Jayco Herald Sun Tour is back!

After an absence of a year to make way for the 2010 UCI Road World Championships in Geelong, the Jayco Herald Sun Tour is back! A great course and an increase to eighteen teams lay the foundation for a great race in 2011. 

In 2011 we are also working closely with the new UCI WorldTour event, the Tour of Beijing, with riders coming from Beijing to Melbourne. This means a Wednesday start and a five day race, so we have worked to ensure a course that is punchy and exciting.

The 2011 Tour starts for the first time ever in Whittlesea on the outskirts of Melbourne on 12 October. Starting in Whittlesea is all about supporting areas still recovering from the horrific bushfires of 2008. Four hard road stages follow, visiting some of the most picturesque and challenging terrain in Victoria. 

Once again the final stage of the race will held on the spectacular Lygon Street in Melbourne, where it was British superstar Bradley Wiggins' turn to reign in 2009 and Australia’s Jonathan Cantwell claimed the final stage.

The 2011 tour route is a challenging one that takes in some traditional cycling strongholds with stage finishes in:

* Ballarat - home of the Cycling Australia Road National Championships
* Geelong - host of the 2010 UCI Road World Championships
* Bellarine Peninsula
* Arthurs Seat

The course will reward those prepared to attack so we can expect some aggressive and entertaining racing.

We have outstanding support from our Tour partners and supporters including the Herald Sun, Jayco, the Victorian Government via Regional Development Victoria, Honda, Budget Forklifts and many more, along with all our host towns, all of whom are working together to stage a wonderful event this year.

It is great to be back on the road and we aim to be bigger and better than ever!