The brand new Cygnet Cycling Festival has been announced for Saturday 5 November.
Picking up on the success of the Hell of the South race and the previously held Le Tour de Cygnet, the festival aims to appeal to the wider community of bike riders.
It’s come together through a collaboration of bicycle groups and local residents, with the Hobart Wheelers–Dirt Devils cycling club driving the organisation around its Hell of the South race.
There will be a festival hub at Burtons Reserve from 9 am with food vans, local stalls, BMX display, face painting and presentations for race winners.
We’ll be there on the day with our Back on your Bike program, which helps to get people riding again after years off a bike.
We’ll also be involved before the day through our Ride2School program. Festival organisers are encouraging schools to take up Ride2School so more families can get involved in the social ride and juniors race.
Roads closed
The festival is taking advantage of the closed roads needed to run the Hell of the South race to offer a 32 km social ride, leaving at 10 am.
If you’d like to enjoy the gorgeous scenery without worrying about traffic, register via the website before 1 October for the Early Bird cost of $18 or wait until closer to the day for $26.
There will also be a 20 km kids and family ride as part of the social ride course.
Bicycle Network’s free social rides program can help you prepare for the day with its 27 km Cygnet Wattle Grove Loop on Sunday 9 October. Ride leaders Maryanne and David will take you on a route that will be similar to the festival’s social ride so you can see if the distance suits you.
You can also enter the 60 km Hell of the South race ($20 earlybird and $28 standard) and 20 km juniors race ($10) if you have an AusCycling racing membership, they start at 11 am and 12 noon respectively. If you don't have a membership you can buy a one-day licence before the event for $35.
All registrations must be completed online before 5 pm on Thursday 3 November.
Volunteers will be needed on the day so if you don’t think you’ll be off on the social ride or racing and you’d like to help out, please contact the organisers.
Images: Eudaimonia Tasmanian Cycling Tours