Rudolph is a 21-year-old professional cyclist from Maryborough that currently races with Team Jayco Skins and is a member of the Fraser Coast Cycling Club. He started cycling at the age of 15 and since then, has won the 2007 National Championships and 2009 Grafton to Inverell Classic. In 2008 Rudolph competed in Tour de Jakarta, a 167.8-kilometer open road race which he conquered in three hours, 43 minutes and 10 seconds.
This will be his first appearance at Hell of the Marianas, where he will be facing Russian cyclist Konstantin Fast, Korea’s Seo Joon Yong and Choi, Seok Yoon, Japan’s Takahiro Ogasawara, and Guam’s Jazy Garcia.
Skerke on the other hand, is a 38-year-old Elite A Category rider from the Cairns Cycling Club. His team ‘Rattle N Hum’ finished the 1,200-km MTB Crocodile Trophy race, with Skerke being one of two support riders for an elite female rider – Abby McLennan – who won the race. In addition, he finished fourth in the 2010 Cairns Road Championships’ Division 1 category.
The HOM expects 120-150 professional and amateur riders from Japan, Korea, Russia, Australia, Guam, and Saipan. It will start at 6:15 a.m. in Pacific Islands Club’s south parking lot. Soloists as well as teams of two and four riders will be tackling the 100-km course.
“Race officials have lengthened the total cut-off time from six to seven hours (1:15pm); however, a new 50-km cut-off time has been imposed,” said PIC’s Kanae Quinn in an email.
“Racers must pass the Radar Station by the official cut-off time of 9:45 a.m. Racers arriving after 9:45 a.m. will be disqualified and asked to return directly to PIC without finishing the remainder of the course,” she added.
On the morning of Dec. 4, PIC would also like to notify all motorists to be particularly cautious from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on the northbound lane of Isa Drive near San Vicente, Papago, Kagman, and Capitol Hill, where cyclists will be riding in packs. There will be cones to indicate the bike lane as well as DPS officers and official media vehicles. If motorists can circumvent these portions of Isa Drive in the mentioned times, it will prevent heavy traffic congestion and enhance safety for all. For additional safety measures, PIC would like to ask the public to restrain their dogs along the route. The 100-km course takes racers from PIC through Koblerville to the Airport, past Herman’s Bakery through San Vicente, Papago, down to Lao Lao Golf Course and back, down to Kingfisher Golf Links and back, down Capitol Hill, to the top of San Roque’s Radar Station, to Suicide Cliff, Bird Island Lookout, the Grotto, Banzai Cliff, to American Memorial Park, and back to PIC.
Drivers are encouraged to be careful as more cyclists are training along the road from now until next weekend. Registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 26. All completed forms and payments may be submitted to PIC’s front desk, open daily. For more information, call 237-5130.
