A “mind-boggling human error” has been blamed for the abrupt early morning cancellation of a major bike event in the Southern Highlands less than an hour before it was due to start, leaving thousands of cyclists fuming and organisers demanding answers.
The 2024 Bowral Classic, which has raised more than $500,000 for charity since 2016 and is regarded as a fixture in the NSW cycling calendar, was scheduled to begin from 6.15am but riders arriving from Sydney and elsewhere received texts from “devastated” event officials telling them the event was off because a key traffic management contractor had not turned up.
An image from the 2023 Bowral Classic, which unlike the 2024 race went ahead without a hitch.Credit: Cycling Classics
In a later statement, the organisers sought to calm anger by offering more detail about the circumstances leading to the debacle.
“Our traffic management partner – an important partner we have worked with for several years – simply didn’t show up,” the organisers said.
“The traffic management for the Bowral Classic is a huge operation, with over 100 traffic marshals coming from across the Southern Highlands, Wollongong and Sydney. Without them on course, the event could not proceed safely.
“Our traffic management contractor has told us there was a date stuff up. Given the reams of communications and approvals necessary, we are shaking our heads in disbelief.
“Suffice it to say we are not letting the matter rest there.”
Hundreds of riders who arrived or woke up in Bowral still chose to pedal, taking on the 150-kilometre, 120-kilometre or 85-kilometre road loops but without standard signage, road closures and other logistical support.
Balmain resident Clarissa Phillips was just minutes from arriving in Bowral at 5.00am when she was told the race had been axed.
“We’ve been training for three months. I’m devastated because we’ve been looking forward to it,” Phillips said. “I’m in a triathlon club and we had about 15 people training for this.
Clarissa Phillips, 51, from Balmain, was just minutes from arriving in Bowral about 5am, when she was told the race was cancelledCredit: Garry Maddox
“One guy I met came from Brisbane.”
Jason Robertson, who travelled from the northern Sydney suburb of Beacon Hill, was also stunned by the cancellation text.
“I thought it was a prank at first, and then we were all in our cars trying to work out what to do next,” Robertson said.
“Almost everyone decided to ride anyway. But it was chaotic at times. They took down all the signs so we had no directions on where to go, and we had people going left, right, and every which way.”
The event organisers paid for all the food in the village at the end of the ride and have offered refunds on the registration fees. Entry prices ranged from $165 to $315, depending on when participants registered.
NSW Police said no injuries had been reported during the day.
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