Ballidu is home to just 58 people, but for several years now the sleepy Wheatbelt town has come alive for Bike it to Ballidu Gravel, attracting hundreds of competitors in a sport that is growing around the world.
Hundreds of people have flocked to WA's Wheatbelt for Bike it to Ballidu Gravel , which began as a school fundraiser .
The single-day event is for riders of all levels, with options of race routes ranging from a novelty 12km to a gritty 155km.One of Australia's national gravel champions, Ricky Andrews, took out top spot for the men's 155km event on Saturday with a finish time of about 4 hours and 27 minutes. After road riding for a decade, Andrews said he and his mates swapped the road bike for gravel and never looked back.
"The kids had to ride initially, then when everyone started hearing about it we all wanted to be a part of it ourselves .When Ballidu Primary School eventually closed down in 2016, the Shire of Wongan-Ballidu funded the cycling event for a few years. "As we were exploring out there and saw all the amazing gravel roads, we thought gravel cycling was really growing massively around the world, so what an amazing place to host an event," Mr Murray said.He said the future of gravel biking "looked very bright" and there were many factors contributing to the sport's surging popularity.
"It's a bit of an adventure, especially if you live in a city, you get to go to places otherwise you wouldn't really go, that's what I love about it."Get our local newsletter, delivered free each ThursdayPhoto shows A banner reading 'Coles' and, in the background, the Woolworths logo.
Gravel Biking Wheatbelt Ballidu Regional Bike It To Ballidu Gravel Ricky Andrews Danelle Hasson Town Team Movement Rory Murray Westcycle Gravel Riding Gravel Biking School Fundraiser Ballidu Primary School
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