Australia’s Richest Handicap Cycle Race
Cycling has been part of the Goldfields since the courier cyclist in the 1890’s carried messages around the Goldfields before the telegraph line came to the region. This year’s Minara Resources Goldfields Cyclassic will continue as a two-stage handicap race across the rich and historic landscape of the Western Australian outback from Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Menzies and on to Leonora.
Held over the WA Day long weekend the two-stage event will be run as two individual races stages. With approximately $20,000 in prize money up for grabs EACH day across a variety of grades this is a marvelous opportunity for both the professional and amateur rider. Riders completing the second stage of the Minara Resources Goldfields Cyclassic – the Leonora Golden Wheels start on Sunday morning in Menzies. They will continue north along the Goldfields Highway. It will be a fast race; after heading down the hill from Menzies, the road can be seen heading out across the Jeedamya plains to Leonora. This race again will be run as a stand-alone handicap race with three sprint sections set along the route. The race will enter the town of Leonora where riders will complete two laps of a very tight street circuit before hitting the finishing line where the celebrations around the Leonora Golden Gift take place.
This photograph is from an earlier race in 1930 and shows six competitors and their support teams. The Grand Hotel and the Montgomery’s store in Menzies are in the background.
Menzies Bike Race 1930
This photograph of William Davies shows him wearing the MCC ‘Menzies Cycle Club’ medal he won on the 3rd April 1899 for the Menzies Inter Club Cycle Race. The medal which is shown front and back is still in the possession of his family.
William Davies 1899
Medal of William Davies ‘front’
Medal of William Davies back
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Moya Sharp
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