Spirit of Tasmania has been announced as the official naming rights partner of the 2016 Tour of Tasmania.
The Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania will be held from Wednesday 5 October to Sunday 9 October as part of the Subaru National Road Series.
The Tour will be centred around Launceston and its surrounding areas, with the Prologue held in the Inveresk Precinct and Stage Three commencing at the Silverdome.
The event will proceed through picturesque areas of north and north west Tasmania including George Town, Grindelwald, Ulverstone and Poatina. It will end with a criterium in the centre of Devonport.
The Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania is made famous by its spectacular courses, and this year is no exception. Riders will face five days of gruelling competition through some of the most picturesque countryside in the world.
Tough hill climbs combined with potentially unpredictable weather will make for a race that is challenging for even the best riders.
“We are excited to welcome Spirit of Tasmania as the naming rights partner for the 2016 Tour of Tasmania,” said David Ferrier, CEO of event deliverer, GTR Events.
“The partnership provides a major link between Tasmania and the Australian mainland and a greater opportunity to promote cycling tourism for the state,” Mr Ferrier said.
The Spirit of TasmaniaTour of Tasmania is highly regarded as one of the pinnacle events in the NRS calendar and plays a key role in the development of future stars of Australian cycling.
Past winners who have gone on to compete at a professional international level include Richie Porte, Bernard Sulzberger and Cadel Evans.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with Cycling Australia and GTR Events as naming rights sponsors for this year’s Tour of Tasmania,” Spirit of Tasmania CEO Bernard Dwyer said.
“Tasmania offers beautiful scenery and world-renowned cycling routes which provide a memorable experience for any cyclist. It’s the perfect destination for an event like this – we hope the 2016 Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania competitors are up for a challenge,” he said.
GTR Events is looking forward to working with Cycling Australia to deliver an exhilarating Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania, while supporting the Tasmanian Government’s initiative to promote safe cycling.
“There has been a significant investment in the creation of a safe cycling environment by all levels of Government in Tasmania. We believe that our alliance with Spirit of Tasmania will provide us with an opportunity to more effectively promote cycling in Tasmania on the mainland,” Mr Ferrier said.
The Spirit of Tasmania Tour of Tasmania will attract the best Australian teams with the cream of Australia's elite domestic male cyclists as they battle it out to become the National Road Series champion.
