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Punto Tours will be the official sponsor of this year’s Blue Over 50’s jersey. We expect this jersey will be hotly contested with several teams structuring their entire campaigns around it’s procurement. Punto will have a marquee in the tour village where visitors can learn more about their tours and meet the Stars who will be riding for their ToMR team. By visiting the Punto Marquee you will also have the chance to win a place on one of their amazing cycling adventures. We suggest heading over to their website now and identifying your favourite tour, you just never know your luck.  puntotours.com

Kauri Sports has released a range of souvenir merchandise for the tour including the popular “Mooove over Adelaide” T-Shirts and ToMR dress polos.  Pre order online to ensure you get your correct size and you will save some money at the same time.   Kauri Sports online

It would have to be the worst kept secret in road cycling, but three times winner of the sprinter’s jersey at the Tour de France, Robbie McEwen will make a return to racing in November’s tour. McEwen will join ex national road champion Peter McDonald and national under 23 criterium champion Bradley Linfield in a powerful SWCC Racing team.  Can Robbie win one more green jersey?  We can’t say for sure, but we suspect he will have plenty of supporters on the finish line.

The mould has been cast and the metal has been poured to create these stunning new medals for the 2014 tour.  In total we have eighty six to give away and we feel confident that they will all be hard earned. Gold medals will be awarded for stage wins and then Gold, Silver and Bronze at the conclusion of the tour.

We are pleased to announce that Damien Howson has moved from our pro register onto our start list. Damien is the 2013 World Under-23 Individual Time Trial Champion and currently rides for Orica-GreenEdge. Over the next few weeks will be making further announcements as we finalise the list of pro riders coming to the tour. A provisional list of teams participating in the tour will be released on August 21st.

It’s a big call, but we think that Western Australia is leading the way nationally when it comes to women’s road racing. When the tour hits the roads in Margaret River we will have close to 80 female riders, making ToMR one of the largest female road races in the country. A lot of credit must go to groups like Hall Cycle Training and Perth Integrated Health Cycling Group and to clubs like the South Perth Rouleurs for helping women to transition from just riding socially to racing. Not only in ToMR but in the NRS as well.  Photo: Tony Lendrum

Volunteering for a four day tour can be a particularly challenging experience but hopefully somewhat less demanding for our Vollies this year with the appointment of Melissa Mumme from the Collie Cycle Club as our Volunteer Welfare Co-ordinator. Melissa will be responsible for health, safety, communication, knowledge and scheduling of people and resources during the Tour. Please join us in welcoming Melissa to our team and in expressing our sincerest gratitude to the CCC for their continued and integral support of the tour.

It has taken a few years, but finally Margaret River has it’s very own team to cheer for in November. Team Arimia has assembled the best riders from Margaret River into one well organised team. This team has a powerful line up of riders capable of winning stages, but will likely focus on supporting the GC ambitions of star recruit Luke-James Sleegers. Internal sources tell us than we can also expect an Arimia Women’s team on the road in the near future.

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.