Warwick trio in road team ride this weekend
CYCLING: Three Warwick riders are in the Darling Downs Junior Development team which has a wildcard entry in the Queensland Road Team Series at Warwick and Yangan this weekend.
Laura Brazier is manager of the team which includes Warwick riders Ethan Sloss, Jorge Muehlebach and Steven Fern.
They will be joined by Toowoomba pair Tom Elliott and Joel Dobson, Adrian Webster (Kingaroy) and Haddon Kilmartin (Ipswich).
National medal-winning Warwick masters cyclist Tony Simonelli will be coach and his son Matt the team mechanic.
Fern said the aim of the team was simply to finish the 120km road team series event inside four hours at Yangan on Sunday. The first of the rides from Yangan starts at 8am.
Muehlebach, Fern and Webster rode most of the road course on Thursday morning in training and to check out the dangerous spots.
"There is a steep descent down to a narrow bridge with some loose gravel on the Jingarry Mt Sturt Rd and then a 90 degree corner to Junabee Rd,” Muehlebach said.
"We are up against some of the best riders in Queensland.”
Webster works in Kingaroy but has been in Warwick for the week preparing for the road team series.
"I follow a training program set by my coach Tony Simonelli,” he said.
Fern is high in praise of the help from Simonelli.
"Tony is more than willing to give his time to help those enthusiastic about the sport,” he said.
Six of the squad of seven will be on course in Warwick in the men's prologue on Saturday from 11am and in the criterium from 2.45pm Saturday.
Keen riders able to keep a speed of 25kmh are welcome to go in the amateur community ride at 1.30pm Saturday. Registrations at Leslie Park between 12.30pm and 1pm.
Some Warwick streets and roads will be closed during the prologue and criterium but spectators are encouraged to take in the action.