ProVelo Super League set to provide new opportunities for Aussie cyclists

A new national cycling series will be launched next year in a bid to help develop future stars of the sport. Here’s what we know and where the events will take place.

Australian young riders Keely Bennett and Dylan Proctor-Parker with Matt Wilson, Andrew Ryan, AusCycling CEO Marne Fechner and Aaron Flanagan at the launch of the ProVelo Super League. Picture: Shane Jones.

It’s the start of a new era for Australian cycling.

Starting next year the ProVelo Super League will roar into action becoming a major part of the Australian cycling calendar.

Founded by former professional cyclist and 2004 Australian national road race champion, Matt Wilson and Aaron Flanagan the new league will take over from the National Road Series (NRS).

Part of the Australian calendar for more than 20 years the NRS, according to Wilson, is in desperate need of change.

It’s hoped the new league will steer the national series on the right path — to more eyeballs and provide riders the opportunity to excel and race at a higher level in Europe or as part of a national team.

“The current national road series over the last 10 years has become more and more expensive to run and the events are getting less and less sponsors because there are less eyeballs on it,” Wilson said.

“Teams are having to pay more to go to races and then teams are becoming less economically viable. The whole thing is in a bad cycle.

“There needed to be a change and the only way there was going to be a change was with some equity behind it and some money behind it to flip that model and put it back into place to support events and support teams financially so they can do the series.”

The ProVelo Super League will see seven events held next year in the first season, incorporating some traditional events from the NRS and building new events to captivate audiences.

The Melbourne to Warrnambool and Grafton to Inverell one-day classics remain, as does the Tour of Tasmania and the Tour of Brisbane.

Logo of the new ProVelo Super League. Picture: Shane Jones.

South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales will get new events, with more information to be released on those in the coming months.

The events will take place from January to March with South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania’s events to be held in the first two months and the Queensland and New South Wales events to be held in March.

There is scope to grow the calendar and the program but it’s baby steps for the new league.

Owner of Jayco Caravans and passionate cycling supporter Gerry Ryan is bankrolling the new league.

“(We start with) a Friday night city centre criterium, then we’ll go out on the Saturday and do a double stage, a road race and either another criterium or a time trial,” he said.

“On the Sunday it will be the big queen stage of the event. The big road race, hopefully some climbs and a big finale for the race.

“(A three-day event is) cheaper to run for events and for teams.

“We’re looking to make things more economically viable for everybody.”

The league has the full support of Australia’s cycling peak body AusCycling.

AusCycling chief executive Marne Fechner said the new league aligns with what it outlined as two major goals for the national series when it did a review last year.

The first is to showcase the sport to fans and sponsors and to continue to develop the best Australian talent for future endeavours.

“It’s an exciting evolution for the NRS, it’s respecting the heritage that’s gone before but looking at it through what does the sport need from 2025 and beyond.

“I think one of the things the Provelo Super League will do is it will provide an enhancement of the product.”

More information on the calendar and other events will be released in coming weeks.