geelong will prolong their stay so as to be at the Tour Down Under. In recent weeks we have heard mutterings about the TDU being the race event of South Australia but little of making other events more prominent so as to capture the interest of a wider audience. Tourism Australia must certainly be well aware of the huge opportunities provided to them by these two events.

Each of the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France starts and finish sites have huge amounts of equipment trucked in on a dily basis but the Worlds sites set up at the start and at the end strip out their equipment. The point I am making is that there is all this equipment that will be available for use whether for existing events or for events that are created for this period. Many existing events can perhaps be expanded to allow for visiting racers to participate. What UCI regulations need amendment to allow this perhaps temporary arrangement I am sure Cycling Australia can sort out easily enough.

Each cycle season is planned years in advance and to not see the advantages posed by the Worlds and TDU falling within a short period of each other will leave cycle fans wondering about the level of leadership in their sport. This year the TDU was helped by the arrival of two major individuals but throughout the years there has been comings and goings of teams and athletes so there should be a level of flexibility in event management. I fail to see that UCI would refuse to allow variance of regulations during this period so as to allow visiting racers the opportunity to enjoy a prolonged stay with their families in an enjoyable environment.

Every winter the Protour teams and indeed all cycling teams at other levels have get togethers, Team training sessions whatever you like to call these events but on occasion bad weather intrudes so being in Australia could solve some of these needs.

Having looked at the UCI calendars it is easy to see that there is time available to add or upgrade events so as to utilise the opportunities presented by those visiting that wish to remain in Australasia during the Southern Hemisphere Summer months and enjoy a change from the Northern Winter.

Sponsors that do not see the possibilities I am sure will welcome the addition of other Sponsors who do so as that will in the long run benefit them also. The bigger the event becomes the larger the media contingent present thus the possibilities of increased returns for their outlays. Jayco must be feeling pleased that their Tour starts within days of the Worlds concluding and will be hoping that the New Mens World Champions will participate in their event. It goes without saying that the media room will contain more international correspondents than previous years although some will wish to be at the Giro Lombardia.

Cycling Australia and Cycling Sponsors have the opportunity to provide the up and coming talent with better racing possibilities than in previous years. Will they seize this opportunity and present the cycling community with an unrepeated feast!

WELCOME TO PARRABUDDY

............NO RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN FOR THE CONTENTS!!

I AM TRYING TO CREATE THE FORUM FOR THE DISCUSSION ON SETTING UP A PROJECT TO TAKE "DISABLED/PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED CYCLISTS " TO THE MAJOR CYCLE TOURS,ie GIRO'ITALIA,TOUR OF CALIFORNIA, TOUR DE SUISSE, VUELTA ESPANA & TOUR DE FRANCE.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT ALL CYCLISTS WISH TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A FASHION IN THESE CYCLE TOURS! ABLE BODIED, FULLY FIT CYCLISTS FIND THE DAILY ETAPPE A CHALLENGE, EVEN AFTER 12 SEASONS THERE ARE DAYS I FIND THAT THE FINISH LINE CANNOT COME QUICKLY ENOUGH.

IF A TEAM OF CYCLISTS WERE ABLE TO PASS THE BATON FROM ONE TO THE OTHER IN A TIMELY FASHION THEN WITH THE CORRECT SUPPORT TEAM THEY WILL ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE. TIMING IS OF THE ESSENCE AS "HANDBIKERS & TRICYCLES WILL NOT TRAVEL AS QUICKLY AS TANDEMS AND ADAPTED CYCLES. SOME VARIETY IN STYLE AND FITNESS WILL ALSO ENTER INTO THE EQUATION.

MY EXPERIENCE AS A SINGLE RIDER AT 12 TOUR DE FRANCE, 11 GIRO D'ITALIA ,10 TOUR DE SUISSE AND A VARIETY OF OTHER TOURS DOES NOT EQUIP ME TO PROVIDE ALL THE ANSWERS SO I WILL DEFER TO THE SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS. EACH DAY BROUGHT IT'S OWN CHALLENGES BE IT WEATHER, MAINTAINANCE DEFECTS, ACCESSIBILITY TO THE TOUR ROUTE OR THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES.

WHAT I THINK IS NEEDED ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO OFFER THEIR SERVICES AND ARE CONTENT TO RIDE SECTIONS OF THE ROUTE AS THE OPORTUNITIES ARISE,HELP WITH THE DRIVING OF SUPPORT VEHICLES, MUCK IN AS CAMP WARDENS AT ARRIVAL AREAS AND/OR BE INVOLVED IN BREAKING CAMP IN THE MORNING. OF COURSE HAVING A TEAM TO DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE OR GOODIES IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE ADDS TO THE PUBLICITY, AS DOES HAVING VIDEO,PHOTOS TO GO TO MEDIA,BLOG, WEBSITES DURING THE EVENT.

STARTING TO SEE WHY I ALONE AM ABLE TO COME AND GO AS I PLEASE, BROKEN BIKE OUT GOES THE THUMB IF I DON'T FIX IT ON THE SPOT. IMAGINE A BROKEN "HANDBIKE", NO CHANCE OF IT GOING IN A CAR! SO ALL THE YEARS I WANTED TO TAKE A HANDBIKE WENT OUT AT THE FIRST HURDLE!

......FIND ME ON TWITTER.COM/SKIPPYDETOUR

EMAIL SKIPPI@AUSI.COM

SMS 00436764061232 (I CHANGE THE NO IN EACH TOUR COUNTRY)

.... I WELCOME INPUT OF VALUE.