Olympics Road Racing Course

Sydney 2000

The road racing course for the Sydney 2000 Olympics - men and women was published today, Friday 24/11/1995. The first impressions are highly positive.

The start and finish line will be outside the Sydney Football Stadium. It will include a 4 km leg through Centennial Park and a sharp descent down to Bronte Beach as features.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) approved the course in October and officials believe that it will be the focus of the largest concentration of crowds for the whole Olympics. A Sydney Games Organising (SOCOG) official predicted that crowds of "up to 1/2 million" would witness the 200 km men's race and the 120 km women's race.

The official said: "It is probably the most stunning road race circuit that there's ever been in Olympic competition."

Gerard Wright, a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote (24/11/95, p.38):

"The original bid documents for the 2000 Olympics had earmarked a 30 
 course through the Royal National Park as the site for the road race.
 But after Sydney was awarded the Games, UCI president Hein Verbruggen
 of the Netherlands, asked the SOCOG to consider relocating the course 
 nearer the city to allow greater spectator access."

Many courses were considered including racing around the inner city Darling Harbour site, the central business district, and the beach side suburbs to the east of the centre. One course seriously considered was the route followed by the famous City to Surf fun run. [Ed. note: this route might appear to be hilly for runners but the so-called heartbreak hills are meagre mounds for a top class road race field].

Wright continued "The 15 km circuit runs through three municipalities, South Sydney, Randwick, and Waverley. and the suburbs of Moore Park, Queen's Park, Bronte, and Randwick. The course will be re-sealed before the Olympics, with 20 roundabouts to be removed, as well as speed humps and other traffic control facilities."

The main press and rider facilities will be located at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The exact route

Start outside Sydney Football Stadium in Driver Avenue. Into Moore Park then a 4 km stretch through Centennial Park [Ed. Note: - this is a major inner city training circuit with big packs out each night]. The roads through the park will be Parkes, Grand, Carrington and Robinson Drives.

Then it is into York Road, Queen's Park Road, and Victoria Street to Bronte Road. There is a steep 1 km descent into Bronte Beach. The race then takes a 5 km route back to the start line along MacPherson Street, Darley Road, Alison Road, and then up the Anzac Parade bus lane. The sprint to the finish is a straight line 700 metres. There are two major climbs [Ed. Note: to very big climbs - the course is pretty and interesting but not very difficult].