Sunshine State Ready To Star In New Bike Ride

Fresh off the UCI Gran Fondo World Series in Bathurst, the cycling world turns its eyes to the Sunshine State for the inaugural Tour de Brisbane on Sunday 14 April

Coming up in just three weeks, cyclists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand and around Australia will descend on the city for a weekend of cycling.

In contrast to the classic rural-style Australian road races, the Tour de Brisbane will take place through the urban heart of Brisbane city.

Starting in the city’s cultural hub of South Bank, riders make their way across the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, offering a fabulous view of the city’s skyscrapers and river. The course then carries on down to the iconic story bridge, leading into the city itself. Racers will then make their way through the CBD and onto the Riverside Express Way and Western Freeway, which will both be closed for a bike ride for the first time in the City’s history.

Riders will then tackle a challenging Mount Coot-tha, reaching a maximum incline of 10%. The race will continue through the city and down through the undulating hills south of Brisbane. The total climb for the course is 1420 metres.

Tour de Brisbane organisers are pleased to have secured free travel for bikes domestically through Virgin Australia, as well as discounted airfares. Additionally, the local Airtrain is offering discounted fares to make travel from the Airport to the City quick and simple.

The Tour de Brisbane is the feature event of a three-week Brisbane Cycling Festival, with professional, amateur and mass participation events across the city between 28 March – 14 April.

Also taking place during the festival is the Six Day International Series Final. The world’s best track cyclists will descend on Brisbane from 12 – 14 April, combining elite track cycling with an energetic party atmosphere.

Confirmed for the 6-Day final so far include big names such as Jesper Morkov, Yoeri Havik, Andreas Mueller, Marc Hester, and Wim Stoetinga. The World Grand Final will be the night of the Tour de Brisbane, bringing the weekend celebrations to a close.

Registration and information about the Tour de Brisbane is available at www.tourdebrisbane.org