A TOUR LIKE NO OTHER

As the Australian Team Championships, the Tour of Margaret River is the ultimate experience for your cycling team. The unique format means that amateur cyclists can compete directly against riders from the pro tour peloton. Designed especially for teams, TOUR is a highly tactical race where competing teams accumulate time in a way specific to each stage. Simply put, there is no other race on the world cycling calendar quite like TOUR.

With over 100 teams participating every year (160 in 2022!), TOUR is one of the largest competitive road cycling events in Australia. Teams are seeded into divisions via the stage 1 Team Time Trial, and then compete for trophies and awards within their division of 60 racers over the following stages. We are proud to have one of the largest fields of women racing in the country. With open and all-female classifications, and a participation category, we have options to suit all. TOUR 2023 will be held from Nov 3 to 5.

HOW IT WORKS

The Tour caters for teams with a broad range of abilities. You need to need be able to ride above 25kmh and have good bunch riding skills. Teams are allocated to divisions of similar ability based on times achieved in the stage one time trial.

The Tour is genuinely a race for teams in open and all-female categories. The primary objective of your team is to win the trophy available in your race division by accumulating the fastest team time across the various stages of the Tour.

Tour jerseys are available to win in each racing division. Teams should structure their membership to create opportunities to win jerseys. Every year, there are around 40 jerseys to be won, across all divisions and age groups.

TOUR 2023

PROVISIONAL PARCOURS

Download GPX files here

STAGE 1

TEAM TIME TRIAL

25.5km – 380vm

For the Stage 1 TTT, racing is in team time trial formation. Teams are launch at 1-minute intervals from the start line at the Nannup Event Village. Gold Gully Road and East Nannup Road will be closed to all vehicular traffic. The results of this stage are used to allocate teams into divisions for the Stage 2 Road Race. There are 10 teams per division, with the fastest 10 being allocated to Division A. There is an Open Classification and an All-Female Classification. Team in the All-Female Classification Divisions will be launched consecutively from 11am.

DOWNLOAD STAGE 1 MAP PDF

STAGE 2

ROAD RACE

91km – 1600vm

For the Stage 2 Road Race, racing is in divisions, and the roads are closed. Riders can park at the finish village in Greenbushes before the race starts and roll 10km down the South Western Highway to Balingup for the race launch. At this time of the morning, the highway is quiet. Riders can also park in Balingup for the start, then after the race finish, either ride 10km straight down the South Western Highway to Balingup (it will be busy) or take the quiet and scenic 15km back route around Greenbushes-Grimwade Road and Jayes Road into Balingup.

DOWNLOAD STAGE 2 MAP PDF

STAGE 3

GRAND PURSUIT

94km – 1340vm

For Stage 3 Grand Pursuit, individual teams are released at 30-second intervals. Three timed racing segments are set within the longer route, with start and finish lines clearly marked by signage on the side of the road. Before, between and after the racing segments are the neutral sections. Each rider receives their own individual time, which goes towards their overall team time and their overall individual time. Teams may stop between racing segments, but they must finish the entire course by 2pm, under the arch in the Nannup Event Village.

DOWNLOAD STAGE 3 MAP PDF

SCHEDULES

GENERAL INFORMATION & RULES

Registration fee
  • $2500 per team of six (teams can start with 5 riders).
  • No deposit to be paid this year. Upon registration, an invoice for the full amount will be sent via email to each team manager.
  • Payments are per team…not per individual rider. It is the team manager’s responsibility to collect individual payments from riders and/or sponsors and make one lump sum payment by EFT to Cycling Eventures, as per the invoice.
  • The registration fee can only be refunded up to October 1st 2023. After October 1st, if a team decides it cannot compete, registrations can be rolled over to TOUR 2024, or the team manager can find a replacement team to fill the place and ensure that all registration details within the registration system are changed to the new team.
Licenses
  • A current AusCycling annual Race All Discipline membership or an AusCycling 7-Day Event Licence ($74) are both suitable for TOUR. (The 4-Week Free Trial membership is not valid for TOUR.)
  • Team managers are required to present proof of the above licenses for all team members at the Licence Check Desk at the event village on Friday November 3rd, prior to receiving their race packs at the Registration Desk.
  • Silver Cycling Australia Licenses and Tri Licences are not acceptable.
  • Age is calculated as at November 3rd 2023.
  • All riders holding a current Under 19 AusCycling race licence are eligible to enter.
  • Male U17 riders who are transitioning to U19 on October 1st this year may participate in the event. However, female riders in this same scenario are restricted to racing no more than 80km, and therefore must apply for an exemption via the AusCycling national pathways team, at least one month prior to the event. This application can be sent to the WA Office via matthewpoyner@auscycling.org.au. U17 riders who are not transitioning to U19 cannot participate.
Teams
  • Teams are to consist of 6 riders with a nominated Manager, who can be riding or non-riding. Teams can start with 5 riders if a sixth rider cannot be recruited.
  • It is the Team Manager’s responsibility to register and pay for their team/s, read the TOUR Race Book, ensure that all team members are well informed of the rules of racing and the racing schedule, and ensure that team logistics are in hand.
  • All male and mixed teams compete in the Open Classification (mixed teams are a mix of men and women).
  • All female teams compete in the All-Female Classification, but can apply to compete in the Open Division.
  • All team members must present to all stages in matching jerseys, with the exception of professional riders who are contractually prevented from doing so.
  • No drafting with other teams on Team Time Trial stages or the Grand Pursuit stage.
  • Riders are required to complete each stage in order to start the next.
  • Protests must be lodged to Commissaires by Team Managers only.
Results based on times

Results are calculated according to the following times:

  • Stage 1 Team Time Trial: Times for Team Classification and General Classification Jerseys will be that of the fourth rider of the team to cross the finish line, with the exception of 5th and 6th riders who will be allocated their individual time for the Age Category Jerseys competition. The team time determines which division a team is allocated to for subsequent stages, with the fastest ten teams being allocated to division A.
  • Stage 2 Road Race: Team time is the aggregated time of the first three riders, minus any individual time bonus that may be awarded to the first five riders across the finish line in each division (50/40/30/20/10 seconds off).
  • Stage 3 Grand Pursuit*: In the Grand Pursuit, riders will start together as a team and be allocated individual times towards the Yellow/White Age Category Jersey classifications. The time allocated to the team will be the aggregated time of the fourth placed rider (racing segments only). The rider in each division who sets the fastest time across all three racing segments will be awarded the EKOI Grand Pursuit Puncheur Jersey.
  • Overall result per team: is the sum of the above three times, with teams being ranked against the 10 teams in each division.
The Grand Pursuit

The Grand Pursuit is a teams-based racing format. Timed segments are set out within a longer route, with start and finish lines clearly marked by signage on the side of the road. Each rider receives their own individual time for each segment, which goes towards the overall team time and the overall individual time. In a similar fashion to a Team Time Trial (TTT), competing teams are launched separately at set intervals, but unlike a TTT, a team does not have to finish as a group: it will depend on the objective of the team within the overall event, and the nature of the specific segments. Strategically, the members of the team must decide who they are riding for. Tactically, they must work out how to get their priority rider/s through the segments in the fastest way possible. Riding together as a team may produce the fastest time for the priority rider/s, but a priority rider may achieve a faster time on their own, depending on the nature of the segment in question, and the strengths of the priority rider in relation to the segment. Drafting on other teams is not allowed.

Three segments are on offer in Stage 3. Teams will launch at 30-second intervals from Nannup.

See Grand Pursuit Explainer Video

Awards
Stages:
  • Stage 1 TTT: Fastest Team in the Open Classification and Fastest Team in the All-Female classification are awarded the TOUR Gold Medal. Second and third fastest teams in each classification are awarded the TOUR Silver and Bronze medals.
  • Stage 2 Road Race: Polka Dot Jersey awarded to the fastest rider in each division.
  • Stage 3 EKOI Grand Pursuit: EKOI GP Puncheur Jersey awarded to the rider in each division that sets the fastest combined time across all three racing segments. Individual times also contribute to the Yellow and White Jersey Age Group competitions.
Final Presentations
  • Division Champion Team: team in each division with the fastest time over the combined stages – TOUR Trophy and TOUR Gold Medal.
  • Division First Runner-Up Team: team in each division with the second fastest time over the combined stages – TOUR Silver Medal.
  • Age Group Yellow Jersey Winners: fastest riders overall in each age category (Open Classification and All Female Classification). 21-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65+. Please note: Women racing in the Open Classification are only eligible to win an Age Category Jersey in the Open Classification, not the All-Female Classification.
  • Under 21 White Jersey Winners: fastest under 21 riders overall (Open and All Female Classification).
Presentations
  • Jerseys will be presented at the completion of each day; recipient riders are required to be in attendance.
  • To respect the race and sponsors, riders are required to wear their team kit onto podiums.
Course & Support
  • Roads will be a mix of open and closed (roads will be closed for Stage 1, and 2).
  • Riders crossing unbroken white lines (or using more than half the road when white lines are absent) will be fined and potentially disqualified.
  • No team cars are allowed on course. Penalties apply (see Race Book).
  • Due to the large number of competitors it is not guaranteed that riders will be serviced by support vehicles in a timely fashion. It is advised that competitive teams formulate their own plan to supply protected riders with a spare wheel or a replacement bike from another rider within the team.
  • The best spectator viewing points are at the finish lines of each stage.
Bikes and equipment
  • Only road bikes are allowed in the race. Disc wheels, time trial bars, tri-spokes and time trial-specific helmets are not permitted.
  • Riders must wear Australian Standard approved helmets only.

RESULTS

Idle Timing

2022 RESULTS

Link to Race Result

2021 RESULTS

Link to Race Result

2020 RESULTS

Link to Idle Timing

2019 RESULTS

Link to Idle Timing

2018 RESULTS

Link to Idle Timing

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