race info
Find all the info you need to plan the perfect race day
Start and finish
The race starts at Castlemaine Railway station and finishes at Maldon Railway Station.
Race schedule
Race registration opens at 9.00am*.
Trains and bikes depart Castlemaine Railway Station at 11 am on Saturday 16 November.
*subject to change
GETTING THERE
Getting to Castlemaine & Maldon
Driving
Castlemaine is located in Central Victoria, less than 90 minutes north west of Melbourne and conveniently accessed by road and rail. Maldon is an easy 15-minute drive from Castlemaine.
By Train
For V/Line train and coach timetables, fares and travel information please visit www.vline.com.au
PARKING
Parking will be available at the north end of Camp Reserve and can be accessed from Gingell Rd. If this carpark is full, overflow parking will be available in the Castlemaine Train Station carpark.
Goldfields train
If you wish to travel between Maldon and Castelmaine the Goldfields train is a great option. The steam train has the capacity to accommodate 250 passengers and 100 bikes so if you need help getting to or from Maldon or Castlemaine, you may consider buying a train fare.
You can find out more and book your tickets here.
WHAT TO BRING
Don’t get caught out. Make your day as smooth as possible by bringing the following items:
– Bike
– Australian Standards approved helmet (compulsory)
– Spares (tube, pump, tyre levers, puncture repair kit etc)
– Water bottle or hydration pack
– Food / Snack
PREPARING YOUR BIKE
Preparation is key to ensuring an enjoyable day on the bike. All participants are encouraged to give their bike the ‘once-over’ to ensure it is in good working order before the event.
Key things to check:
- Tyre pressure (approx. 30psi recommended)
- Chain lubrication
- Brakes
- Tighten all nuts and bolts
If in doubt, drop into your local bike shop for a service before the event.
Here are a few nutrition tips from Mark Liddle mountain biking enthusiast and former Event Director of the 2017 UCI MTB World Championships:
” To be at your best you should “top up your batteries” in the days before the race by eating high carbohydrate meals (rice, pasta, oatmeal etc.), and you should increase the amount of water you drink for a few days in advance. Doing this will make sure that you have as much stored water and energy as you can for the big event.
The other big thing is when the race is going to be longer than 90 minutes, follow the counter intuitive rule of “Eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re thirsty”. It can be difficult to get a sense of when to eat and drink so I find it can help to schedule time at regular intervals, say every 20 minutes after the 40 minutes to eat a small amount and drink around 100ml of water.
There are loads of other things that you could delve into but if you think about these two rules then you’ll get a long way to success. If you want to dive a bit deeper Sports Dietitians Australia have a detailed fact sheet here. ”