Route: Khancoban to Mt. Beauty
Distance: 181km
Climbing: 2,420m
After the brutality of the previous day’s climbfest, stage 10 of the Tour of Australia will seem positively easy for the riders. After setting off from Khancoban and crossing the border into Victoria after 14km, the riders will hit the first of two categorised climbs for the day a short time later. It’s just 3km at 6% (fourth category) before the riders descend and continue heading west towards Corryong and Berringama.
The second and final climb starts after 60km and is only 5km at 6% before the riders descend off the other side of the mountain, heading downhill for most of 30km. The day’s only intermediate sprint will be contested in the town of Tallangatta after 109km, on the banks of the Murray River and from there the riders swing south for the final drag to the finish in Mt. Beauty.
It’s nearly 60km down the Kiewa Valley with a few lumps and bumps in the way and the last few kilometres of the race are downhill from Tawonga South into the town of Mt. Beauty.
For the sprinters that were able to make it through the previous day’s stage inside the time cut, contesting the sprint finish on stage 10 will be their reward. The day’s two categorised climbs aren’t long or steep enough, nor close enough to the finish to thwart their chances.
You’d expect a breakaway to get up the road almost straight away, likely featuring those who are in the race for the KOM classification, but on the flatish run-in to the finish in Mt. Beauty it would be the teams of the sprinters that would take charge and set about reeling in any remaining escapees.
For the GC contenders, this is a day to recharge, recuperate and save themselves for the following day’s stage.
Previous stages
- Tour of Australia 2014: an introduction
- Stage 1: Gold Coast TTT
- Stage 2: Currumbin to Cape Byron
- Stage 3: Nimbin to Grafton
- Stage 4: Grafton to Inverell
- Stage 5: Tamworth to Siding Springs
- Stage 6: Dubbo to Mt. Panorama (Bathurst)
- Stage 7: Bathurst to Cootamundra
- Stage 8: Cootamundra to Tumbarumba
- Stage 9: Tumbarumba to Thredbo
More from The Climbing Cyclist
May 18, 2012 Group ride: The Dirty Dozen (all welcome)
February 19, 2014 New climb added to the site: Mt. William
November 5, 2013 Domestique Dirty Dandys
March 15, 2011 Episode 22: The 3 Peaks Challenge
June 4, 2014 Tour of Australia 2014: an introduction
For those who like a steep drag – the climb to Tallengatta lookout is passed by – from where you would get an amazing view of the race fly by.
The world’s largest rolling pin is found in Wodonga and would get flown by. There is the Hume Weir and the rail trails Sandy Creek Bridge.
For climbs that are passed by, Mt Baranaduda would be a highlight as would Spring Gully Rd in Huon Creek.