Route: Mordialloc to Melbourne CBD (ITT)
Distance: 34km
Climbing: 260m
Stage 16 of the 2014 Tour of Australia is the first and only individual time trial of the race with the riders taking to Melbourne’s most popular cycling route, Beach Road.
The stage starts at Mordialloc, probably the most popular turnaround point for cyclists coming from the city end of Beach Road. Following Beach Road northwest the riders pass through the waterside suburbs of Beaumaris, Sandringham Bright and St. Kilda.
From St. Kilda the riders follow Beaconsfield Parade and Beach Street to Port Melbourne where they head inland then back east on the approach to the CBD. Heading up Williamstown Road and Normanby Road in the closing kilometres of the stage, the riders then head down Queensbridge Street and finish on Queensbridge Square on the banks of the Yarra River.
The stage profile above might look pretty spiky but bear the y-axis in mind. While there are a few short rises along Beach Road, it’s generally very flat, rewarding the big, strong, powerful riders. This is a stage that suits the pure time-triallists, the likes of Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara.
The general classification riders will be in the mix on this stage but don’t expect them to win it — this is no mountain time trial.
Fans of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour will recognise the location of today’s stage finish — it’s the same place the prologue for this year’s Sun Tour finished.
The third and final rest day in the 2014 Tour of Australia will be taken after stage 16.
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
- Stage 10: Khancoban to Mt. Beauty
- Stage 11: Mitta Mitta to Mt. Hotham
- Stage 12: Bright to Wangaratta
- Stage 13: Wangaratta to Mt. Buller
- Stage 14: Mansfield to Mt. Donna Buang
- Stage 15: Warburton to Arthurs Seat
More from The Climbing Cyclist
January 26, 2010 A ride in two parts
March 30, 2015 Cycling the Snowy Mountains: Khancoban to Jindabyne
October 1, 2017 DD17: The 2017 Melbourne Dirty Dozen
October 11, 2013 Introducing the Climbing Cyclist forums
November 4, 2013 The long and winding road back to health
Beach Road – yes!
Could also detour via St Kilda Road for big crowds on the boulevard similar to Cadel Evans’ TDF homecoming 🙂
P.S. Great work Matt & Dave
Wait… the Strava KOMs will be all gone. No, this will not do!
Typo on the elevation gain – should be “m” not “km”.
Love this Tour d’Oz idea, by the way 🙂
Haha!! Thanks Ant. 🙂
#YesBeachRoad.
The ride along the beach is a Melbourne institution. The finish along the Yarra would attract a big crowd. The chopper would highlight the Albert Park Lake, The MCG, Rod Laver Arena, The Arts centre and The Esplanade Hotel just for a start.