Nat Bromhead
The looming ProVelo Super League has announce the ‘Harbour City GP’, a three-day race series to be held in Sydney in March.
The Crit / TT / Road Race series will be held from Friday, March 7 to Sunday, March 9 signalling the return of elite road cycling to the city of Sydney.
The Harbour City GP is a new feature event of the inaugural ProVelo Super League with the launch season commencing in January 2025.
Elite road cycling was last seen in the Harbour City back in 2013 when one of cycling’s most successful event organisers, Phil Bates AM, delivered the NSW Grand Prix Series.
The ProVelo Super League is the ‘Road to the WorldTour’ for Australia’s emerging road cyclists and the former NSW Grand Prix Series was a testament to the importance of an Australian based road cycling product. Many of Australia’s most successful riders progressed their international careers on the streets of Sydney including current and past professional cyclists, PSL Ambassadors Mitch Docker and Tiffany Cromwell along with fellow Australians, Robbie McEwan, Amanda Spratt, Caleb Ewan, Kate Bates, Michael Matthews and Sarah Roy.
Starting March 7
The Harbour City GP launches on Friday night, March 7, with a high-velocity criterium on the Sydney Harbour. Promising high-speed, high-intensity racing, the women’s and men’s PSL crits are sure to captivate spectators and set the tone for the weekend with premium hospitality and great spectator viewing guaranteed.
On Saturday, March 8th, the athletes will tackle a challenging Time Trial through West Head, pushing their limits against the clock on a scenic yet demanding course. That same evening, the competition will shift to the picturesque street circuit of Cronulla Beach where the last Cronulla Grand Prix was held on the same circuit in 2013.
Phil Bates AM said “It is great to see ProVelo Super League bring back one of the great criterium courses in the country featuring our elite Australian cyclists. Not only is it a fantastic circuit for the cyclists but also for spectators who will have great vantage points to enjoy the high speed racing action.”
The Harbour City GP inaugural champions will be crowned on Sunday, March 9, with the Queen’s Stage at Akuna Bay. This final stage promises to be a true test of endurance and skill, as participants navigate the breathtaking views of Akuna Bay.
PSL Founder, Matt Wilson said the Harbour City GP has all the elements to become an iconic event on the PSL calendar. “I am excited with the event program we have been able to create. It will provide for exciting racing across some of Sydney’s most iconic and beautiful locations and importantly fantastic opportunities for cycling fans and local communities to enjoy our elite road cycling talent on show in the Harbour City. This was a critical element of our strategic vision and commitment to our stakeholders and we are thrilled to return elite road cycling to Sydney.
Featuring quality racing in amazing locations coupled with amateur club racing, spectators can enjoy premium hospitality experiences and great course viewing points across the event weekend. It is the start of a new era for elite road cycling in Sydney and we are really looking forward to connecting with Sydney’s passionate cycling fan base”.
Sounds like a great event, but a rubbish date has been selected. It’s the same weekend at the Falls Creek Peaks Challenge. A couple of thousand riders that may have potentially attended to spectate, now definitely won’t.