Brisbane number cruncher Brian Reid jets off tomorrow to Tasmania, where he’ll join Steve Waugh’s annual cycling fundraiser

Steve Waugh’s “Captain’s Ride’’ will cover 800km across Tasmania in six days and includes a challenging 11,000m of vertical climbing.

Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh. Picture: John Appleyard

PEDAL POWER

BRISBANE number cruncher Brian Reid has been a mad keen cyclist for 30 years.

The Firstmac financial controller pedals 20km to work each day but he’s ramped up the training lately, tackling the heights of Mt Coot-tha, as well scaling the sister peaks of Nebo, Glorious and Mee.

He’s going to need all that sweat equity.

Reid jets off tomorrow to Tasmania, where he’ll be one of just 76 riders from around the world invited to join the Steve Waugh Foundation’s annual cycling fundraiser for young people with rare diseases.

It’s the third year the former Australian cricket captain has organised the biking odyssey on behalf of an estimated 400,000 kids battling up to 8000 different maladies.

Waugh amassed $750,000 in 2015 and $$850,000 last year but he’s hoping to raise $1 million when the event gets under way on Sunday.

Illustration of Brian Reid by Brett Lethbridge.

His so-called “Captain’s Ride’’ will cover 800km over six days, starting and ending in Hobart.

The course includes a challenging 11,000m of vertical climbing, including one day alone with 3000m of uphill work out.

A team of more than 40 doctors, mechanics and other support staff will tag along to make sure the group keeps firing on all cylinders.

Reid, who is aiming to raise $10,000 by the end of the year, feels like he has a personal stake in the campaign. He’s got a brother affected by epilepsy and severe learning issues.

At the same time, he’s looking forward to the simple joys of hitting the road each morning.

“What a great opportunity to do something you like without any other hassles. All I have to do is get up and go for a ride,’’ Reid told City Beat yesterday.

Adding to the attraction will be his cycling companions, who include Tour de France winner Cadel Evens, AFL champ Adam Goodes, Olympic swimming legend Shane Gould, Formula One Grand Prix winner Mark Webber and, of course, Waugh himself.

Also along for the ride will be a raft of other Olympic champions, such as decathlon record holder Daley Thompson and rower Drew Ginn, as well as Paralympians John Maclean and Michael Milton.

WINNER NABBED?

WAS that a grimace on the face of Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen at the Queensland Media Club in Brisbane on Thursday? It sure looked like it.

After a speech where Bowen outlined Labor’s plan for economic growth, engagement with Asia and more spending on education, he was asked to draw out the lucky door prize.

Bowen pulled out a card and sheepishly announced the winner as someone from NAB.

Yes NAB, the warm and cuddly bank that just earlier in the day announced it was slashing 6000 jobs over the next three years while reaping a $5.3 billion net profit.

“Hope you are not one of the 6000,” someone quipped as the winner went up to grab the prize, a nice bottle of plonk.

At least the booze will dull some of the pain if there’s a pink slip on the way.

AIRPORT REBADGED

THREE years after opening Australia’s newest airport, Toowoomba’s Wagner industrial dynasty have jumped on the rebranding bandwagon.

It emerged on Thursday that their privately-owned Brisbane Wellcamp West Airport has now been rebadged as Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.

The change dovetails with the start of a brand campaign touting “From Toowoomba to the World.’’

That might sound a tad overly ambitious but the landing strip is already connecting the city with Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and Townsville, as well as Hong Kong.