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“That’s going to be hard to beat! Forget about the ride tomorrow, that’s going to be the highlight of the weekend without a doubt!”

The Jayco Herald Sun Tour’s Stage 4 was incredible. The route took riders up the Arthurs Seat climb 3 times, and Wade from Cycling Tips and Rapha set out to make it a day to remember by organising Bay 13 on a sweeping corner halfway up the climb. The idea was to get as many people there as possible, and try to recreate that Tour like atmosphere up in the mountains as the race went past.

The view from half way up Arthurs Seat looking towards Sorrento

Arthurs Seat is about 80km out of Melbourne down in the Mornington Peninsula. Why were we there? By pure coincidence we were down in Melbourne for Around the Bay – and without giving too much away, the afternoon at Arthurs Seat eclipsed the ride with ease!

Back to the race! We’d got there with only minutes to spare, and quickly started walking up the 4km climb. After a huge leading entourage of Police and support cars, a breakaway emerged slogging it out up the climb. This was the first of three times up the mountain for the riders.

Teletubbies and guys in mankini’s! Look at that knicks tan!

The peleton grinded up Arthurs Seat only a couple of minutes after the break on the first lap

This poor guy from Pure Black (NZ team) was off the back already. The sag wagon was following closely behind!

We settled in at the Bay 13 Rapha corner. There really was everything you could have wanted, good food, coffee, toilets, bike porn, a DJ and a fantastic party atmosphere to go with it.

The wait between the first and second lap of Arthurs Seat seemed to take forever. Checking out some of the local bike porn certainly helped pass the time. There were some serious rigs up there!

Finally the solo break followed by a select group of 10 or so were cheered up the climb. The pace was now on, once to the top, they had to bomb it down and almost straight away hit the climb for the final time. The legs would be absolutely screaming by now!

Cam Peterson (V Australia) attacks the climb and trys to break free from the chase group

The chase group, with GC contendors Nathan Haas and Jack Bobridge

With the excitement of the 2nd climb over, almost everyone headed upto the top of the climb to get a position for the finish. With a chopper hovering, live coverage and commentary broadcast to SBS2, it was simply “pro”, an impressive site.

Egor Silin (Katusha Team) gets the solo win, the first of his pro career! For a guy with “a little” english he spoke very well too. Haas, in green realises by holding off Bobridge, he’s now in yellow with only a crit to go. (Photos via Jarrod Partridge – jxpphotography.com)

It was a fantastic way to spent a windy Saturday afternoon, something that we’ll definitely be back for. Aside from the racing itself, Bay 13, the Rapha corner, the pink corner, absolutely made the day. Awesome job Wade, Cyclingtips and Rapha!

Getting home, a 9hr drive later, and finding this in the mail from Rapha was a very nice touch! Unrelated of course, but continued a great vibe created by Rapha. For more info on what Rapha Rising is all about check out this link – http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-rising