CANBERRA couple Catherine Gough and Michael Johns with their family travelled to Rutherglen last Saturday for the Vintage Bike Ride in its second year organised by the town’s Rotary Club.
“We fell in love with the beautiful Rutherglen region when we visited last year,” Catherine said.
“I teach and run a swing dancing school which is 1920s and1930s style in Canberra, so I get very attracted to vintage events and this was right up our alley.
“There are no hills on the rail trails and it’s a very family friendly event.”
An organiser and Rotarian Greg Griffiths said a cyclist reunion had been part of the day’s ride drawing more than 250 cyclists for the combined event.
Among well-known former cycling greats competing in national and international events participating in the reunion was Phil Anderson, who delighted the crowd with a captivating account of his cycling career over a barbeque lunch for event goers.
Now retired from racing, Mr Anderson said he had undertaken a triathlon in Rutherglen around the mid-90s.
Among many awards and honours received for his contributions to cycling received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) medal in 1987.
Competing in 13 Tour de France events back in the 80s and 90s, Mr Anderson said he finished five times in the top 10 and won some stages.
“My claim to fame was the first non- European to wear the yellow jersey,” he said.
Mr Anderson was the first Australian to lead the Tour de France in the 1981 race with 71 other victories over 14 years from 1980.
The cyclist said the Rotary event gave him a chance to catch up with a bunch of guys from his generation.
“We all go through racing together, elbowing and trying to beat each other and then we retire from racing," he said.
Mr Anderson said there’s no better place than Rutherglen to catch up to tell and share the stories.
New Zealand former racing cyclist and pioneer Wayne Hildred made his mark in Victoria winning the Australian national road race title in 1982 and 1986.
Mr Hildred said he raced in the 80s and 90s as well as a number of other events with many people at the reunion he hadn’t seen for a long time.
“I went to Europe and lived just down the road from Phil and raced in the 1981 and 1982 races that he rode in, and we used to train together,” he said.
Bike enthusiast Peter Varley from Bright and a cyclist for around 40 years, said Wayne is a longtime friend with Phil an idol when he started cycling.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie and it’s great to see so many professionals from back in the day,” he said.
Delighted with the turnout Mr Griffiths said it was fantastic to receive so many entries, among them people tripping from across Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales and the ACT.
“We do this for the community, it’s good for business and the town thrives,” he said.
With funds raised from entry fees and a raffle for this year’s event, Mr Griffiths said the Rutherglen Rotary Club is donating profits to a charity set up to help Para-cyclists as well as the Wahgunyah CFA.
One of three judges for fabulous outfits worn by cyclists on the Vintage ride – Wendy Purcell from Kyneton and a rider in the inaugural event – said she participates in costume events and tweed rides.
“This is more about vintage cyclists and it's also lovely to see people who have known known each other since they were young cycling athletes still getting together and riding bikes,” she said.