The 56th Grafton to Inverell Cycle Race will be conducted on Saturday May 7, and a minutes silence will be held prior to the start to honour local cycling legend, the late Ian ‘Blue’ Manton.
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The classic will start adjacent to Memorial Park, Grafton, at 7.30am followed at 15 minute intervals by B and C grades, and will finish in Vivian Street, Inverell, adjacent to Victoria Park.
This year, the Grafton to Inverell will be the first race in the Subaru National Road Series for the first time, and dual Grafton to Inverell winner Sean Lake will be back with the Avanti Isowhey Team.
More than 270 riders have nominated for the 228 kilometres race, including 14 teams with more than 100 riders in the National Road Series A grade.
Inverell will have its strongest representation in years.
Dylan Sunderland, who had a strong start to the year in top class races, will ride for the State of Matter MAAP NRS team, and his brother Zak will ride in B grade. Also in the B grade will be Dan Wilks with his brother Paul, who now resides in Mudgee, along with Peter and Sam Horwood and Brendan Jones.
There will be two first timers in C grade, Andrew English and Jason Sprang, from Inverell Cycle Club. They will be looking to the experience of club mates Peter Baz, Darren Croft and Peter Lane to get them through to the finish.