There will be plenty of firsts when the Launceston Cycling Festival returns next month - the festival will follow the Tour of Tasmania for the first time and form part of the Shimano Sprint Series.
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It will also see the TIS Elite team enter men’s and women’s teams for the first time, a prospect that has TIS and North-West cyclist Macey Stewart excited.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a female and male team, so it’s a really good for Tassie to put the teams on show and hopefully we can both put in a really good team effort and get some good results,” the 21-year-old said.
“For me I’m looking to go really well, I’m in really good form at the moment and I’ve never really raced to my full potential I don’t think at the Launny crit.
“Last year I’d just had a few weeks off so I wasn’t in very good form and I really struggled, so I’m really keen to have a crack his year.”
Stewart was joined by teammates Lauren Perry, Zach Gilmore and Josh Duffy at the Silverdome on Thursday as the team began ramping up its training ahead of track season.
Teenagers Gilmore and Duffy will both be competing in their first Stan Siejka Classic when the festival takes over the streets of Launceston on November 12.
“It’s always a great atmosphere and being in front of the home community where I’ve grown up, it’s always special to race in front of,” Gilmore said.
“It’ll be a good indicator for us and good to enjoy the atmosphere and see where we’re at.”