I think it would be very hard to get a suitable course for Nationals around the inner city. Too many road closures required, not even considering the amount of residents that could drive out of their properties on to the course.
Having said that, wasn't the National RR champs run around the Botannical Gardens in Melbourne a while ago? (although not on the crazy zig-zag course they produced for the Comm games) I know they ran the TT nationals at Kew Boulevard in the late 90's - at least I think it was the Nationals...

It'd be a woolly jersey, yeah??!! :p :D

Yep, good memory Wilchemy. They only ran the last 40-50km or so around the gardens. The first part of the race was run from the City out to the You Yangs and back.

Bunch sprints don't always make for good TV. It's just a big bunch crashing along then 20 seconds of action at the end. A tough course makes it look 'personal'. I always love to watch them suffer. :D The best world titles are always the ones where the race splits up.

You farking Liberal Nazi rightwing dingbat.:p

You could also argue that it looses money, the track isn't especially exciting, the residents weren't adequately compensated to damage/cracking done to their houses when the initial works were being done, it was an undemocratic process, the contracts are secretive and they tell lies about the spectator figures.

I liked it better in Adelaide to be honest, it was a better event IMO.

Actually I was thinking more of resident access to their actual houses, unlike Albert Park GP circuit which is more about restriced access to the general area.... but, yep, understand what you are saying however I think we are fairly lacking in politicians (on either side)with the balls of Jeff K ATM :rolleyes:

And there is no massive supplies of cash thrown about by bike race promoters, unlike F1 :(

Chookie Fowler would have done his thing back in September :p

He's racing as an age grouper now. Currently sitting at 2 on GC in the Tour de Vineyards masters race.

Bike racers will go anywhere to compete, even if it means sleeping in a tent in a ****hole camp ground, particularly if there is a title at stake.

It just depends whether you want spectators or not. The supporters just need the right encouragement to get there, like the pre-stage rides at all the big European events. Heaps of people turn up for the Tour Down Under to do just that. Ride the stage and then watch the big guns come steaming through.

Multi lap curcuit race circuits like nationals events don't lend themselves well to spectators riding the course ahead of time before watching without a decent climb or chucked in for good fun.

Don't forget the point of the nationals is to select a national champion, not line the pockets of some promoter like all the pro and "fun" events.

On that basis, location is less important than when you want to get paying punters on board.

:lol: Gold!!

Why? The national federation doesn't have the resources or probably even the expertise to run the event by itself at a professional enough standard. Take my early example of the Cockatoo championship. Whoring events out,..... I mean outsourcing them is not that uncommon.

BTW, I'm being deliberatly provacative today!

Holding it in the same location every year (particularly in Oz) will just result in all the riders from the back of Burke bleating about transport and accommodation costs. You'd have to subsidise all the out of town competitors (or penalise the locals in some way.)

It's a no-win situation and in some ways I can see why the organising body handed it off to a promoter to run.

Ha ha. We have to dump the nuclear waste somewhere. SA has my vote.

Fair call. No-one owould notice any genetic mutations in the locals anyway...:D

I heard that Cronulla would be a great place to hold it...

Robbie won....1994 or 1995. Was on Ch 10. Freakin hot day...like today.

I suggest Football Park as an admirably suitable facility.:D

payback for inflicting Lleyton on the rest of us.

NSW threw in Jana Pitman...

Of course.

Your worst day on the biek is still better than your best day at work...:(

Victoria stiffed again. We already had the extremely overrated Tamsin Lewis and Kyle Van der Hype on the books.

Sold him a mountain bike at Freedom Machine. Impressive calves...had the BF running at around 5%, I'll wager.

Was he wearing his trademark black socks? :D

thongs I think.

Too many to name individually...hehehe