Rapid Ascent

8 hours ago

𝑆𝐻𝐼𝑀𝐴𝑁𝑂 𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑉𝐸𝐿 𝑀𝑈𝑆𝑇𝐸𝑅 | 𝑆𝑇𝐴𝐺𝐸 2 | '𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐺𝐴𝑅𝐷𝐸𝑁 𝑅𝑂𝐴𝐷'

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍: Fri 22nd August
𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄: 148km (810m ascent)
𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓/𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐇: Telegraph Station / Hale River Homestead
𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄: 115km gravel, 35km asphalt
𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐄𝐆𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒:
– #1: 48km. Starts at 49km pt / ends at 97km pt.
– #2: 36km. Starts at 117km pt.
𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓: Rally. Mass start, beginning with un-timed segment.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗘:

It’s early Friday morning and, after a night of luxury in Alice, you’re rolling out from Telegraph Station with the chilly desert air clinging to your jersey. The sun is peeking out from behind the horizon and casting long golden fingers across the terrain.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗗:

Yesterday’s nerves are gone. You’re feeling sharper, more grounded. Yes, the legs are a little heavy. But the motto of the day is “let’s go exploring” and the vibes are high.

With everyone swapping notes on tyre pressure and talking about the sting of Flagon Hill the day before – there's a growing unity in the group. The Gravel Muster is properly underway!

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:

You begin at first light, rolling out en masse. Asphalt hums beneath your tyres as a rolling escort leads the way north along the Stuart Highway. Time to chat, bank some kilometres and soak it all in.

After ~40km of cruising – BOOM – the riding makes a drastic turn. You chuck a right onto Gardens Road – a legendary gravel corridor that slices across the desert like a Ginsu knife. Here the race opens up with 2 timed segments that reward grit, pacing and teamwork. Find a bunch. Lock into a rhythm. Feel the wind in your helmet and the sun on your back as you drive through rolling terrain, flanked by distant ranges and wide open skies.

After a long day in the saddle, you arrive dusty, spent, and exhilarated at the Hale River Homestead. This green oasis surroudned by emptiness is the ideal place to unwind, bathe in the pool and treat yourself to a nap (or beer) before dinner. This is a holiday after all!

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Rapid Ascent

1 day ago

𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐎 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 | 𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 "𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐂𝐘" | 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝟏 | "𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐒𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓"

WHEN: Thursday 21st August, 1:30PM (TBC)
DISTANCE: 47km (280m ascent)
START/FINISH: Blatherskite Park
SURFACE: 15km gravel, 14km asphalt, 16km sealed bike path
RACING SEGMENT: 17km bike path from Simpsons Gap to Flagon Hill (starts at 28km mark)
RACING FORMAT: Wave starts (5 riders per wave), separated by 60 seconds.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄:

You're back on the start line, lined up next to your 4 "starting companions" and debriefing about the high-octane prologue that’s just been raced.

You might be thinking “this place is leafier than I imagined”...

But you know that the tall gums of Alice are hiding the endless expanse of red sand, and spectacular gorges just a few kilometres out of town.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃:

With a bead of sweat on everyone’s forehead, the nerves have given way to pure excitement. “Let’s get this show on the road!” is the sentiment of the group.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆:

The opening kilometres are relaxed and scenic – a chance to find your rhythm and soak up the majesty of Central Australia.

You pedal past Honeymoon Gap, then follow the winding ribbon of road toward Simpsons Gap, where you arrive beneath soaring cliffs carved by millennia. (Get off your bike and look around. This place will move you.)

Once the sight seeing is done – the racing is on!

A 17km timed segment launches you back toward Alice Springs on the silky smooth, sealed Simpsons Gap Bike Path. It snakes through spinifex and desert oaks, a corridor of speed through an unforgiving landscape.

Just when your bike computer is telling you the finish line is close…

WHACK!

The final ~200m up Flagon Hill, is STEEP, loose and ruthless. Grind, spin or get off and push. Anything goes to get you over the line.

Atop the hill, a pop-up bar waits as your prize. Cold beers. Salty chips. Sunset views. This isn’t just the end of Stage 1 – it’s the start of a four-day adventure and camaraderie that will last long after the dust settles.

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Rapid Ascent

2 days ago

Relaunch of a new event... 🤣 !? ... See MoreSee Less