In just over a month's time, Boweya couple Phillipa and Neil Duggan will be cruising along the south coast of Victoria as they take on this years’ Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Great Vic Bike Ride from 24-28 November.

Phillipa has participated in several Great Vic Bike Rides in addition to interstate rides, two of which were organised by Bicycle Victoria, while Neil rode and volunteered in the Great Vic in 2004.

Evidently, cycling has been a respite for the both of them, and their love for the sport has only grown.

“It’s something we can do together,” Phillipa said.

For the pair, absorbing in the scenery is one of the highlights of their rides.

“Where we live is fantastic, with the Warby Ranges and Kilawarra Forest," Phillipa said.

“During COVID, we’d go down by the river and ride along there.”

Now in their 70s, they’re looking forward to the journey rather than the competitive side of things.

“The Great Vic Bike Ride offers us the opportunity to focus on a ride that gives us a fitness goal to work towards,” Phillipa said.

“(It) offers many sociable opportunities and I love the slow tourism.

“There’s a festival atmosphere in the small towns that welcome us as we ride through, and side trips to wineries and galleries en route are great too.”

Phillipa and Neil began preparing for the five-day event in mid-September, and will venture on a number of different rides in the lead-up to the ride.

“We’ll just keep doing training rides, shorter rides, sometimes longer rides,” Phillipa said.

“The longest day is about 100km… we’re training in all-weather, so the other day we were riding in the rain.”

The 40th Great Vic Bike ride, which has established a new naming rights partnership with TAC to promote road safety, will run over five days with a greater emphasis on a more relaxed experience.

“The new TAC Great Vic Bike Ride will have five incredible riding days, three welcoming towns and loop rides on two of the days,” Alison McCormack, CEO of Bicycle Network, said.

“The 2025 ride features 300km of Great Ocean Road coastlines, cliffs and winding country roads – this is what bucket-list biking is all about.”

For more information visit greatvic.com.au