Police and organisers of Kiama's L'Etape Australia cycling event are keeping a watchful eye on the weather, with concerns heavy downpours may wash out part or all of Saturday's race.
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Four-thousand amateur and professional cyclists have signed up to take part in the challenge which starts in Kiama and winds its way around the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands.
However, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is forecasting an increase in rain for the rest of the week with the peak to hit across those regions on Saturday, with up to 60mm of rain expected.
"If on the day there are any concerns for the safety of riders or road users then we'll be making decisions on whether the race continues, or whether it even starts," said Lake Illawarra Police District Commander Detective Superintendent Dean Smith.
L'Étape Australia Director Florent Malézieux said his team were currently monitoring the weather "on an hourly basis" along with two route inspections a day to ensure the track remains safe.
"You can never be confident with the weather, that's the only thing outside of our control," Mr Malézieux said.
"The forecast is a forecast, it can change very quickly so we will monitor it.
"The last time we can make a decision about amending the course or taking some other steps, will be Friday night at 7pm."
The event will have personnel from NSW Ambulance and a private medical operator EMS Medical who will look after any riders who may endure a crash on the day, but Mr Malézieux said statistics showed accidents were less likely in the wet.
"We have fewer crashes when it's raining that when it's [dry]," he said.
"After 10 years of delivering the event across the world, when its raining people are actually aware that it's slippery and they use more caution."
Competitors have been told to prepare for all types of weather - including rain. However under L'Etape's terms and conditions it does state organisers may consider cancelling the event if between 51 and 90mm (inclusive) rain is forecast, and/or winds between 51km/h to 70km/h are forecast.
Rainfall is expected to begin getting heavy for parts of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven on Thursday, with increasing falls on Friday and to peak on Saturday before easing on Sunday.
BOM Senior Forecaster Jordan Notara said easterly winds were dragging in moisture from over the water and spreading that as rainfall across the Illawarra and South Coast.
"We have a low pressure trough that's currently in the state's west, there is also a secondary trough that is sitting along the coast and that is increasing rainfall across the state," Mr Notara said.
"What drives the increasing rainfall as we get towards Saturday is an amplification of an upper level trough, which in simple terms, is that we start to see the upper dynamics of the atmosphere increase intensity of those easterly winds, and conversion effects occurring along the coastline create a higher chance of heavier rainfall in those areas."
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