BENDIGO gets a major look in during next year's RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride when up to 5000 riders will descend on the Goldfields for the annual nine-day ride.
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Organised by the Bicycle Network, the 540 kilometre, nine-day bike riding holiday will start in Ballarat before travelling to Avoca, Dunolly, Inglewood and Bendigo.
A rest day will be held in Bendigo before the ride heads off to Heathcote then Castlemaine and back to Bendigo, where it will finish.
Bicycle Network chief executive Craig Richards said a lot of planning had gone into the 2015 RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride, which was called the 'Rediscover the Goldfields Ride' and will take place between November 28 and December 6.
"With its mix of history, gourmet food, wine and stunning and historic scenery, the 2015 ride has all the ingredients for a classic RACV Great Vic," he said.
Mr Richards said a rest day planned for Bendigo would give bike riders an opportunity to explore the area.
He said the last time the ride went through Bendigo was in 1999.
"It went through Heathcote in 2005, Daylesford in 2002 and Castlemaine in 2011," he said.
"It's a new route, we don’t repeat routes, but long time since we've had it in the Goldfields.
"We're really excited about coming to the area, it's fantastic for everyone in the region."
He said a new addition for 2015 was the introduction of a range of ride-length options.
"The really interesting part is, while we're starting in Ballarat, there are couple of loops people can join," he said.
"There's a nice five-day ride for people there, but if people only want to do three-day ride, they can start in Bendigo."
He said the Bendigo loop, which began on day six following the rest day and took in Heathcote and Castlemaine, aimed to target riders who had time pressures preventing them from completing longer rides.
"A lot of people want to do the whole thing, but a lot say I want to be part of it but can't do the full ride," he said.
City of Greater Bendigo executive manager of tourism Kathryn Mackenzie said the city had worked hard with the Bicycle Network over the past year to plan the event.
"I''m really excited, it will be great for this city and the region too," she said.
She said conservative estimates suggested the event would bring about $1.4 million into City of Greater Bendigo communities along the route, with Bendigo expected to reap the most benefit.
For information on the 2015 bike ride and route visit www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/racv-great-victorian-bike-ride/2015/
