The Lead Out: May 2026

Our riders are doing some incredible things right now. A huge congratulations to Ollie Jirovec, Ben Luescher, Maxx Nuspan and Isaac Burne on being recognised by AusCycling as emerging athletes — a fantastic achievement.

Tara Neyland continues to inspire us all. Congratulations on being named VIC Sport’s Kitty McEwan Female Athlete of the Year — so well deserved.

Seeing our riders performing at the highest levels is a reminder of what’s possible, and something we can all draw inspiration from as we chase our own goals. We’re incredibly proud to have each of you as part of the Brunswick family.

Track update

Following recent survey work, Merri-bek council has revised the scope of the track repairs and is now preparing to put the works out to tender, with this expected to close during June. The scale of the project is now significantly larger than originally planned. Works are expected to include stabilising or replacing concrete slabs, replacing the duck boards, and improving drainage through the centre of the track. At this stage, we’re anticipating the works could take up to three months, although a start date is still yet to be confirmed.

Around the club

The Apple Crumble Gravel Crit continues to go from strength to strength. Now running monthly and attracting growing numbers, it’s become a real highlight and a great showcase of how versatile and welcoming our club is. We’re incredibly lucky to ride alongside such passionate members, people who not only share the road with us, but also give their time behind the lens to capture these moments. A big thanks to members Rob Coupe and David Park, who have been capturing all the fun at recent Apple Crumble events. You can check out their fantastic event photos on the new gallery pages on our website.

If you’d like to get involved, we’re always looking for help on the day with set-up, pack-down, marshalling, registration, lap counting and general support. The next event lines up with the old Melburn Roobaix date (28 June), and we’ll be keeping the spirit alive with a cobble laneway ride out to Pretty’s Orchard. Come along and be part of it, entries for Apple Crumble on the 28th will open soon.

While we’re on the dirt side of riding, Dirty Deeds CX delivered again, this time as the host of the opening round of the Victorian CX season held at Brunswick Velodrome. We saw 120+ riders take on the classic mix of rain, mud, coffee and great vibes, and our Brunswick riders represented the club brilliantly across all grades and also bagged a few podiums.

The next round heads to Castlemaine on 21 June, another great chance to get involved or heckle from the sidelines. You can check out the results and current series standings here and enter the next round here.

Building on that mud momentum, we’ve got a special Junior Clinic coming up on 14 June. With support from DDCX, we’ll be running a CX skills session for the kids, a great chance to build confidence, learn some new techniques, and most importantly, have a heap of fun. More information on this session will follow shortly, keep and eye on the socials and the WhatsApp Community.

We’re excited to launch a new club initiative called On Track — a series of Come & Try sessions designed to welcome new adult riders to the track, as well as those returning after some time away. These sessions are all about building confidence, learning the fundamentals, and experiencing what track riding is all about in a supportive environment. Our first session kicks off straight after Junior Clinic on 14 June, and will be open to Women and Gender Diverse riders. With limited spots available, registration is essential. You can find more details and sign up via our website. We are excited to start this new initiative and welcome some new riders to the track, watch this space for future sessions.

Tim Fitzgerald has been putting some great work into developing a road development program at the club. The aim is to better support riders making the step up from junior racing (U17 and below) into open and elite competition, a transition that can often be challenging without the right guidance and structure.

The focus will be on U19 and U23 riders, with an emphasis on creating clear pathways, building race skills, and offering opportunities to develop both on and off the bike. It’s an exciting step for the club and a great way to continue supporting our next generation of riders as they progress through the sport. More to come on this soon.

Volunteering

Last week was National Volunteer Week, a great reminder to say thank you to everyone who chips in at Brunswick CC. There’s a huge amount of effort that happens behind the scenes. From committee members to parents, riders and supporters, it all adds up to make the club what it is. Like all clubs, we rely on volunteers so everyone can enjoy being part of the sport. It’s also one of the best ways to feel connected to the community. Getting involved is easy. If you see something that needs doing, let us know. If you’re keen but not sure where to start, just ask — even a small job is a great way to get involved. We do ask that all volunteers have a Working With Children Check, which can be completed online quickly and easily and is free of charge.

Thanks for being part of what makes Brunswick such a great club. See you at the track or out on the road. Cycling is everyone’s adventure,

Ben

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