'I had no idea what I was in for' – Tracey Gaudry looks back on a crucial moment in Melbourne to Warrnambool history in this 'Wheel Life 3' book extract

The recently released Wheel Life 3 – Cycling Recollections of the 1990's and 2000's by Ben Schofield delves into many of the tales of Australian cycling through interviews with the key players. As part of the run into International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8, we're sharing an edited extract from the book, looking back on the 1994 edition of the historic Melbourne to Warrnambool race, when Tracey Gaudry added her name to the very short list of women who had completed the race at the time.

Those early finishers, began in 1980 with Beryl Burton and Pauline Walters and that then helped pave the path to the current era. A women's category was introduced to the 270km race in 2015, with Lauretta Hanson winning, and then a stand alone event in 2021, won by Maeve Plouffe. The latest winner is Sophie Edwards, who on Sunday claimed her second victory at the event.

If you want to read more of the stories from Wheel Life 3, the ebook is now available and you can follow these UK, USA and Australian links to purchase the latest book in the series.

Tracey Gaudry

I have a few thoughts about the Warrny! The Warrny in the 1990s was a handicap and I’m a big proponent for handicap racing. It was a way for me, a female bike rider, to be part of a hard race.

In a handicap, it was tactical, many races within the race, and it was a great way to gain high intensity racing and learn a lot of skills. I did a lot of handicap racing – with the Geelong Cycling Club for example.

I remember in 1994, I’d been to my first World Championships, I’d been riding for two years, just got home, and I was training for next Summer, I’d just been granted a scholarship with the AIS [Australian Institute of Sport], and I was getting set for that. I said to Donna [Rae-Szalinski] "What can I do to get race fit, something to focus on?" And she said "Well, the Warrny is coming up in October" and I said "Yes?" and she replied "Well, you could do that!" I said "What? Two hundred and seventy-six kms?" I’d been riding for two years, and she said "Why not?"

So, we set a six-week training plan to compete in the Melbourne to Warrnambool. I had no idea what I was in for, just lots of eagerness. She'd motor pace me a hundred kms at a time, out in the Otway Ranges and within six weeks, I was as ready as I could be. I raced off 3rd Limit with bunch of about 40 men – I was the only female competitor.

I did my turns – until my near fatal mistake of doing a turn just as we got caught by Scratch and Second Scratch! They just stormed past. We formed a bunch of 20 or 30 riders and I finished my first Melbourne to Warrnambool 38 minutes behind the winner, in 53rd place out of 200 starters – not a bad result.

There was Robbie McEwen on the podium, and I was invited up as first official woman finisher.

That was Donna-Rae all over, "Just have a go! What’s there to lose?" So yes, I have memories of the Warrny and I was honoured to be Patron of the first official Women’s Warrny in recent times, organised by the amazing Karin Jones.