Another edition of The Goulburn – Black Mountain road race is upon us once again. This is a unique race on the OCM calendar as it is the only Australian race that crosses a state border, starting in New South Wales but finishing in the Australian Capital Territory.
Starting in Goulburn, riders will collect under the “Big Merino” a giant concrete statue of a sheep, affectionately known to the locals as ‘Rambo...
Read moreAnother edition of The Goulburn – Black Mountain road race is upon us once again. This is a unique race on the OCM calendar as it is the only Australian race that crosses a state border, starting in New South Wales but finishing in the Australian Capital Territory.
Starting in Goulburn, riders will collect under the “Big Merino” a giant concrete statue of a sheep, affectionately known to the locals as ‘Rambo’, attesting the long-standing importance of wool-growing in the area. Rolling out of town, the peloton will pass central park and many historic buildings before departing the township itself.
The 111km route travels along the Federal Highway, along the perimeter of lake George before arriving in the ACT. Looping through Australia’s capital city, Canberra, the race finds itself at the foothills of The Black Mountain National park, where a summit finish will greet the major contenders in the final kilometres.
The course is characterized by long flat stretches and difficult climbs. Finishing on top of Black Mountain, there is a steep climb towards the finish line which will favour the climbing specialists in the group. Getting to the final climb could be a challenge however, team support during the flats and downhill sections an absolute necessity to be in contention for victory at the end of the day.
At the conclusion of the race the riders will enjoy a can of Fosters with the Prime minister (should they be able to contain themselves during the podium presentation and not spray it everywhere).
