Otoc Vault women join race
Heavy northbound traffic can be expected this morning on Goldfields Highway with a Goldfields Cyclassic first greeting competitors for the 2015 event.
National Road Series outfit Otoc Vault Racing's women's team will line up along with the rest of the field, a first in the race's history when stage 1 gets under way today.
The women join their male counterparts from Otoc Vault in a strong professional field, with four NRS teams, including Dome Racing, nominating.
The teams form part of the 158 entries for the race, which include 53 riding in the Community Challenge leg alongside the main-race competitors.
Eastern Goldfields Cycle Club president Wayne Douglass said the continued support from the professional outfits ensured a high-quality field, despite a drop in overall numbers.
"We have four National Road Series teams, plus Otoc Vault bringing their women's team, which is a first for us," he said.
"The NRS teams, which have supported the event in years past, are coming back so there will hopefully be some very good racing on offer over the two days.
"We would definitely like to see more professional outfits compete, and Otoc entering their women's team is a step in the right direction."
Douglass said while he was pleased with the professional teams' commitment to the event, he did not want lower-level riders to be dissuaded from entering in the future.
"We're trying to play both ends of the spectrum; we do want good quality riders, but we also want a good, level participation from the not-so-professionals, the weekend-warriors," he said.
"Being a handicap race, everyone has a chance of winning, not just the A-graders or the professionals.
"The year before last, I think, a D-grader took it out so everyone is in with a chance.
"The Community Challenge, numbers have more than doubled from last year's race, which was an aim for us when we were planning this year."
Stage 1 starts today with briefings at the Brookman Street Stadium before the Community Challenge riders head north at 9.30am, with the main field leaving from 10am.
Riders are expected to arrive in Menzies from 12.30pm and will be greeted by a street festival.
Tomorrow's stage 2 also gets under way in the morning, with competitors expected to arrive in Leonora between 1.15pm and 2pm, coinciding with the Golden Gift.
