With the Tour Down Under in full swing down in South Australia it’s time to turn your attention to the state’s other great cycling event, the Clare Classic.
It’s sure to be an action-packed weekend on April 4-5 with a wide variety of rides available as well as some scenery that must be seen to be believed.
Best of all, it’s open to anyone and everyone. With four ride options ranging from the intense 160km Maxi Classic to the all-terrain 80km Dirty Clare gravel.
So read on to find out why you should take on Clare in April!
Be the first to complete Dirty Clare
2020 is the year that Dirty Clare makes its debut. In fact, Saturday 4 April will mark the first ever gravel ride for the Bicycling Australia Classics Series!
Starting from Clare Town Oval, the 80km gravel course will take in the undulating climbs around Spring Gully Conservation Park. With its natural Australian fauna and wildlife, the course also offers sweeping views of the Clare Valley plains.
This course has it all, from 891m of climbing, to longer descents where you can freewheel on the gravel to plenty of flat sections to recover. For the most part the course is not too technical, however there will be some challenging sections through the Spring Gully Conversation Park. These sections will be sign posted so you can ready yourself for some challenging terrain.
Get off the beaten track with Dirty Clare.
Push yourself
The Clare Classic is first and foremost about fun. However, there are also a couple of courses that will push you to your limits.
The Maxi Classic is the big one. 160km of road awaits riders as well as the Jolly Way King/Queen of the Mountain. That’s not all you’ll be climbing, with the 4km Blyth Road rising 300m early on in the ride.
For those who still want to be pushed we have the 110km Challenge Classic. Like the name suggests it’s still hard work but not for as long. Don’t worry you’ll still get to take on the Jolly Way King/Queen of the Mountain so you’ll still feel the burn!
The Jolly Way King/Queen of the Mountain will test the most experienced of riders.
Recharge your batteries
Clare Valley may give the Classic its name but it’s so much more than cycling. It’s a world-class wine region with beautiful rolling hills, boutique farms and plenty of that famous country hospitality.
So why not make a mini escape out of it? Ride the Clare Classic, eat, drink, explore and recharge the batteries!
The Clare Valley is just waiting to be explored.
