About us

Started in 1993, the ACT Veterans Cycling Club was formed to cater specifically for veteran racing cyclists in the Canberra area. Veteran category for cycling is 35 and over for men and 30 and over for women. Road races are held throughout the year at a number of different venues in and around the A.C.T. Track races are run during the summer months at Queanbeyan Park. All competitors are graded or handicapped in relation to their performance and fitness and new members receive particular attention to ensure they race in a group compatible with their ability.

The club aims to promote friendly competition in cycle racing so that both newcomers and experienced riders in all age groups can enjoy this great sport in a safe and sociable environment. Further information regarding the club can be found on the About Us and Membership pages of this site.

General Information

The A.C.T. Veterans Cycling Club Incorporated is affiliated with the Australian Veteran Cycling Council (AVCC). The club has around 300 financial members with ages ranging from 30 to 70 and over. Membership is open to men, 35 years of age and over, and women 30 years of age and over.

Attendance at weekly road events is frequently in excess of 80 riders which means all handicap groups or grade divisions have adequate numbers of equally classed riders for well matched racing. Whenever possible, every competitor in a race has their individual placing and time recorded. This provides data that allows each member to assess their performance and for the race committee to determine fair and accurate handicaps and gradings. The policy of the club is to avoid any elitism and ensure all riders receive equal recognition, regardless of age, gender, ability or experience.

Tea and coffee, are provided by the club after each race, giving riders time to relax, socialise and discuss the finer points of the day's event prior to the announcement of results. Full results are compiled within a day or two and distributed to members by email as well as being published on the RMS.

New Members

New members are always welcome. No hi tech or expensive equipment is necessary to get started but bikes must be roadworthy and helmets compling with AS 2063 are mandatory for all events. No previous racing experience is necessary and anyone who has not competed in a cycle race before with the ACTVCC or any other AVCC affiliated club can participate in one event as a prior to committing themselves to joining. Due to issues with insurance coverage however, such first time riders will be required to complete an AVCC Trial Membership form prior to race start.

Anyone new to racing will be briefed on race etiquette and safety prior to their first event and given instruction as necessary during the race. If you want to find out what cycle racing is all about, come along to watch a race and ask questions. All persons are expected to be familiar with the current Race Rules prior to competing. Our photo album will give some idea of what goes on. Also feel free to contact a committee member if you have any questions. See contacts.

Visiting riders or "visitors" are those people who are already a member of an AVCC (Australian Veteran Cyclibg Council) affiliated club and may race with the ACTVCC at any time. Visiting riders must show their AVCC licence when signing on and pay the normal race entry fee.

More information about the ACT Vets Cycling Club for new and prospective members is contained in an information brochures, Our Club. This is a pdf file and require Adobe Acrobat to view.

Road Racing

Road races are held throughout the year. During the winter season, March to October, races are held every week on Saturday afternoon. In the summer season, October to March, races are on Sunday mornings. A separate program of events is run for each season. The current program can be found on the EVENTS page.

All events run by the club on public roads are approved by the police and or the local government authorities. Races are planned and run by club members. Each event has a designated race director supported by a number of officials and marshalls to assist with recording and traffic control where necessary. The club is fortunate to have a large number of different race venues available in the A.C.T. and the surrounding parts of N.S.W. These are selected not only to give a variety of terrain and distance, but also for reasons of traffic safety and road surface conditions. All competitors must comply with the normal road rules while racing and wear an acceptable protective head gear. They must also observe any instructions or warnings announced by the race director prior to the start of a race.

The race program incorporates a range of different events including, handicaps, graded scratch races, time trials and criteriums. For the majority of races, men and women compete together with riders being handicapped or graded according to their performance. Graded races are run in up to eight separate grades. Time trials usually have separate results for men and women. This also applies to the club championships which are further divided by age category. The highlight of the race calendar each year is two day graded stage race. Comprised of three stages, it is always well attended and keenly anticipated by club members and visiting riders alike. Apart from time trials and criteriums, race distances are generally about 40 to 50 km. Members acrue points for each race they enter. Individual mens and womens point score trophies are presented at the end of each season.

Track Racing

Track racing is held at the Narrabundah Velodrome. This is a steeply banked velodrome. Races are run on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer months starting at 6:00 PM. Members can only race on the velodrome with a track bike. No road bikes are allowed. As with road racing, events are varied and include graded scratch, handicaps, sprints and pursuits. A point score for the track season is maintained based on the results of a regular handicap event.

Constitution

The ACT Veterans Cycling Club Constitution, which defines the objectives and purposes of the club, together with relevant rules and regulations can be viewed at ACTVCC Constitution. The Constitution of the Australian Veterans Cycling Council (AVCC) which is the peak body for dedicated veteran cycling clubs in Australia can be viewed at AVCC Constitution.