THE annual Great Vic Bike Ride has chosen the Grampians region for its 2020 tour.
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The annual event, organised by the Bicycle Network, tours a chosen region of Victoria across eight or nine days, and this year will ride 532 kilometres through western Victoria.
The event is expected to attract over 3000 people.
Bicycle Network's general manager of events Rebecca Lane explained why the Grampians region was chosen.
"The 2020 Great Vic has an exceptional mix of scenery, art on a grand scale, wildlife, wineries and the awe-inspiring Grampians National Park," she said.
The 2020 Great Vic Bike Ride will show people a different side to the Grampians, with both the riding and off-the-bike experiences showcasing something new.
"The Great Vic has visited Western Victoria and the Grampians previously; however this time we're extending to new areas of this spectacular region, with the event giving riders a great taste of the small communities and the local produce the area is famous for," Ms Lane said.
The nine-day bike riding holiday will start in Rainbow on Saturday November 28, 2020 and include overnight stops in Rainbow (28th), Brim (29th), Horsham (two nights, 30th and December 1), Halls Gap (2 nights, 2nd and 3rd December), Dunkeld (4th) and Pomonal (5th) with a finish in Great Western.
Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman said the organisation will work to assist the event.
"Grampians Tourism will be working in close collaboration with Northern Grampians Shire, Ararat Rural City Council, Southern Grampians Shire Council and Horsham Rural City Council to showcase this incredible region to participants of next year's event," he said.
"We know that events such as this have a significant economic impact to the community, encourage regional visitation and that participants have a high propensity to revisit the destinations they travel through on their journey effectively creating in excess of 3000 ambassadors for the destination."
Planning the event will involve extensive stakeholder consultation, Bicycle Network chief executive Craig Richards said.
"We want to make sure (communities) get the best benefit out of it and we want to make sure it's a good economic experience," he said. "It's the local communities that make the event."
Mr Richards said the organisation will have a hotline closer to the event that residents can call if they had any concerns or queries about how the event may impact roads.
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