CYCLING Victoria’s Tour of the Great South Coast will no longer visit Moyne Shire after the council decided to discontinue its financial support for the event.
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In 2015 the race visited Koroit and Peterborough before finishing in Port Fairy.
When the event takes place on August 10-14 this year, it will now finish in Portland following various stages in eastern South Australia and Glenelg Shire.
Cycling Victoria chief executive Kipp Kaufmann said the cycling organisation was thankful for Moyne Shire’s support in previous years.
“Midway through last year Moyne Shire decided they were going to pursue other business development opportunities,” Mr Kaufmann said.
He added there were no hard feelings regarding the move.
“We’ve had a great relationship with Moyne Shire and still have a great relationship,” Mr Kaufmann said.
“It was an investment decision by Moyne Shire, but it’s allowed us to change the route, which is exciting for the riders.”
Mr Kaufmann said Cycling Victoria was working with councils in South Australia and Glenelg Shire to co-ordinate the race’s seven stages.
The event starts in Mt Gambier on August 10 before visiting Port MacDonnell, Penola, Casterton, Cape Bridgewater, and Portland.
Moyne Shire mayor Colin Ryan said the council had decided to discontinue its support because of the state government’s imposition of rate capping.
Over the past few years, Moyne Shire has annually given $20,000 to the Tour of the Great South Coast.
But Cr Ryan said rate capping led to a need to find $600,000 in the shire’s operating budget, leaving no room for another $20,000 contribution to the cycling event.
He said the Tour of the Great South Coast was an excellent event that Moyne Shire had been happy to support in years gone by.
The Tour of the Great South Coast is part of the National Road Series – the peak event for cycling in Australia.