The two day Victorian Masters and Para Cycling Championship will include paracyclists, and masters riders over 30 descending on Ballarat, with an individual time trial held on Saturday and a road race scheduled for Sunday. 

The races will be located mainly around Learmonth, but will also stretch out north to the Pyrenees Shire. The events will be co-hosted by the Ballarat Sebastopol and Eureka cycling clubs.

City of Ballarat councillors will consider the tourism grant application at their September 12 ordinary meeting. 

In a report, council officers stated they expected a total attendance of 1,000 people, which included over 200 participants, with an estimated economic impact of $132,300.

Around 90 per cent of visitors are expected to stay in Ballarat overnight, according to the grant application. The $5,000 requested by Cycling Victoria would go toward marketing and promotion, to encourage overnight visitation. 

In April this year when the championships were announced, Ballarat Sebastopol committee member Tim Canny told The Courier he welcomed the news, particularly given that about 70 percent of Ballarat road racing riders were 30-plus and eligible to contest masters’ events.

The 15 and 20 kilometre time trials will pass through Learmonth, Blowhard and Coghills Creek.