Local schoolboy champion, Matt Clark, is throwing down the gauntlet to the international field competing in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour which concludes Stage 3 of the famous cycling race in Beechworth one month from today on Wednesday 17 October.
The 16-year old cyclist is hoping to write himself into the record books with a Rail Trail v Tour Challenge which will pit him against the 98 champions competing in the final leg of Stage 3 from White Post Road Everton to Camp Street Beechworth. Matt will race against the Tour via the Everton to Beechworth section of the scenic Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail, a 16 km paved cycle trail and fast-becoming one of the region’s most popular tourist destinations. He has ridden the Rail Trail countless times as part of his training regimen.
If all goes to plan, the anticipated crowds lining Camp Street for the Beechworth finish will have the chance to cheer on a local hero as he sprints to the line ahead of the Stage 3 winner.
The ride will be both a personal challenge for the Year 10 Beechworth Secondary College student and an opportunity to raise the profile of the Scott Peoples Memorial Foundation. Matt and his family were close to 20 year-old Scott Peoples, a Shepparton Cycle Club star and member of the Australian Youth Cycling Team who died in a tragic accident last year.
A member of the Albury-Wodonga Cycling Club, Matt Clark has been racing competitively for seven years. His most recent success came just two months ago when he competed at the Victorian Junior Road Championships where he became dual State Champion by winning both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race in the under 17 Men’s category. The 2007 season also seen him win the Victorian Under 17 Mens aggregate point score series.
Matt’s coach is Barry Burns, himself a past champion, veteran of nine Sun Tours and junior coach of Benalla champion and past Tour de France sprint winner, Baden Cook who is also taking the field in this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour.
“Matt is the first one I’ve been excited about since Baden Cook”, says Burns whose many achievements include coach of the Mayday Hills team which raced across the Nullabor in 1988. Geoff Clark, Matt’s father, was a competitor in that marathon event.
The Matt Clark Rail Trail v Tour Challenge is one of a number of activities being presented in Beechworth from 12 Noon ahead of the Stage 3 Finish in Camp Street around 2pm. Further program details will be announced next week.
The Tour is regarded as one of the world’s prestige staged team road cycling events. In 2007 the 14 teams of seven riders will begin the race in Bendigo on Monday 15 October and finish in Melbourne on Saturday 21 October. Beechworth will also host the Start of Stage 4 of the race to Falls Creek at 10:30am on Thursday 17 October.
The Matt Clark Rail Trail v Tour Challenge is being made possible with the kind permission of the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail Committee. The Challenge is a one-off event subject to a number of stringent conditions. The event will include two motorcycles for both safety and motor-pacing purposes. Marshalls will be stationed at all public road intersections along the Rail Trail to ensure public safety and signage advertising the event will be in place ahead of time at either end of the Trail.
Media inquiries to Sue Couttie, Indigo Shire Council Tourism Development Officer
Phone (03) 5728 8061
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