It has generally been regarded as one of the most picturesque roads in WA and with the recent sealing of Mowen Road it is now only 40 minutes drive from Margaret River. At a distance of 85km and with constant undulations, Nannup to Balingup return has to come under serious consideration as we begin to map stages for an expanded tour in 2015. A stage for the climbers? Not necessarily, but then we wouldn’t be expecting the entire peloton to arrive back in Nannup together either.
If your team missed out on securing a place in the 2014 ToMR you still have the chance to ride two of the same stages as the tour on the same day by entering the Tour de Gracetown. TdG is one of two organised rides happening around the tour, the other is SWCC’s “intimate” Wednesday Ride with the Pros from the Margaret River Chocolate Factory. Check out both of these events if you can’t stand the thought of coming to the tour and not bringing your bike!
All across Western Australia in the early hours of the morning teams are out racking up the kilometres in preparation for ToMR. When the tour kicks off in November almost every region of the state will be represented on the start line. We welcome back teams from Albany (pictured), Kalgoorlie, Denmark, Manjimup and Esperance and we welcome new teams from Karratha, Joondalup, Champion Lakes and from Broome. Regional team lists are filled with ex champions, potential new champions and overly large personalities, all of whom will help contribute to a great tour. Photo: Tony Lendrum
As the 2014 Tour kicks off there will be the opportuntiy to wine and dine with some of the stars of Australian cycling in the intimate environment of Arimia Estate. Head Chef, Evan Hayter has designed a menu that abounds in tasty treats and features some of the regions best wines and produce. Book your place by clicking on the following link: Arimia Legend’s Night Numbers are strictly limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. A full list of guests will be released closer to the date.
One of the most prestigious prizes in Australian cycling? Well maybe not, but the two questions we are asked most are; “Where do you get the cows from?” and “Will you be having the cows again in 2014?” In short the answer is yes! For last year’s champion Theo Yates the 2014 tour will be an opportunity to add some more heifers to his little herd.
One of the great ideas “borrowed” from the Tour Down Under. Okay, so it’s just a few bales of hay and a couple of speed humps, but if you are only five and you have just taken the trainer wheels off your bike the Tiny Tour can be every bit a nerve racking as the tour itself. Dad’s about to finish his race? Who cares we are having too much fun on the Tiny Tour!
Which rider in the peloton is putting out the most power? This year with the help of Verve Cycling and their Infocrank we will be holding a Wattage Competition in the tour village to see who is actually dropping the biggest “Watt bombs”. This competition should be a great spectacle as well as creating the opportunity for participating riders to win some really great prizes.
For teams travelling from interstate and overseas for TOMR we recommend the services of our official travel partner Total Travel WA. These guys know the intricacies of cyclo tourism and they know how to the stress out of your next cycling holiday. Who will take home the Total Travel WA Sprinters Jersey in 2014? We think that it will take some wrangling from last years winner Theo Yates.
We welcome back Satalyst pty ltd as a major supporter to the 2014 tour. Satalyst contributes very significantly to cycling in WA and we are really excited about continuing to build the partnership between them and the tour. As a thank you for their support of the tour we have named our male and female GC Leaders jerseys after the company. The new look jerseys have been designed by Luke Lucas and will be produced by Kauri Sports. We will have some great prizes and awards during the tour, but none will be a prestigious as taking home a Green Satalyst Jersey.
The tour now has a Pro Register and already we have a fantastic list of World Class riders on it. If you really want to “change up” your TOMR experience how about adding a Drapac or GreenEDGE rider to your team? For corporate teams this will be a really effective way of raising your team’s profile and inspiring your existing riders to train a bit harder!
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