Do you already enjoy riding on the road? If you’ve ever thought about racing for the first time, or just want to set a new goal to work towards, here’s how to find your next step.
Perhaps you’re curious about racing, keen to try an organised event or looking for other riders to share the experience with. Start with what interests you and see where it leads.
Find a club and ride with a group
Photo: Parklife Cycling Club
A local cycling club will help you meet riders, join group rides and find the events that are happening nearby. With a club, you can join training rides to practise the skill of safely riding with others. Many of our clubs run events of their own, giving you a chance to experience one close to home. You can also ask club members what a first race involves, and which events might suit your experience.
Try an individual time trial
Photo: Matt Mayo
Try dipping your toes in the competitive waters by entering an individual time trial. It’s just you against the clock, without having to worry about any other riders. You’ll enjoy a physical and mental challenge, get all the thrills of competition, and meet other race-minded cyclists.
Try a local criterium or road race
Photo: Con Chronis
A criterium, or crit, is a race over repeated laps of a short circuit. These usually take place on closed courses away from public roads, making crits a really accessible way to try racing. The short laps mean that if anything goes wrong, you’re never far from the finish.
Local road races usually take place on quiet roads with traffic control and escort vehicles to keep you safe. They are the grassroots version of a beautiful sport that goes all the way up to the Tour de France.
These club-level races often offer lower grades for riders with less experience, so ask the organisers what would suit you.
Enter your first gran fondo
Photo: Aaron Collins
A gran fondo is an organised road event that gives you a course, a distance and a date to prepare for. While not technically a race, there’s often a mix of people riding competitively and for fun. You might enter to ride with friends, take on a longer distance, or see what time you can achieve.
For some riders, a gran fondo builds confidence before trying a bigger road race. For others, it’s the challenge they enjoy often on incredible routes.
Explore the Road Nationals Gran Fondo Short Course.
Where could road racing take you?
Photo: Chris Auld
As you gain experience, you might set your sights on a longer road race, a handicap race, or a multi-stage tour.
Some of these named events are also part of a State Series. You might enter one race that interests you or make several rounds your goal for the season. State Championships offer the chance to race for a title in your state or territory. Junior riders can explore junior tours and series too.
Find the step that suits you
You might start with a club ride, enter a local event, try a crit or train for a gran fondo. Choose something that interests you, then decide what you’d like to take on next.
Before entering, check the event listing for its course, categories and membership requirements. If you’re unsure where you fit, ask the organising club or our event team.
The 2027 AusCycling Road Calendar launches Thursday 8 October. Explore what’s coming and find an event that could be your next step. Sign up for Road Calendar updates.