News

Skilled Tour Of Tasmania lures top Australian and overseas riders

Olympic Gold Medallist Brett Aitken to race

By Rod Morris

Olympic Gold medallist Brett Aitken leads a star-studded field of Australian and overseas riders in the five-day Skilled Tour of Tasmania, starting in Hobart on February 27.

When the tour ends with an individual time trial at Launceston Country Club Resort on March 3 riders will have clocked up more than 500km, including some of the toughest mountain climbs in the state. The Tour will finish in Launceston for the first time since Summer of Cycling’s John Trevorrow resurrected the event six years ago.

Speaking at the Skilled Tour of Tasmania launch, Skilled’s Launceston branch manager David Higgs said cycling retained a special place in Australia’s sporting psyche and that was especially so in Tasmania through the generations.

"Skilled is delighted to support cycling and by sponsoring the Skilled Tour of Tasmania the State can lure such fine internationally ranked Australian riders as Brett Aitken and top overseas riders because it is an internationally ranked event," Mr Higgs said.

"Our relationship with cycling goes back many years and Skilled has been involved in the Tasmanian event for the last six years.

"We are also delighted the Tasmanian Government shares our enthusiasm for the event through Major Events funding and we welcome team sponsor support from within Tasmania and elsewhere."

Mr Higgs said Skilled had a proud history of servicing the needs of Tasmania’s industries and Government enterprises, having operated in the State for over 35 years.

"As Australia’s largest diversified services company, and the premier provider of contract labour on the mainland as well as in Tasmania, we endeavour to give something back to the communities in which we operate. Sport is an obvious vehicle and the popularity of cycling in this State makes it a stand-out sport that deserves every encouragement."

Mr Higgs also said that Skilled has extended its Tasmanian operations by establishing the Skilled Call Centre in Burnie, which now employs more than 200 people.

Skilled Tour of Tasmania director John Trevorrow said that he was proud of the close-knit relationship he had established with Skilled through the years.

"Skilled, as a great supporter of Australian sport and its athletes, enables the staging of events such as the Skilled Tour of Tasmania, which brings to the State nationally ranked and overseas riders to compete with young up-and-coming local stars," Trevorrow said.