SCONES and sponge cake were the undisputed highlights yesterday for riders in this year’s Tour de Cure.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
About 70 riders pedalled into Corryong, Tallangatta and Yackandandah before breaking at Wangaratta for the night.
The group embraced the region, with two riders spending $1400 in Corryong on scones, sponge cake and homemade cream in an auction where money will be donated to the Tour de Cure cancer research fund.
Tour co-founder Gary Bertwistle said he wanted to include more rural communities in the tour with a focus on students.
“The cancer rate is higher in the country, I don’t know if it’s because they can’t afford help or they brush any problems off,” he said.
“The education about how to prevent cancer is not as high so we come to schools to try and get the students to look after themselves.”
This is the first year the tour has embarked on the Sydney to Hobart route with Weekend Sunrise weather presenter James Tobin also part of the pack.
“Everyone is affected by cancer, my life is not different to many as I too have family and friends that have passed away or battled cancer,” Tobin said.
“The disease doesn’t discriminate and we are trying to raise money to help the people who have the skills to find a cure.”
Tobin said he was pleased to see the North East had been hugely supportive of the cause.
“As we ride into town people are following us, waving pom-poms and pumping tunes,” he said.
“We set off at 6.15am and people are standing outside in their ugg boots waiting to give us a cheer.”