By Ethan Benedicto
From the border of New South Wales, down to the hills of the Yarra Ranges, the Great Vic Bike Ride will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this November and December, as hundreds of cyclists ready themselves to embark on a nature-filled journey through Victoria.
Harkaway resident and a more recent participant of the event, Craig Bates is settling into a slow yet steady routine, all in preparation for the upcoming challenge.
While having taken part in the previous two events, and beginning roughly six years ago, the upcoming trip holds a different value for Craig, one that serves as another notch of cycling achievements, but also a reminder of his strength and fortitude, both mentally and physically.
Having been diagnosed with a form of lymphoma cancer in late 2023, Craig’s radiation therapy only recently finished, with his exercise routine slowly on the roll.
The upcoming event, which Craig will embark on for five days, will begin at the event’s origin – Wodonga; on 23 November with the first stop at Myrtleford, some 85 kilometres south from the starting point.
Following an overnight stop at Myrtleford, the next stop will be Wangaratta, where cyclists have two nights with a loop ride, both on the 25 and the 26; from there it will be Mansfield, also with two nights and a rest day on the 27 and the 28.
The trip will finish on 1 December – after 501 kilometres – in Healesville, with a rare opportunity to ride the picturesque Black Spur car-free.
Craig’s interest was piqued far beyond the physicality of the journey, but also the logistics of the entire event; from how they organised it, how they catered to hundreds of cyclists at different venues and so on.
Leading up to this upcoming event, Craig’s excitement, despite his diagnosis and treatment, has not waned.
“I booked into this in the early months of my cancer treatment because I wanted to have something to look forward to,” he said.
“I wanted to think positively that I’m going to be good enough, that I’m going to be well enough to do this.”
To Craig, it wasn’t necessarily just a show of strength and determination – though it is that as much as anything – but it was also about doing things that he has always done, and not letting cancer take that away from him.
From training one’s endurance and stamina to knowing the trails and your bike, Craig, at 65 years of age, sees the event, and the activity of cycling in general, as one of the best ways to explore the nature that Victoria and Australia have to offer.
Sometimes, things may not necessarily be in your favour, with Craig dwelling on that one Great Vic Bike Ride he took part of where it poured for days on end; but at that point he had been training regularly, riding with friends from his hometown twice a day for hours.
Recently, due to his diagnosis and treatment, Craig has had little chance to do the same throughout 2024, but when his treatment was coming to a close, he too, began to hit the pedals.
As Craig builds himself up once more, he’s aiming to take part in the event for only four days, not because of his treatment however, but because of his son’s birthday.
With still roughly two months before the ride begins, Craig is hoping that he’ll be up for the challenge, but with strong will and fortitude, he remains steadfast in his eagerness to dart through the countryside once more.
