The Dirty Warrny may have been born from the legacy of the world’s second oldest one-day race, the Melbourne to Warrnambool, but it now stands on its own as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest gravel monument.
Back for its third year, The 2024 Quadlock Dirty Warrny — dubbed “Australia’s Unbound” — is a point-to-point gravel event that demands as much respect as its namesake and inspiration. From open rolling farmland to the lush temperate rainforest of the Otway Ranges, pristine “champagne” gravel to rough farm tracks, the scenery is as varied as gravel under your tyres as you take in some of the best riding South-West Victoria has to offer.
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Australia’s Unbound attracts a fast field
Word is obviously getting out about the Dirty Warrny, as some of the biggest names in the Australian gravel scene will be on the start line.
2024 will see the strongest women’s field ever assembled at the Dirty Warrny. Dual National Gravel and Cross Country Marathon Champion Courtney Sherwell will be in flying form coming off a stint of US gravel racing and a campaign at both Gravel and XCM World Championships. The winner of the 2022 edition, Sherwell, will be going toe-to-toe with the likes of defending DW Champion Matilda Reynolds and Lifetime Grand Prix athlete Peta Mullens.
While on the men’s side, the competition will be no-less fierce, with Gravel and XCM National Champion Brendan “Trekky” Johnston lining up with Scott Bowden, Adam Blazevic and ex-World Tour Pro Simon Gerrans.
But the Dirty Warrny is about more than the front of the peloton. Every rider tackling the Full Course rolls out of Geelong together at sunrise, and from there, whether you are pinning it against the clock or just trying to complete the epic challenge, there’s no escaping the sense of adventure.
A Dirty Warrny Course For Everyone
While the jewel of the Dirty Warny is undoubtedly the flagship 246km course, there’s no denying it’s a pretty monster day on the bike. So the DW team have also created The Forrest Challenge and The Timboon Classic at 140km and 84km, respectively, for those looking for a slightly more palatable distance.
From Geelong, the Full Course packs over 3,000m of climbing and comprises over 200km of gravel. Leaving town on fast, open farm roads, riders will have plenty of opportunity to find their rhythm and settle into a group of similarly-paced riders to work together through the first 40-odd kilometres before the climbing starts. They’ll head up and over Peters Hill before descending to the first feed zone at Dean’s Marsh, a quarter of the way into the route.
Riders then have 9km to process their fuel before hitting the day’s biggest challenge. A timed Hill Climb segment ascending over 300m up Norman Track to gain the ridge of the Otway Range.
This 20km of rolling ridgeline riding over Mt Cowley delivers you to a ripping descent down the famous and fern-lined Kaanglang Road and into the Barwon Valley and Victoria’s original mountain bike trail town — Forrest — for the second feed zone.
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The Forrest Challenge
Those undertaking the 140km Forrest Challenge join the course from here. While they may have skipped the two most significant climbs of the Full Course, riders of both distances would do well to not underestimate the journey from Forrest to Warrny, with over 1,400m of climbing still remaining.
Riders will alternate between open farmland riding and sections of dense rainforest as they continue west. The long, sustained climbing is now in the rear vision mirror, but punchier, rolling hills are still abundant, and once through the small village of Karrawarren, the 200m climb up the aptly named Gravel Pits Rd will put some sting in the legs.
The Timboon Classic
It might only be 84km, but the “Classic” course still packs a punch. Starting with a 30km loop north of the Timboon township, marked by four steep 100m climbs before looping back through town and joining the main course,
The final 50km is a challenge of its own, especially for those with 200km already in the legs. The tree ferns and towering gums are now left behind, and the long, straight, flat roads that lead you through the Heytesbury plains and to the coast will be as much a mental test as they are a physical one. There’s nowhere to hide out there. Not from the other riders and certainly not from the elements.
No matter which course you’ve tackled, the first glimpses of the ocean will be a welcome sight as riders approach the outskirts of Warrnambool near the end of this epic journey. The finish line sits right on the Warrnambool beach, a fitting end to a ride that takes you through farmland, rainforest, ridgeline and wide open plains.
Making the Dirty Warrny All Happen
The point-to-point nature of the Dirty Warrny, while proving a unique ride experience, is not without its logistical challenges, but the team at DW have got you covered to make the big day as easy as possible, meaning you get to just focus on your ride and enjoy yourself.
There will be four feed stations set up along the full course (two for the Forrest Challenge and 1 for the Timboon Classic) in the towns of Dean’s Marsh, Forrest, Simpson and Toomboon, as well as four intermediate water stops. The feed stations will have basic snacks and water provided, but bag drops will also be available for riders to send personal items, nutrition and bottles to each feed station.
A return shuttle for riders and their bikes will be available to get you back to Timboon, Forrest or Geelong, which will depart from Warrnambool at 10am on the following morning. Tickets for the shuttle can be purchased (separate from registration) on the DW website.
Accommodation to stay in Warrnambool after the event will need to be arranged privately, but the DW team have some leads listed on the ‘Accommodation’ page of the website.
Sign Me Up for the Dirty Warrny
Registration for the event is now open! To register or find out more info head on over to the Dirty Warrny website.
Photos: Jean-Pierre Ronco
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