ProVelo Super League Round 2: Development Under Real Racing Pressure

Round 2 of the 2026 campaign took the team to the Tour of Tasmania – widely regarded as Australia’s most demanding and prestigious domestic stage race. With selective terrain, technical circuits, and relentless racing across four stages, the tour provides one of the clearest benchmarks of progression within the national pathway.

For many of our athletes in years one and two of high-performance development, events of this calibre are not solely about results. They are about exposure, execution, and the ability to apply training under sustained pressure.

Across the week, meaningful progression was evident.

Talia demonstrated significant growth in race craft, consistently positioning herself at the front of technical race groups – a notable advancement from this time last year when course complexity and intensity presented major challenges. Miriam returned strongly in the prologue, producing a all time personal best effort over nearly two minutes of full gas hill climbing – a clear indicator of improved high-intensity capacity.

Stage 3 provided further evidence of development within the group dynamic. Senior riders and on-road leaders Cameron and Matt executed the breakaway with composure and intent, while Brendon’s support role ahead of the 10km+ ascent of Mount Poatina highlighted the collective discipline required in elite-level racing. These moments, while not always visible in final classifications, are fundamental to building competitive maturity.

Encouragingly, our younger cohort – Charlotte, Theo, Indiah, Nicholas, and our U23 athletes – maintained process-driven execution despite racing against the strongest domestic field in the country. The ability to remain composed, apply feedback, and commit to race plans under fatigue is a critical performance marker at this stage of development.

Preparation across the squad has also advanced. Training loads are higher and more specific than at the start of the season, and overall race readiness has improved measurably. While headline results are still emerging, the trajectory in execution and toughness is clear.

The Tour of Tasmania reinforces why exposure to high-quality domestic racing remains central to our model. Competing alongside Australia’s best athletes accelerates learning, sharpens tactical understanding, and builds the durability required for long-term success.

Our program continues to prioritise structured development, patience, and investment in emerging riders. Sustained exposure to environments like this is what ultimately enables athletes to progress to the next level – a pathway already evidenced by recent graduates stepping into WorldTeams – the highest level of cycling worldwide.

Round 2 of the Hertz Provelo Super League provided another important layer in that journey.

Thanks to Beardy Mcbeard for the photos used in this article.