The Licorice Gallery

Melbourne-to-Warrnambool Classic on new roads

The second oldest one-day cycling race in the world is on again this Saturday beginning from the Werribee racetrack in Melbourne's outer western suburbs. The race, which was first held in 1895, has seen some changes to it's route this year due to police concerns of growing traffic flow in the area.

The journey has been reduced from 299km down to 261km and will make it's way through the Western District on a long section of the Hamilton Highway before rejoining the Princess Highway near Terang. Race director John Craven said the changes were necessary to comply with Victoria Police safety requirements.

Some of the Melbourne-to-Warrnambool memorabilia that was on display at the race launch in Werribee.

"The classic is an Australian sports institution and the Warrnambool's Citizens' Road Race Committee works exceptionally hard to preserve and guarantee it's future', he said.

Fifty riders entered the first ever Melbourne-to-Warrnambool, 24 started and only seven of those finished. In 2009 there are around 200 entries from all over the world. Current British road champion Kristian House will again test his temperament with the race after having a love-hate relaionship with it over the past four years.

"It frustrates me that i haven't done better in the 'Warrnambool' because it's such a special race', he said. "It has a great reputation and is the race i want to win", he added. House will ride in the colours of his UK based Rapha Condor team which recently competed in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour.House and teammate, 2007 Australian road champion Darren Lapthorne, also rode in the underated Tour of Tasmania and are both 'pretty keen' he said.

The Melbourne-to-Warrnambool is rich in history.

2008 winner Zak Dempster will again line up depsite suffering minor injuries in a nasty fall during a stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour, his Drapac Porsche teammate Rhys Pollock is an underated rider and cannot be dismissed. Pollock finished strongly during the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and often finds himself in a break.

2008 winner Zak Dempster (right) shows Kristian House and Darren Lapthorne (left) some horse power in three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva in Werribee.

Other riders to watch could be David Tanner and nineteen-year-old Nick Aitken who impressed in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour, both will ride for the Mitchell Building Supplies team. Budget Forklift's Cameron Jennings and Malcolm Rudolph, the later winning this year's Grafton to Inverell classic, are consistent performers and will be looking to get themselves into a break.

With $17,000 of prizemoney up for grabs between four grades the pace will certainly be on when riders hit the Princess Highway for the final 69km and the run into Raglan Parade in Warrnambool.

Some previous winners of the classic include Robert McLachlan (2006), Simon Gerrans (2003), David McKenzie (2001) and Hilton Clarke (2000).

The Licorice Gallery will be covering the race and results and images will be posted on www.cyclingnews.com.

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