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The course for the 58th Jayco Herald Sun Tour was announced by the Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Brumby on 17 April 2009.
Date | | Stage | | Location | | Distance | | Start Time | | Format | Sun 11 Oct | | Preface | | Ballarat | | 2.2km | | 3.15pm | | Criterium | Mon 12 Oct | | Stage 1 | | Ballarat to Ballarat | | 149km | | 10.30am | | Road Race | Tue 13 Oct | | Stage 2 | | Colac to Warrnambool | | 141km | | 10.30am | | Road Race | Wed 14 Oct | | Stage 3 | | Warrnambool to Apollo Bay | | 164km | | 10.00am | | Road Race | Thu 15 Oct | | Stage 4 | | Anglesea to Barwon Heads | | 138km | | 11.00am | | Road Race | Fri 16 Oct | | Stage 5 | | Geelong | | 10km | | 12.30pm | | Individual Time Trial | Sat 17 Oct | | Stage 6 | | Melbourne | | 4.1km | | 5.15pm | | Circuit Race |
Click here for a full racing timetable.
Download 2009 Course Overview Map
Download All Stage Maps
The 58th Jayco Herald Sun Tour delivers one of the most picturesque and challenging courses in cycling. The traditional cycling festival weekend to open the Tour will take over the gold rush town of Ballarat with a weekend of activities for all cyclists culminating in the preface criterium. This curtain raiser is sure to be a crowd pleaser and is a chance to see who has form for the tough week ahead.
Monday’s opening road stage is a challenging 149km course taking in some of the most popular tourist spots in Victoria. Daylesford, Trentham and Creswick are all on a tough route which starts and finishes at Lake Wendouree in the heart of Ballarat. The lake road in front of the Botanical Gardens will be closed all day and the weekend cycling festival continues with cycling events through the day while the pro’s battle it out on the road. Watch for the strong teams to try and hold it together for the sprinters.
Tuesday’s 141km route takes us from the cycling mad town of Colac through some of the best dairy country in Australia to Warrnambool, another cycling hotbed and home of the world’s second oldest classic race, the Melbourne to Warrnambool. A likely day for the sprinter’s but also suited to an opportunistic breakaway.
Wednesday is both a lung-buster and surely one of the most stunning rides in cycling. The 164km stage starts in Warrnambool and winds along the Great Ocean Road through Port Campbell and past the 12 Apostles before heading inland to the hills of the Otways and a spectacular finish into Apollo Bay. Expect tired legs and the strong men to come to the fore as they start the play for the overall win.
Thursday does not get any easier. 138kms back along the Great Ocean Road from Anglesea to Lorne before a brutal ride up to Benwerrin and a desperate ride to hold the advantage won in the hills on the windy run into Barwon Heads. Perhaps not the deciding day of the Tour, but certainly the day to easily lose it.
Friday and Geelong hosts the individual time trial along the stunning waterfront and Botanic Gardens. A mix of technical skill and raw strength is required on the 10km course and a true all rounder should shine today.
Saturday brings the Tour home to Melbourne and Little Italy in Lygon St. A fast and furious circuit race may well decide the Tour as it did in 2006 when Simon Gerrans took the Tour on the final sprint of the final stage. A full day of support events and the bike expo are designed to make Lygon St a great cycling destination for the day.
The following Fact Sheets are available to download:
Fact Sheet - Event Overview
Fact Sheet - Key Event Information
Fact Sheet - Tour Route
Fact Sheet - Honour Roll of Past Winners
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