Hopetoun - Rainbow   

Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway. During the early 2009 Australian heatwave, the town experienced several days of intense heat, with a peak of 48.8 °C, the highest temperature ever recorded in Victoria.

The race heads south from the town, alongside Lake Hindmarsh into the township ...

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Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway. During the early 2009 Australian heatwave, the town experienced several days of intense heat, with a peak of 48.8 °C, the highest temperature ever recorded in Victoria.

The race heads south from the town, alongside Lake Hindmarsh into the township of Jeparit. From there race turns east, until where the ingeniously named Rainbow Road intersects. Unlike its namesake, Mario-kart fans in the peloton won’t be able to find a shortcut on this road, just an echelon from the change in direction.

Heading north towards the final destination of Rainbow, the road is flat and straight. The town is well known for its wheat growing, with large silos still standing sentinel over the town today and visible for many kilometres before reaching the township itself. This will signal to the riders to organise their lead out trains in anticipation of the upcoming sprint finish.

Upon entering the final kilometres, the course becomes very technical, with teams jostling for position to set up their best sprinter. A strong sprinter positioned well should be able to find a clean path towards the finish line, showing a clean pair of heels to his rivals.