By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
OLD CYCLISTS never die, they just re-tyre.
That’s the motto at Geelong Veteran’s Cycling Club, at any rate, where any number of old cyclists are always around to prove the point, laughs former president Richard Buckwell.
Some 135 of them, in fact, Richard says with some pride, both men and women aged between 35 and 30 respectively and up.
“We had an 81 year-old who won one of our Saturday morning races a couple of weeks ago,” Richard pointed out.
The club is also the only veterans cycling outfit to have a super vets group of members aged 60-plus who race nearly every Wednesday of the year.
The club has permanent clubrooms at Paraparap, including a meeting room, a kitchen, toilets and change rooms.
Racing is conducted nearly every Sunday morning from mid-January to mid-December starting 9.30am and are generally a mixture of handicap and scratch races.
The club also has a number of time trials each year.
The club’s racing is run over distances varying from a 20km time trial to 60km handicap races.
Richard said the club often combined events with its Colac counterpart and organised an annual Stan Howard memorial road race, an open event conducted in conjunction with Victorian Veteran Cycling Council.
Anyone wanting some cycling action a little closer to home could aways attend the club’s evening ride on Belmont’s criterium track, Richard said.
“There are always a variety of options because we try and cater for ages and all types of events, using time conditions or grading participants into divisions,” he explained.
The club has been spinning its wheels since 1977, catering for several generations of cyclists.
“I haven’t stopped racing for 55 years,” Richard said.
“We just keep on whirring away. We have a strong social aspect to the club.
“It keeps you fit and keeps you going.
“There’s a great camaraderie among cyclists, which is part of why it’s increasing in popularity.”
Richard said memberships were usually $150 a year but the club had instituted a free ride for novices to try out with the club.
“It gives people a chance to see how they like the bike – and the company,” he smiled.
Richard said more information on the club was available at gvcc.net.au and on the club’s Facebook page.
