HEALTHY competition is breaking out between Ballarat cycling groups in a new challenge to fight cancer.
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And the Thinking Man’s Bunch are already contemplating the prize.
The inaugural Alex McCallum Perpetual Team Trophy and bragging rights is up for grabs to the largest social team registered in next year’s Reach4Research Ballarat Cycle Classic.
TMB vice-captain Dean Wells said his group had a lot of social riders in their ranks and they were confident they would be the strongest in force on ride day.
“We challenge other groups to get more riders than us,” Mr Wells said.
“We always say we’ll do the Classic as a whole group every year any way...this year adds good competition between (cycling) coffee groups.”
TMB’s biggest friendly rivals include the Saxons, who ride from Saxon House, and the Yabbies who are named, as the story goes, for a heckler saying they looked like yabbies when all rugged up for a winter ride years ago.
A picture with a likeness to sculpture The Thinker, wearing a cycle helmet, is TMB’s emblem. They say their team name has origins in all the contemplation they do over coffee.
Cycling teams have the chance to order custom-made jerseys and the largest team entered on the day will win a $500 voucher for post-ride drinks.
Corporate teams can also enter the challenge.
The annual Cycle Classic is the major fundraiser for the city’s homegrown Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, which is capturing international attention in helping to unlock the riddles of cancer.
Alex McCallum was a keen cyclist who died in may. Insurance group Protect, of which he was chief executive officer, is sponsoring the new event in his honour.
Classic road rides start and finish in a Lake Wendouree village precinct and take in the famous Mount Buninyong climb that features in the national championship course. Events include a 50-kilometre, 60km, 85km and 100km road ride and mountain bike challenges of 25km, 33km, 40km and 50km circuits.
People can also get pedalling in a lakeside family ride, pet walk and run.
The Cycle Classic is on February 18. To enter: reach4research.com.au.
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