6 May 2024
2024 Mudgee Classic: Highlights From The Gravel & Road Grand Fondos
Threatening skies, intermittent showers and cool conditions were no match for the 2,000 riders that started the 4th annual Mudgee Classic Gran Fondo early on Sunday morning.
Many hardcore enthusiasts were backing up after Saturday’s Dirty Mudgee gravel event held in wet, wild, and slippery conditions. But despite the weather, it was all smiles at the start line as wave after wave of riders left on the various event courses that took in the best scenic views of the Mudgee region.
With legendary sports presenter Kenny Sutcliffe firing the start gun, cyclists of all ages and abilities headed out onto the region’s roads for the major annual Grand Fondo event.
Around two hours later, they started to arrive back at the local Glen Willow Sporting Complex with some riders conquering their first hundred kilometres, others thrilled to have ridden 35k’s, and others ticking off the 175 km Maxi Classic, stories abounded at the finish line.
Riding Mudgee with 50 fellow riders from the Northern Sydney Cycling Club, Anthony Blomfield said it was always a highlight to head away for a cycling weekend with mates.
“It was well managed, there were heaps of volunteers and it was a wonderful route to ride,” he told us. “There are around 50 of us from the club here. We’ve rented houses on the course and our wives came out the front banging pots and pans as we rode past – we had our own cheers squad.”
Riding her third Mudgee Classic, Nicola Rutzou from the Women Who Cycle blog said she had a sensational weekend despite the weather.
“It was really good,” she told us. “A little bit of rain but who cares, we dried off. I met some really good people out there. We came up for a long weekend – drove up from Sydney on Friday and we’re going home tomorrow… it’s such a good little getaway. Four couples from the cycling club have rented a house – we love coming to Mudgee.”
On Saturday afternoon we spoke with lead riders from the second annual Dirty Mudgee gravel event. In quite the understatement, local rider Paul Wilks told us “It was quite sloppy out there” as he described the wet & muddy ride.
“We do these loops most Thursdays’ … it’s such a good loop. I moved to Mudgee 12 years ago and love it. The cycling, the vineyards, there are loads of interconnecting gravel roads so it makes it easier to train and gives us some good cycling options.” For those keen to ride with the locals Paul Wilks told us the meeting point is Mudgee’s Giant shop on Sydney Rd each Thursday evening.
Riding both Saturday’s Gravel event and the Sunday Grand Fondo, Classics ambassador Dee Vero said Mudgee was his number one place to visit for a cycling getaway.
“Today’s ride was so good, the rolling hills through the vineyards and past the wineries, it was just amazing.
And after yesterday’s gravel he said it was an “all-round cycling weekend.
“When it’s muddy gravel live that you’re not off the pedals at all,” he said.
“After doing 55km on the limit on Saturday, then pushing it again over the 175km, the country roads today were quite dead so you’re constantly having to push that power. But two stages and some very different riding each day, it was a great weekend away.”
The Mudgee Classic is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
SAVE THE DATE
The Mudgee Classic will be retuning on the weekend of 3 – 4 May, 2025.
About The Classics
The Mudgee Classic is part of The Classics series by Bicycling Australia. Bicycling Australia is the nation’s most established and highly respected cycling media platform, in print and online for over 30-years and 247 issues. Over the last eight years, The Classics have proudly hosted Gran Fondo Cycling events in three states and continue to deliver The Classics series: the Bowral Classic, Mudgee Classic, and Snowy Classic - making it the number one provider of Gran Fondo cycling events in Australia.
Websites:
www.cyclingclassics.com.au & www.mudgeeclassic.com.au
For further details, contact -
Jasmine Sutherland, Marketing Manager
0481 761 063
Vanessa Burges, Event Director
[email protected]
0402 218 845