Distance - 88.3km
Elevation Gain - 823m
Keen to head to this great Destination Bike? Visit Ballarat direct here
The Mollongghip loop is a scenic 88km ride that leaves from Racers Bar and Café, which is directly across the road from Lake Wendouree.
The loop can be done in either direction depending on the wind. If the wind is a north easterly, riding the loop anti-clockwise is your best bet. It will be a bit of a grind getting out to Mollongghip, but once you turn west towards Creswick, it’s smooth sailing.
Approaching the loop from this direction will also tick off almost all of the routes climbing within the first third of the ride. One-third climbing, two-thirds descending - sounds like my kind of ride!
There are no significant hills on this loop, but plenty of undulations. Most of the climbing throughout the loop is made up of short hills of about 1km, and nothing more than 5-6% gradients.
The biggest challenge to overcome will be the wind. As you get further out of Ballarat the ride opens up and becomes surrounded by vast paddocks and fields. As beautiful as these are, they offer little in the way of protection from the wind, so be prepared to put some pressure on the pedals.
The ride is very scenic and goes quickly. The open roads and lack of traffic let your mind wander, and 20 minutes tick by without a thought. Riding this loop with a small group would be a weekend morning well spent. The quiet roads provide safe cycling and plenty of time to chat.
Riders in metro areas will instantly love the fact there are no traffic lights and no need to constantly unclip. The only thing to wonder about on these roads is if it is magpie season. The ride peaks at about 700m above sea level and the total elevation sits at 823m. If you are looking for some more vert. hurt, there are countless options available.
See also: See what the locals think when the Road Nats come to town
The road between Creswick and Mollongghip allows you to turn back early if you so desire. Great to know if you are struggling or need to get back into town in a hurry.
The road surface is pretty good, although it’s worth noting that all of the local riders were on bullet proof alloy wheelsets, saving the carbon clinchers or tubulars for racing.
If you have a little more time and want to crack the century, the Road Nationals course in Buninyong is only a short 10km ride away. There and back, plus a hot lap of the course will take the ride up to 120km, very deserving of a post ride brew and brekkie.
Stop the Press!
The inaugural Australian Gran Fondo Championships will launch on Saturday 9th January 2016! This gives us non-pros the chance to genuinely be a part of the iconic weekend of cycling. Tackle the fully closed roads of the Buninyong circuit and soak up the atmosphere normally reserved for pros. This is definitely a chance to make a weekend of exceptional riding but entries are capped so register here now. Then the following day head back as a spectator to watch 'Super Sunday', when the men and women battle it out for Green and Gold.
Thank you
A sincere thanks goes to the following for helping make this Destination series such a success:
Ballarat-Sebastapol Cycling Club – especially Jenni, Liam, Nick and Tim for their local knowledge and good riding legs!
Rapha – for some sweet jerseys
Specialized – for some equally sweet kit and the opportunity to take the Specialized Roubaix out for many spins
