Nat Bromhead
UPDATED: Cooktown-based ultra-endurance cyclist Dale Tan arrived at the Sydney Opera House on Monday afternoon after completing the 2023 IndyPac, a gruelling 5500km bike ride across Australia.
Dealing with a week of sickness, days of wet weather, and mechanical issues late in the ride, Dale remained focussed on the end goal of completing his second IPWR ride from Perth to Sydney.
Arriving later than he’d expected, Dale explained how numerous roadside ‘dot watchers’ and supporters offered him drinks, snacks and words of encouragement along the way, and particularly on the final approaches to the finish.
And as Dale finally took his shoes out of the cleats at the Sydney Opera House it was Val Ardill, widow of Dale’s great mate Paul Ardill – Australia’s elder statesman of ultra-endurance cycling who tragically lost his life when hit by a car in 2021 – who was first to embrace him.
In this video Dale Tan explains the highs and lows of his 2023 IndyPac, and (below) we greet him as he arrives in Sydney.
