Calga TT

[g-boaf]

Another issue is that even with approvals local residents don't always play nice. Local traffic hassling the riders, someone somehow getting onto the course. Or worse.

[mikesbytes]

Good points Alex on the logistics. Its being a while since I was at Moreton Park road. I see that it meets a lot of those logistics;
- access without driving the course, enough parking for a typical ATTA meet
- alternative road available for locals
- off memory no technical points for TT riders
- almost no traffic encountered, possibly none. That's a stack less than Calga
- There's paddocks at the start/finish which could be used by a helicopter, not sure about the rest of the course

Another thing about Moreton Park road is that there's good driving access to get to it, you can drive most of the way there on the motorway network, a lot more of Sydney's cyclists can get there relatively quickly and when they finish the north Connex there will be good access from the north. I live near Sydney Airport and I can get there in half the time it takes me to get to Calga, a reason why I didn't go there that often

[robbo mcs]

My in laws live right out at the end of ridge road, so I have driven it a lot and ridden it as well. The road quality has deteriorated a fair bit in recent years. It used to be very good, but now a bit patchy.

I don't do TT myself, but a few roads come to mind.

Wisemans ferry area. What about St Albans road from Webbs creek ferry out to St Albans? 20km, great road with a bit of up and down. Pretty quiet, alternative route for residents on the other side of the river. Also Wisemans ferry road from the ferry to Spencer, 25km. More residents on that road. Both have reasonable spots for parking and staging close by etc. The ferries mean there is not too much traffic.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Wisemans ferry area.

Pretty sure this has been already been considered for races before and approval was not granted.

[DaveQB]

I find it interesting that the Century Challenge is still going ahead (on the same roads).
https://www.centurychallenge.com.au/

[queequeg]

I find it interesting that the Century Challenge is still going ahead (on the same roads).
https://www.centurychallenge.com.au/

I am guessing it's all a numbers game. There's nothing about the roads being closed, so you'd have to assume traffic control given that the 100km event does two loops of most of the route. Entry is something like $80 for the longest event. I have no idea how many would do this event, but probably more than would show up for ATTA. I am sure ATTA could go ahead, but to run it would require an entry fee way up there, and I doubt anyone would see value in that when they can ride Peats Ridge Rd for free any day of the week.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Rides like the Century Challenge provide a different level of support with officials and course marshals throughout the route, sweep vehicles and mobile mechanics, food, hydration and rest stations and so on.

[DaveQB]

It is seeming more and more like Brad had been flying under the radar and has now been asked to meet all standards and requirements. Or am I off course?

PS Alex, beredatraining.com doesn't resolve (your sig).

[Alex Simmons/RST]

It is seeming more and more like Brad had been flying under the radar and has now been asked to meet all standards and requirements. Or am I off course?

I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did without the requirements applied to any other new similar event. Actually the Saturday morning CCCC road races were probably as much of a trigger. Many years ago it was recommended these be moved to a more benign time slot as Saturday was going to continue to raise friction. But like suggestions on how to save the Goulburn-Sydney, they involve a change the promoter doesn't personally like (e.g. reversing the direction and a few strategic route changes could have kept a race for quite a number of years more).

A circle about 2 hour's drive or so around Sydney has become more urbanised, and roads and road use has changed accordingly. Pockets that haven't grown are affected anyway due to increased population in centres nearby and a corresponding increase in traffic flows though the areas in-between. None of this should come as a surprise - a lot has changed in the past 25 years. But when change is evolutionary there is a tendency to not see the long term implications when you are in the middle of it.

I wish Brad and the team well with their efforts, it's good event and it would be a big shame to lose it.

We do have a bigger picture issue though, and many events are dropping off the calendar, it's been going that way for a while and is a function of the sort of issues impacting Calga TT as well as bigger picture demographic changes and generational/cultural change in the way people engage in recreation and sporting activities. The woeful numbers at this year's track championships, and disappointing (read non financially viable) numbers at masters road championships which have been declining in numbers by about 10% per year for the last decade or so (peak was about 2009/10). No more Colnago race series. Various opens have disappeared from the calendar. In that time sportives / fondos have grown hugely. I think we are close to peak sportive as well but that's hard to judge - it's one of those things that can really only be assessed in retrospect.

PS Alex, beredatraining.com doesn't resolve (your sig).

Yeah, unfortunately Bereda pulled the plug on their system. I'll need to edit that to something else.

[g-boaf]

Rides like the Century Challenge provide a different level of support with officials and course marshals throughout the route, sweep vehicles and mobile mechanics, food, hydration and rest stations and so on.

This is where they get the people coming in. For me, I don't flinch at riding something like that, I do it without support, marshals and sweep vehicles, etc. But for those people who are relatively new at cycling, this gives them the opportunity to have a go at it and feel somewhat supported and 'safe'.

Those types wouldn't even turn up to the Calga event, they aren't into that or ready for that sort of thing and probably don't have a CA license. I'm fairly sure something like L'Etape would scare them off too.

I don't see that a local cycling club would be able to manage that sort of thing. The club racers/members would just go and ride 100km for free on their Saturday morning at 5am and then be back at home in 3 hours. Maybe I'm wrong though.

My lot wouldn't be able to find anywhere suitable for such an event, not a time trial and certainly not a 100km road race. Closed roads? Impossible. Even partial/temporary closures would be a huge logistical ask.

And we are in suburban Sydney in a heavily populated area. Criteriums and track racing are about all we can do, save for one event we run with another nearby club each year. We've been heavily hit last year and this year by the weather. Either heat, dust, smoke or heavy rain or combinations of those prevented a lot of our racing.