ANTICIPATION is building at Buninyong this morning ahead of the highly anticipated Cycling Australia Road National Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Crowds are already flocking to the centre of the township, as well as lining the side of the course to catch a close glimpse of the riders.
As you would expect for the lovers of lycra, the coffee stands are full to the brim and the makeshift tables and chairs are loaded with people.
At the Buninyong CFA sausage sizzle, volunteers are armed with 2500 sausages they hope to sell throughout the day.
Brigade captain Marc Cannan said it was the biggest day of the year the brigade could prepare for.
"We have 18 members on duty, the trucks are on standby and ready to go," he said.
"It's important to keep the community as safe as we can."
The pre-race shuttle bus up the Midland Highway has been packed since opening at
9.30am, filled with spectators hoping to catch a glimpse from the King of the Mountain vantage point.
Among those is the Stuart family from Melbourne, who only decided to come along once they heard Cadel Evans would be racing.
"We actually never thought he was going to race, it was a last minute decision but we thought we might never get the chance again," Allen Stuart said.
Armed with deck chairs and eskies, crowds are filing along Mt Buninyong Road, as well as countless amounts of amateur cyclists putting their bodies to the test.
Near the top of the King of the Mountain stage is an elaborate setup out the front of the property of Peter and Pauline Roche, the owners of the Bended Knee vineyard.
With some bottles of red wine at the ready, as well as a television to show the event live, Bill Disseldorp says he couldn't imagine a better arrangement.
"Last year we had about 200 people huddle around on the last lap watching the television to see who won," he said.
"I can only imagine the same thing will happen today."