It's June – only five months until the 2007 Portfolio Partners Around the Bay in a Day and things are starting to happen!
Entries are well under way and the 210km ride via Queenscliff is almost sold out! It is great to see lots of teams getting organised and fantastic that more and more workplaces are supporting their employees for this event.
The City of Melbourne has confirmed that they will be supporting the Portfolio Partners Around the Bay in a Day, along with the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and a new bike expo. These events will make up the Melbourne Cycling Festival which will be run over the weekend from 19 to 21 October 2007. It is going to be a huge and exciting weekend - more information will be available soon!
Win a Trip to Paris and see the Tour
For your chance to win two return economy tickets to Paris and the chance to watch the 2008 Tour de France roadside, all you need to do is ride in this year’s Portfolio Partners Around the Bay in a Day and fundraise at least $210 for The Smith Family.
Start your fundraising challenge today and download a fundraising form here or alternatively make a pledge to a rider or team online. (Online sponsorship will be available from Tuesday 12 June 2007)
And remember all donations over $2 are tax deductible!
Looking the Part
Merchandise 
Complement your Free Event Jersey with matching cycling knicks and a wind vest. These garments can be ordered online.
Team Uniforms
As an official event partner, SCODY are also committed to assisting in fundraising efforts for The Smith Family. For all orders of team wear received before 31 July 2007, SCODY will donate 10% of the order value to The Smith Family.
For further information on how you can order your team uniforms, please visit the official SCODY website.
Getting Clearways
As a first step, Bicycle Victoria is working to get clearways every Saturday and Sunday on the world’s premier cycling training route – Beach Road. We plan to have stakeholder agreement for this for the day of the Ride.
We will keep you informed of other route improvements as they are confirmed. Maps will be on the website soon.
Tour de France Breakfast
Celebrate the Tour de France and see how you can further that excitement in your workplace. Keep breakfast on 13 July 2007 free. More information coming soon.
Daimler Chrysler Roadsters
This is the seventh consecutive year that the DaimlerChrysler Roadsters have entered the Portfolio Partners Around the Bay in a Day. Riding a bike is becoming “a bit of an epidemic” at DaimlerChrysler, where a healthy lifestyle and work balance are an important part of the company's values. Their team is getting bigger every year and part of the reason is the inspiration they get from Chrysler Managing Director, Gerry Jenkins.
Gerry, an above knee amputee, doesn't let things get in his way. Last year, he rode 100km from Sorrento to Melbourne, describing his ride as “a rush… I was overcome by a tremendous sense of accomplishment”. This year Gerry is tackling the 210km ride and has helped inspire a record 47 team members to join in. "This year our group will be called the Discover Dodge Team and will be sporting bright Dodge red jerseys!" Be on the look out for the Dodge peloton!
If anyone tells you they can't do the Ride, tell them to talk to Gerry!
Training in the Dark - Know the Rules
For many cyclists, night time or early morning is a great time to train. Often the roads are less congested and there's a peaceful feel to the streets. It's essential that you make yourself as visible as possible so that other night time road users can see you. Bike lights are a legal requirement.
The road rules require you to have a front and rear light when riding at night or in bad light. If you have yet to purchase your lights for early morning or evening training, see Bicycle Victoria’s light recommendations based on our tests.
Insider Tip - Layers!
Riding in the Portfolio Partners Around the Bay in a Day means that you will be starting early and it will be chilly. As you ride you will warm up. and it could be a hot spring day. To deal with all these different conditions, some riders choose to dress in layers. To avoid stopping to remove layers, they wear things that can easily be removed or rolled up while riding such as leg warmers and arm warmers. These can be purchased from most bike shops and cost around $50.
The Three Best Things
Last year over 400 people volunteered their time to help make the Ride possible. The three main reasons they volunteered included:
- “Being part of the fun of the event and supporting my friends and family”
- “Helping put smiles on rider’s faces”
- “Meeting and talking to lots of interesting people”.
If you know someone who wants to be involved in the backstage excitement of the Ride, find out how they can join us.
