No Melbourne Dirty Dozen in 2019

A bunch of you have emailed or messaged me in recent weeks asking what’s happening with the 2019 Melbourne Dirty Dozen. And fair enough too: normally I would have announced the ride months ago, and it would be held in just a few weeks time.

Here’s the latest: there won’t be a Melbourne Dirty Dozen in 2019.

I’ve procrastinated on making that decision for a long time now (hence the radio silence) and it’s taken a lot of thought to arrive at this point. The simple explanation is that my heart just isn’t in it at the moment.

I love the ride, I love the day, and I love bringing people together, but getting a ride like the Dirty Dozen off the ground takes a hell of a lot of work. It’s not just a case of coming up with a sweet course (the most enjoyable part!) — it’s also about working with the authorities to get the appropriate approvals (the least enjoyable part), creating things like maps, and pulling everything together on the day.

I’ve had several people volunteer to be part of an organising committee or sorts, to help get the ride going. To those that offered: thank you. I certainly appreciate the support and the thought. Sadly, I just can’t see it happening this year.

I’m not saying this is it for the Melbourne Dirty Dozen. I’d love to bring the ride back at some point, possibly even next year. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired to ride some short and sharp hills, well, I’ve got you covered. Follow the links below to see the courses we used in the first seven editions of the event. Why not download one of these files, stick it on your GPS, and go and ride it with your mates? I might end up doing that myself in the weeks ahead, to get my annual fix:

DD18: The 2018 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dromana)
DD17: The 2017 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dromana)
DD16: The 2016 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Warburton)
DD15: The 2015 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Warburton)
DD14: The 2014 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)
DD13: The 2013 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)
The inaugural Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)

If you’re looking for another sweet ride to do in September, I’d highly recommend Hells 500’s Ol’ Dirty. I’ve done the ride virtually since the start and it’s consistently one of my favourite rides of the year. I believe there are still some tickets available — head to the Ol’ Dirty page and sign up before they disappear!

Thanks again to everyone that’s shown interest in this year’s Dirty Dozen, and of course, thanks to everyone that’s taken part in any of the first seven editions! Sorry for the bad news — hopefully I’ll have better news for you at some point soon …

Want to relive past editions of the Melbourne Dirty Dozen? Check out the links below for photos and ride reports (and the occasional video):

DD18: The 2018 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dromana)
DD17: The 2017 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dromana)
DD16: The 2016 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Warburton)
DD15: The 2015 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Warburton)
DD14: The 2014 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)
DD13: The 2013 Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)
The inaugural Melbourne Dirty Dozen (Dandenongs)

More from The Climbing Cyclist

6 Replies to “No Melbourne Dirty Dozen in 2019”

  1. Been trying to download as many of those .gpx / .fit etc. files as possible of the old routes. Have missed them all (moved to Melbs last few years), but keen to do them all. Any easy way to download them all? Strava no longer seems to allow dloading them to create a route, privacy settings may have changed.

    Many thanks, and hoping there’s a next year!

  2. Matt, I’ve participated at all three DD locations and have loved them all. Particularly my first DD14 where I got the taste and pain of the adventure.
    Well done to you and David on putting on such great rides with incredible value.
    Whether it be a reprise or a change of direction I’m looking forward to another instalment.
    Cheers
    Gavin

  3. Matt, I don’t blame you for needing a break, I’ve always been amazed by the effort you put in.

    I loved the dirty dozen events and they were always a staple in my cycling calendar. I thank you deeply for all the amazing and enjoyable rides you’ve put on, from the beautiful views to the ocean while descending at Mornington, to the wet and cold ride at Warby.

    Once again, thanks, take a well earned rest and I’ll see you around in the hills.

  4. My heart is broken, my spirit crushed – but my legs scream their thanks.

    You know that we’ll all be here, ready to be put through the wringer again (13 times) whenever you are ready, mate.

    A sad loss for 2019, but if that means potentially coming back another time… well, we can wait.

Leave a Reply to Glen Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *