Originally published in the Snowy Mountains Magazine, Jindabyne’s Steve Cuff speaks with 2022 Snowy Classic rider, Jindabyne local and event ambassador Lachie Harrigan.
When young gun local rider Lachlan Harrigan takes on rivals in the Snowy Classic he will do so with the confidence of not only having extensive knowledge of the local course but having competed against other riders previously.
Cyclists love to travel for events and Lachie is no exception. He has supported other Classics series events including several Noosa and Bowral Classics, which he said both had great atmosphere.
But he particularly enjoys riding on his home roads, particularly with many other enthusiasts at the Snowy Classic.
“It’s definitely special to see thousands of people enjoying your home terrain,” he said. “You obviously get a little bit of an advantage knowing the roads. And you push a little bit harder when you’ve got hundreds of people around you.”
“And also a few spectators on the side of the road as the community always gets around all the events that come to Jindabyne.”
A BoostFor The Region
As with past events, he said cyclists will also return during other times of the year when roads are not closed and will contribute to local tourism. An introduction through events like this help in future.
Lachie is expecting a strong field but is hopeful of his chances.
“I’m pretty well known as the mountain or Jindy boy,” said Lachie when discussing the camaraderie among riders. He also noted cheekily there is often requests for accommodation from fellow riders.
Like last year, Lachie will be lining up for the 170 Maxi Classic event that includes 2800+ metres of climbing.
All About The Terrain
Lachie knows why many people visit the Snowy Mountains saying it’s the terrain.
“The main attraction would be the mountainous terrain, we are one of very few places in Australia to get that mountainous terrain. It’s not often in Australia you can climb for 30 kilometres non-stop. “It’s been great to see the region grow with the events that come to Jindabyne,” said Lachie.
“It creates some pretty special riding with climbing and some pretty special scenery up in the alpine region.”
“I will train pretty specifically coming into that event for the hills and hopefully I get a bit of a hometown advantage and put on a good show,” he said.
Registrations for the Snowy Classic are open now – to secure your place on the startline You Can Register Here.
For more from the Snowy Mountains Magazine visit https://www.snowymagazine.com.au/digital-editions/2022-autumn-edition
