Riding in the Ballarat Cycle Classic for the first time in years, former under-23 national champion Nick White is going straight for the top-tier.
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He'll take on the SPUD100, a 100-mile (160km) ride through the countryside east of Ballarat, organised in honour of the event's patron, the late Danny Frawley.
Frawley was proudly the 'boy from Bungaree' - Nick's from nearby Millbrook, an important distinction.
READ MORE ON THIS YEAR'S CYCLE CLASSIC:
The event is the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute's major fundraiser for the year, which means all money raised goes straight to research taking place in Ballarat.
Riding 100 miles might not be enough, he joked.
"It's more like a weekly training ride, I might do a bit extra before and after it, make a day of it," he said with a smile.
"Between both the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute and Spud, it's something that's quite close to me and my family."
The Cycle Classic, on February 21, is for riders of all levels.
Nick said he had fond memories of riding laps of Lake Wendouree as a kid, just beginning to get into cycling.
"The special thing about the Cycle Classic is that it's a Ballarat event that supports a Ballarat cause, and it's important," he said.
"They cater for literally everyone, between the mountain biking events and doing laps of the lake with your family, right up to the SPUD100.
"It's for the whole community - get out and support a good cause and have a good time."
Popping into FECRI's state-of-the-art lab for the first time on Friday to see the result of all the fundraising was also a good excuse to take a quick break from preparing for next week's AusCycling Road National Championships - Nick will be taking on Friday night's criterium on Sturt Street, where he came third last year, and the challenging Mount Buninyong road race on Sunday.
"I've definitely put in a lot of preparation for it and I'm hopefully in a better position than I was last year, but also, with the lack of racing I've had in the last 12 months, every race day you really look forward to," he said.
"I'm really grateful they're able to hold the RoadNats this year, it was looking a bit hairy there for a while.
"It's back, in Ballarat, and you can't be anything but happy about that."
To enter, donate, or find out more, visit ballaratcycleclassic.com.au.
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