2017 Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic

The Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic returns to Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula between the 1st and the 2nd of January 2017.

Sunday, New Year’s Day will see a series of criterium races around Richie Boulevard on Geelong’s waterfront featuring some of the finest men and women’s professional cyclists and teams.

The grassy slopes of Richie Boulevard offer spectacular and up close viewing of the track below with sweeping views of our waterfront and Corio Bay. The course runs anti clockwise along the palmed line boulevard with the starting line close to Eastern Beach.

The Geelong races start mid afternoon, with a support race at 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM. The Women’s Elite starts at 5:00 PM with the Mens’s Elite following at 6:00 PM.

Monday the series moves to Portarlington overlooking Port Philip Bay before concluding in Williamstown on the Tuesday. The Portarlington leg of the event will take in the main street in Portarlington with the magnificent Grand Hotel being the focal point. The course laps the WG Little Reserve taking in the Esplanade, Fisher Street and the steep Harding Street.

Portarlinton will see four main events, with support races at 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM followed by the Women’s Elite at 1:00 PM and the Men’s Elite at 2:00 PM.
Now in its 28th year the racing series is regarded as the world’s fastest criterium series and is the opening cycle event in what will be a huge January in Geelong, with the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Ride being held only a few weeks later.

Caleb Ewen from New South Wales won the men’s event last year and has taken out three of the last four Men’s titles while Grace Elvin from the ACT was the winner of the Women’s Elite last year, her first win in the series.