This weekend, fans will be treated to a weekend of world class sport and community participation events with action centred on the UCI Women's Road Cycling World Cup and the Australian Triathlon Championships. City of Greater Geelong Mayor, Cr Bruce Harwood, today joined with the reigning Australian Criterium Champion, cycling's Alexis Rhodes, and under 23 world champion, triathlon's Erin Densham, to launch the weekend's great sporting festival, Wheels on Waterfront Geelong.
South Australia's Alexis makes her debut in the professional ranks with the T-Mobile Team this week when she races the Geelong Tour, running from Tuesday to Thursday before Saturday's World Cup.
Saturday kicks off with more than 100 of the world's best women cyclists in the Geelong World Cup, the opening round of the 2007 UCI Women's Road World Cup Series. The field includes seven of the world's top ten ranked women cyclists and the top four women's professional teams. Olympic Champion, Sara Carrigan, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Natalie Bates and two time World Cup Champion and former world ranked number one, Oenone Wood will take on the likes of world ranked number one, Nicole Cooke from Great Britain, 2006 Geelong World Cup winner, Ina Teutenberg (Ger) and a host of other leading names representing the major teams in world cycling.
The field will contest eight laps of a challenging 15 kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 120 kilometres. To prepare for the World Cup the riders will contest the three-day Geelong Tour that kicks off tomorrow, Tuesday, at Portarlington. For full details of the Geelong Tour and the Geelong UCI Women's Road World Cup please visit www.geelongworldcup.com
In addition to the two elite events, five community events have been organised. Over 2700 people have signed up to compete in Saturday's 160km Great Ocean & Otway Classic Ride and the 90km Great Anglesea Ride, and the entry list is filling fast for the Olympic distance triathlon for amateurs to be staged on Sunday morning.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor Cr Bruce Harwood said the City, through Geelong Major Events, was once again honoured to support these two prominent events on the region's sporting calendar. "The UCI Women's Road Cycling World Cup and Australian Triathlon Championships join a number of prominent national and international events which have earned the City of Greater Geelong a reputation as being a major events capital," said Mayor Harwood.
"The best thing is that it's free for everyone to enjoy, all day Saturday and Sunday. If you want a great day out, base yourself at Steampacket Gardens as so much of the action centres on the Waterfront - plus there'll be plenty of family entertainment.
