South Perth Rouleurs

Ride Routes 6th – 12th June

peter — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:31:04 +0000

Social Media Scrum. You may have noticed an increase in our social media presence this year. It is part of our rebuilding strategy to get a broader reach and attract new riders to our club. Social media on the best of days is hard. Finding content, pulling stuff together, formatting and posting all takes time and although there are AI apps to help, getting the right message is not something I would leave to a bot.

Unfortunately I took an awkward turn into the world of rage baiting this last week. There was an incident where a very impatient ute came right up the back of the Main 3 group and aggressively honked his horn repeatedly until he got by. We had just entered a section where the shoulder is protected by a kerb and as such couldn’t move across so he had to wait. He didn’t like that and kept honking until we moved. He was delayed a total of 15 seconds. It probably would have been less if he hadn’t aggressively pushed up to the group in the first place.

Now the Main 3 group is not the stereotypical lycra wearing alpha male tough guys. I would say the average age would be in the +50’s with about 30% of the group being female. This was probably a group made up of the same demographic as the driver’s parents. But we all get tarred with the same brush and get labelled as arrogant and entitled no matter what the law says for our use of the road.

Where this took a dark turn was when I posted this interaction on our socials, and to be fair, I did label the driver an impatient twat. So that’s on me. Now I am never sure who really sees the things we post. A few weeks ago when I wrote about the AusCycling SGM we had our best engagement with well over 13,000 views and 41 interactions. Most videos we post get anywhere from 1,000-3,000 views depending on the content. However, in the world of rage baiting the key to engagement is getting people angry and this video seemed to get people angry.

The intent of the video was to call out some bad behaviour and maybe I should have refrained from the name calling. But the wonderful world of facebook algorithms meant that as soon as someone outside the cycling community commented, it then found its way into others feeds. By the time I turned off the commenting there were 318 comments and 263 reactions. This meant that it had pushed out even further than before and all of a sudden there are over 110,000 views. Now I would not recommend reading any of the comments. By the time I turned them off, there were a litany of homophobic slurs, multiple name calling, threats and pretty much anything else you can think of. It was clear that many people think we had “stolen” time from this poor innocent driver.

However, the old adage of “any publicity is good publicity” does hold true to some extent. The views of the surrounding posts have increased, and we have managed to pick up new followers to the page. The challenge now is to convert them to riders and then to members.

Rage baiting is not a strategy I would recommend, especially if you are not thick skinned as there are many people who feel big and strong behind the keyboard and are willing to let you know how right they are. But unfortunately social media is here to stay and we need to utilise it the best we can to get our message out there. I may just refrain from the name calling in the future, even if they were acting like a twat.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –
The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18 th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

Register for early bird $105 until 30 April 2026; normal entry $125 until 30th September, late registration $145-$180. If no SPR team already established when you go to register, please set up a SPR team based on the distance eg SPR-Gran, SPR-Medio or SPR-Piccolo so others can join you.

We will look to book accommodation for three nights at the Leeuwin Apartments as per last year, cost to be advised; in Friday 16 th October out Monday 19 th October; shorter stay if preferred for the same price. You can register your interest for accommodation via this EOI.

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
ATTA Champion Lakes (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)
WACX Numbat Cup at Lake Gwellup Reserve (14 June)
XSpeed Junior Road State Series – Round 1 (20 June)
WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

Well done to all the SPR juniors who competed at the State Championships!

We had a fantastic race in the U11 category. Hugh and Riley kept us entertained with two thrilling contests, finishing neck-and-neck in both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race. The road race, in particular, came down to a spectacular sprint finish. I am incredibly proud of the effort and determination shown by our juniors.

In the U13 category, Oscar Winson dominated the field and capped off an outstanding performance with an impressive sprint to the finish.

In the U15 category, we still have some work to do to help James build the confidence needed to race with the front group. Despite crashing on the first lap, James did not give up and completed the race with determination. I am extremely proud of his effort, resilience, and passion for the sport. Experiences like this are an important part of development, and I am confident that James will learn from them and soon be able to showcase his full potential.

The training program for this week is:

Saturday (6/6): for our U13 and U11 juniors, we will meet at the DNA tower car park in Kings Park at 10.30am for a hill training session. I invite our U17 and U15 juniors to join our main club rides from Coode St car park (South Perth) at 7am. I will be ther supervising them.

Please check our WhatsApp SPR junior channel for any last minute call. If you are not in the group chat, please let me know if you wuol like to be included.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/
14/6/2026 – Liquor Barons Numbat Cup Series #4: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

20/6/2026 – WA Junior Road State Series – Round 1 https://entryboss.cc/races/30575

From the Ride Coordinator

This Saturday’s ride is “Step Up Saturday”. If you want to stave off the winter chills, you can challenge yourself by stepping up your ride & joining the next group up.

We’ve noticed that a few groups have been getting stuck at certain traffic lights! The vast majority of lights do trigger when you ride over the sensors. We suggest that the lead riders approach a red light by riding over the centre of the lane and not in parallel in “car wheel positions”. If this does not trigger the sensor then it is time to “bunch up”. Another option is to bunch up and encourage the car behind to move forward to trigger the sensor.
We know there are a few intersections that are extremely difficult such as GEH/Belmont Ave (@iFly), McDowell/Welshpool and under the Bayswater Bridge. Just be patient!

Saturday 6^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Development group (*) – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

Transition: Trans North Lake & Shelley 40.50km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: South Lake 51.99km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 7^th June

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Victor Darl Zigzag 66.3km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Victor Darl Zigzag 66.3km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Kal Obs Goose 94.37km SPR Sunday

Monday 8^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 9^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 10^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 11^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 12^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 30th May – 5th June

peter — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:08:09 +0000

Perth Cup (not the horse race). Probably known under a few different names, depending on who you talk to, the Perth Cup is a small offshoot of the Aussie Cup during the main grand tours (Giro, Tour, Vuelta). In other words, who are the best placed Aussies during the race, and then who are the best place WA riders within that. At this years Giro, it has really been a “Perth Cup” as the top three Aussies in the race are all from Perth. Jai Hindley, Michael Storer and Ben O’Connor are currently sitting 4^th, 7^th and 10^th respectively. There are another eight Aussies currently in this race and it is testament to the quality of riders hailing from WA to see how well the SandGropers are going. The photo (that I always love to drag out during these times) shows the State Crit Champs at Tech Park and is probably the Under 15 or 17 race. With Jai and Michael, is Sam Welsford who is also in the ProTour, just no the Giro this year. Ben O’Connor apparently was a late starter to cycling so we never really saw him at the Tech Park Crits. With Jai winning the Giro a couple of years ago, Storer winning stages in 2 grand tours plus the mountains jersey and Welsford sprinting against the best in the world, it is easy to see why we think that Tech Park was where legends were made.

For a number of years, SPR and RCCC held crits at Tech Park and we had it running like clockwork. RCCC would manage approvals and timing and SPR would manage the program for the day. It was a big task that took the whole day but certainly was a highlight of the summer racing program. The natural amphitheatre along Brodie-Hall Dr made for excellent viewing with lots of trees to provide shade in the hotter months. There was one sketchy corner where some people would exit the circuit and end up on the grass, but overall it was a fast but tough circuit.

Whenever we have posted any memories of racing there, comments have asked for the resurrection of the circuit. Unfortunately I can’t see it happening. Like most things, progress has taken its toll on accessibility and there are now more 7 day a week businesses in that area. I did ride around there one Sunday morning after coming back from the hills and found a gym or church or something that meant that there were lots of cars parked along Sarich way. With Perth Park at least 18 months away, we will need to find another circuit to create some legends.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
ATTA Champion Lakes (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)
WACX Numbat Cup at Lake Gwellup Reserve (14 June)
WCMCC Road Race at TBC (21 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (28 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Herne Hill (5 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (5 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Dog Hill (12 July)
WACX Numbat Cup at Iho Park (19 July)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (19 July)
ATTA Champion Lakes (19 July)

Juniors

I’m finally back in Perth and resuming junior duties. A lot happened in the CX racing scene while I was away, and although I’m a little out of the loop, I understand our juniors gave it their all and rode brilliantly!

This weekend, our focus will be on the Junior State ITT and Road Race, so there will be no training sessions as I’ll be supporting our riders at the event. I encourage everyone to come along and cheer on the team!

The races will be held at Kwinana Motorplex, starting from 10:00 am.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)

From the Ride Coordinator

Consistent communication (e.g. highlighting potholes) during the ride helps with group coordination and contributes to the safety of the group. Where two groups get caught together at a junction let the front group pull ahead and resist the temptation to jump across. This preserves the group size that was initiated at the start of the ride and reduces the chance of a larger group forming, which is difficult for other road users to navigate around.

Saturday 30^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Development group (*) – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

Transition: Trans Benara 39.90km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Ridge Hill Rd 50.56km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 31^st May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Wlsh MWR 58.88km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Wlsh MWR 58.88km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Welsh Obs Zig Zag 87.92km SPR Sunday

Monday 1^st June – WA Day Public Holiday

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Public Holiday Ride: Public Holiday North 60.70km (2025ed) SPR Special

Tuesday 2^nd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 3^rd June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 4^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 5^th June

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 23rd – 29th May

peter — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:53:39 +0000

Perth Park is the name for the new development next to Optus Stadium in Burswood. Often controversial due to the inclusion of motorsport, the majority of the redevelopment will be focussing on everything but motorsport. It is important to us as cyclists as it will provide a new racing and training circuit close to the city. It is important to the rest of the community as it will provide an outdoor entertainment space and facilities for loads of other activities.

These two things, however, don’t always co-exist well and luckily SPR has been involved in the consultation process over the last couple of years. Last week it was announced that the major construction contract has been awarded. A few days before that, there was a meeting about the setup of the cycling circuit and it’s interaction with other aspects of the park. Hopefully our feedback is taken on board and we get a facility that can really benefit the cycling community.

There have been a number of announcements about the park in the last week some directly from the government and some from the dedicated website. However, there is a lot of talky, talk in there so let me explain what I know after having discussions with the designers and main roads.

There are three potential track layouts. A dedicated training track of 850m, a race circuit of 1.25km and a longer circuit of about 1.79kms (see pictures below). The longest circuit takes in some of the surrounding roads and would require traffic management as well as approval from Venues West, who will be managing the area. This circuit would potentially be used for bigger events like state or national races. The shorter 1.25km track circles the new pit lane and open air amphitheatre area. This does not require traffic management, but would require approval from Venues West. The shorter circuit, or “training track” is meant to be accessible for cyclist at all times except when used as part of the motorsport circuit or used as bus parking during a stadium event.

So, let me explain a few things before we delve further into track design, etc. A stadium event is any time that the stadium fully utilised. i.e. footy game, concert, etc. During these times, they generally close off the roads surrounding the stadium and force people to take public transport. Unfortunately, all these extra buses need to go somewhere and they will be parked on the training circuit. So, that is one caveat on our training circuit that is “available at all times”. Fortunately, most of these events don’t take place on a Sunday morning when our races usually do, so there is some room for negotiation.

Speaking of that, the relationship with Venues West and how things are booked is also an unknown at the moment. The fear is that the amphitheatre area will be booked out so often that we never get to use the 1.25km circuit. Our only saving grace is that we generally run races on a Sunday morning, so could probably negotiate around bump in, bump out access for another party setting up inside the race track. The same applies to organised training sessions on the smaller circuit. It is unknown at the moment how that will operate. If the Speeddome is anything to go buy (also managed by Venues West) then potentially slots of time could be booked out by clubs, or set times for all access bulk training could be organised.

The majority of the discussion that was had last week with the designers centred on the training circuit and what it would look like. The length of the circuit was raised as a concern if used for racing, but due to the camber of the race track and access for pedestrian walkways, this is the best option we have. The southern straight which shares alignment with the event track is part of the car race circuit and should be wide enough for competitive racing. The northern side runs parallel with Roger Mackay Drive and will be separated from normal traffic. However, the motorsport circuit uses the full width of the bike and car lanes, so any barriers need to be removable. Their initial suggestion was to put those small slightly elevated lumps (armadillos) between the cars and bikes. I cautioned against that as it is hard for bikes to see them when in a group and if you hit one you will end up on the road side of the circuit. They said they will look into a wall to separate the traffic.

Another bonus has been the advocacy work from Westcycle to push for lighting to be put around the training circuit. This gives us unprecedented access to a circuit all year round and potentially allows us to run midweek winter races. However, I can foresee a number of operational safety issues with having a circuit so readily accessible. For example, what happens when a training group is riding around and some random enters the circuit in the opposite direction. Should the circuit have only one direction, or does that then limit the usability of it?

So there is lots of discussion still to be had and lots of areas where this could swing either for or against us as cyclists. Hopefully we can get in front of the right people at the right time so that we can have a facility that we can actually utilise.

I realise that this blog goes out well past just our club, so I am willing to be used as a focal point for any questions that people may have or want to be presented when discussions are held. If you add any queries to the comments on the facebook posts, anything I can’t answer, I will try to table at the appropriate time.

Other Information

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Individual Time Trial (ITT) Championships (30 May)
AusCycling 2026 Junior State Road Championships (30 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Saturday (23/5):
Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next weekend. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

From the Ride Coordinator

One of the reasons we like to keep the size of Saturday groups to around 15 riders, is to limit the physical length of the group on the road. Longer groups are a greater disruption to traffic, and more susceptible to being split at lights. One way to help maintain a compact group is for those on the front to delay accelerating when coming out of corners.

Road Closures for this Sunday’s HBF running event are available here : https://www.hbf.com.au/run/road-closures#map

Saturday 23^rd May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Development group (*) – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

Transition: Trans Abernethy 39.96km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Morley Drive 50.77km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 24^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Brktn Weir 79.19km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Brktn Weir 79.19km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: F’berg Urch Obs 92.84 km SPR Sunday

Monday 25^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 26^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 27^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 28^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 29^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 16th – 22nd May

peter — Thu, 14 May 2026 09:43:04 +0000

Good luck to everyone competing down at Nannup this weekend at the seVen gravel race. I have a love/hate relationship with that event but I won’t be heading down this year even though it is a qualifier. I know what it takes to get a decent time, for me (probably not even a qualifying time) and I know that this year hasn’t been a good lead up as far as training is concerned.

The first year it was run, Leigh and myself decided to give it a go and ride together. I had done a bit of CX that year but very little gravel and we headed off not really knowing what to expect. Back then, there were very few gravel bikes in the field as the gravel “phenomenon” had not exploded yet. Looking back, I am pretty sure that I was poorly geared, running skinny cx tyres and totally under prepared for what lay ahead. It was brutal, long, the climbs kept coming and the descents were scary. That was 2018 and we managed a time of 7:33:45, with Leigh getting a gold buckle as she was one of the few in her age group on a gravel bike.

As bad as it was, we both returned next year but neither of us learned from our mistakes and did less training than the previous year. I didn’t realise that long can get longer if you are so much slower. 2019 we finished in 8:46:32. That was way too long to be sitting on a bike for. 2020 was a delayed start due to covid and this year I was riding with Marion. It was hard and fast and again I was under prepared for the event. I cramped bad. So bad in fact that I had to stop a number of times and ended up a DNF once I hit the feedzone at halfway. I know that I disappointed Marion that day as she had to stop with me and lost time that would have got her onto the age group podium.

In 2021 I was back again and this time riding by myself as I needed to focus on getting through the cramping. I still remember it being an issue but I managed it as best I could and finished in 6:52:00. 2022 same again. Back for more punishment and more cramping but managed to better my time with a 6:23:54. Accommodation was camping that year. Damn it gets cold down there.

In 2023 I had issues with my Achilles and was a DNS

In 2024 I finished working at Rio Tinto and decided to have a year off (I highly recommend if you can do it). I did a lot more riding and especially concentrated on my nemesis, which is seated climbing. I am one of those brought up in the Armstrong era of the Tour de France and like to stand when I climb. This does not translate well to gravel as your tyre can slip and you end up sitting on the top tube. So, on top of doing more gravel rides, I was also working on my endurance and seated climbing. I would do the SPR Thursday ride and then head off to the hills to do seated repeats of Gooseberry or Lawnbrook or anything that would stress the right muscles. I was aiming for sub 6 hours and for the first half, I was so scared of going too hard and cramping later, that I thought I didn’t have a chance. Especially after crashing about 30ks into the race. There was a section where the Five and Seven riders meet back up and suddenly there were more riders around me. We came across some deep ruts in the road and I didn’t have a choice of line and the front wheel slipped in and I went arse over the handlebars. Luckily it was not a rocky section and I managed to get back on and continue.

At the feedzone, I saw that I was actually still on time as long as I increased the effort. I managed to pick up a few riders that had passed me earlier and were now fading and I got to the line with only a little cramping on the last climb. A 5:55:34 but still 17mins off a qualifying spot for that year.

So no gravel for me this year, but good luck to those that are trying to qualify and good luck to those that are trying just to finish, as that in itself is an achievement.

Leigh is also back riding the event again and is using it to raise money for Lifeline. Click on the link to donate to help people in crisis.

Other Information

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner

Tuesday 19 May 2026 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

The 109th edition of the classic grand tour Giro d’Italia starts on the 8 May in Bulgaria and finishes 31^st May in Rome. The club is having a dinner at the Italian restaurant Bravo’s in East Vic Park to celebrate. – fabulous food and friendly staff make it special.

Bring family and join friends for a modern Italian meal. This year we have a new and expanded 3-course menu for $70 pp – fully licensed. Select your dietary requirements at checkout. Menu link

Tickets are available via the club shop.

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Tour de Cowaramup 18^th Oct –

The Tour de Cowaramup charity road bike event is on again this year on Sunday 18th October. Three distances 60km (piccolo), 85km (medio) and 130km (gran) with funds going to assist men suffering from Prostate Cancer.

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

seVen Gravel (17 May)
WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Saturday (15/5):
Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next 2 weekends. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

At SPR, we encourage riders to have a degree of self-sufficiency to cover: punctures, loose bolts, etc, that may arise whilst on a group ride.

Saturday 16^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Development group (*) – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

Transition: Trans North Lake & Shelley 40.50km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Stock & Shelley 49.51km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 17^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Les Obs 67.37km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Les Obs 67.37km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Wlsh Obs Cam Goose 86.02km SPR Sunday

Monday 18^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

Currently no ride scheduled – stay tuned for a new Monday ride

Tuesday 19^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace

SPR Tuesday 36.37km (river ride)

Ride starts at 6:30am at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park

Main 4/Transitional/Novice

Kings Park laps at own pace, coffee at 7:30am

Wednesday 20^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

No drop recovery ride

SPR Wednesday 35.3km (2023 Edition)

Thursday 21^st May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Three groups fast paced roll-throughs

SPR Thursday 37.26km (cott & freo)

Friday 22^nd May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

SPR Friday Alternate 38.43km (Shelley)

Ride Routes 9th – 15th May

peter — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:46:47 +0000

Over the last few weeks I have been trying to ride with and chat with different sections of the SPR cycling community. Previous weeks I’ve spent a time chaperoning juniors within the main rides helping them gain confidence in group situations and learning about group dynamics. Last week I hung out with Main 3 before being split out into a small Main 4 as we got caught at some lights along South St. It was an interesting experience for me as I really felt different about the traffic we encountered. Not that there was anything different about the traffic, but being in a smaller, slower group than what I am used to made me feel a lot more exposed than normal. Chatting with the ladies after the ride, I was trying to understand their perspective on some of our ride routes and whether they are always appropriate across all abilities.

One of the key cornerstones of the club, and what it was founded on, was being inclusive. We don’t turn people away if they want to ride with us and across the history of the club, there have only been a handful that we have asked to not ride with the club any more. This has been for either being straight out dangerous and not taking on board any direction, or just being generally disruptive to the running of the club. But being inclusive is also about understanding what we need to offer those that are already riding in the club. For many, it is about some of the other club cornerstones, social and organised. Some people just want to ride with the people they know and in a safe organised manner. Not saying that they are not accepting of outsiders, but rather there is a comfort in already knowing the abilities of the people you are riding with.

One of the things I have discovered since being back on deck was that there are a few organically grown rides that have appeared outside the normal advertised ones. On Tuesday mornings 06:30, for example, some of the Main 2-4/Transitional riders meet at Koorak Kings Park Cafe Car Park and head into the park for some free ride efforts around Lovekin and Forrest. No planned route, no planned intervals, just come along, do some riding, then meet back at 07:30 for a coffee. Sessions like these form when there is a need that is currently not matched within the club structure. The right people organising sessions has slowly developed into something that we now advertise as part of the club weekly rides. This organic growth is usually the difference between a successful and unsuccessful attempt at change and why it is important to truly understand what the people want to see in a club.

Other Information

SPR Giro d’Italia Dinner Tuesday 19 May 2026

6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Bring family and join friends for a modern Italian meal. This year we have a new and expanded 3-course menu for $70 pp – fully licensed. Select your dietary requirements at checkout. Menu link

Tickets are available via the club shop.

2026 and 2027 international trips –

SPR is again looking to organise trips overseas after the success of ones to the Italian & Swiss Alps 2025 and The Grand Alps France 2024.

Please complete this brief EOI for either or both tours

Note: no SPR member nor the club benefit from the organising of these trips – it is intended to extend the cycling experience with fellow cyclists

Start/ finish: Juniper Estate

For further queries please contact Carol or Danielle via comdev@southperthrouleurs.com.au.

Upcoming Racing

ATTA Season Close at Champion Lakes (10 May)
seVen Gravel (17 May)
WACX AusCycling National Series (23-24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Chidlow (24 May)
WCMCC Road Race at Casuarina (7 June)
WCMCC Road Race at Pickering Brook (14 June)

Juniors

Last weekend we enjoyed another fantastic day at Kings Park and the CX racing. Our new junior, Henry, is already showing great improvement, and it’s wonderful to see him getting involved in CX as well. Well done to all the children who gave the race a go! A special thank you to Adrian (pictured below in action) for his support in assisting the juniors on the day.

The training program for this week is as follows:

Saturday (9/5):
~~Our U11 riders will meet again under the Mt Henry bridge~~

Apologies, due to a family emergency our Juniors coach, Giovanni, has had to fly back to Italy and will not be here for the next 3 weekends. The teenage juniors are invited to join the adult club ride, departing at 7:00am from the Coode Street car park in South Perth and will be chaperoned within the main rides by Peter, club president.

Please check the SPR Junior WhatsApp channel for any last-minute updates. If you’re not yet in the group chat and would like to be included, just let me know.

Events coming up

CX series. Check the calendar here: https://wacyclocross.org/racing/calendar/

From the Ride Coordinator

Saturday 9^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Early lap – earlybird 40.93km spr special

All rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Development group (*) – novice shelley 36.06km spr saturday

Transition: Trans Benara 39.90km SPR Saturday

Fast & Main: Benara Rd 50.76km SPR Saturday

(*) Please note that our Ride Leaders will adjust the composition and route for Development, Transition and Main 4 to suit people and conditions on the day.

Sunday 10^th May

Rides start at Coode St carpark at 7:00am

Social River Loop – approx. 50km

Short Hills (Social): Khna Weir 68.66km SPR Sunday

Short Hills: Khna Weir 68.66km SPR Sunday

Long Hills: Khna Peet Can Mills MWR 90.55km SPR Sunday

Monday 11^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (South Perth side) at 5:30am

south stock 33.76km SPR Monday

Tuesday 12^th May

Ride starts under the Narrows (City side) at 5:30am

Two groups – solid roll through vs relaxed pace