Surf Coast Classics cancelled due to bushfire risk
The women's and men's Surf Coast Classics, scheduled to run across January 28-29, have been cancelled due to heightened fire danger and changeable weather conditions.
As of yesterday, the 1.Pro ranked races – a mid-week companion to this weekend's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – had been revised to avoid townships which were under evacuation orders at the time, due to a bushfire burning in the nearby Otway Ranges. But with the Surf Coast Classic starting town of Lorne also now under threat, the decision was made to cancel the events altogether due to, per an event press release, "heightened bushfire risk, rapidly changing and unpredictable weather conditions, the need to keep evacuation routes clear and the requirement for Victoria Police and emergency services resources to remain focused on supporting impacted communities."
The Australian state of Victoria, home to the Surf Coast Classics and this weekend's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, is currently in the midst of a heatwave that has broken records and worsened already dire bushfire conditions, with substantial blazes still burning since the previous heatwave in early January. The events come a week after the Tour Down Under, which was itself impacted by heat and fire danger.
The organisers of the event are exploring "alternative options" for Thursday 29 January, "should it be safe and appropriate to do so". At this stage, there are "no identified impacts" to the weekend races.
