A few weeks ago, Wollongong 2022 CEO Stu Taggart assured a room full of Mercury journos, in a briefing about what to expect when the UCI Road World Champtionships hit town, that seeing a peloton was an amazing experience.
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Until that point, my knowledge of a peloton was that it was the exercise equipment Mr Big rode before he died in the Sex and the City reboot.
But, with my now extensive* experience watching cycling road races, I can confirm that Stu was indeed correct.
In fact, the whole experience of watching the races this week has surpassed my expectations - and if you haven't been to watch yet, I'd encourage you to get out and do so this weekend before it all packs up and disappears.
If you're like me and didn't have a clue about cycling races before this week, here are some things that might surprise you.
It's not just bikes on the road
Stationed on Foothills Road in Mount Ousley on Friday, me and my kids witnessed our very first cycling road race lap as the Junior Men's competitors came through.
For a bike race, there were a lot more cars involved than I thought.
First came one with red flags, signalling the start of the lap. Then police motorbikes with their lights flashing, which delighted my vehicle-obsessed toddler.
More cars, more vans, more motorbikes, press cars and camera crews on the back of motorbikes and then finally the frontrunners.
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Then a bit of a break, and then the peloton (can confirm it was impressive, lots of bikes, very fast).
After that, a heap more cars with all the different country teams which had to stop and queue as they waiting for the cyclists to climb Ramah Avenue, and then a break and more motorbikes, more cyclists, repeat.
Overhead, there was a chopper hovering. Following behind there were two ambulances, lights flashing.
I've never got into Convoy, watching trucks drive past and honk, but I now understand the spectacle of cheering and waving at a long train of vehicles.
The difference with the bike race is that you also get to see amazing athletes, not just people driving vehicles.
They go really fast
I know this seems obvious, but until you're actually standing on the side of the road watching, it's hard to gauge exactly how quickly the bikes are going.
As the riders lean round the corners and crouch to get up speed going down hills, they make it look easy. It's not until their entourage has to burn rubber to try to follow them that you realise exactly how fast the bikes are taking the corners and hills.
In the afternoon, we stationed ourselves on Ramah Avenue, to eat popcorn and watch the Men's Under 23s tackle the course's biggest climb.
This is a street we struggle to walk up, and it just keeps stretching up and up, but the riders manage to keep their momentum and zip past.
In the wet weather, their wheels wobble a bit, and sometimes they go up on one wheel as they push up the steepest inclines.
You can see the strain on their faces, but some riders use the hill as a chance to overtake and gain an advantage for the rest of the course. They do the hill four, six, eight or 12 times depending on the race. It's seriously impressive.
Being a spectator is heaps of fun
On Ramah Avenue, there were sausage sizzles, kids in dress up clothes running alongside the riders and residents stationed outside their houses on camp chairs with mid-afternoon glasses of wine.
There were cowbells, flags, signs and people of all ages.
As the first cyclists flew past, everyone cheered and whooped - much to the delight of my children - and the cheers were even louder for the stragglers.
My eldest has learnt to say "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" to anyone vaguely dressed in yellow and green, and even my 18 month old claps enthusiastically now whenever she sees a bike (even the ones not racing).
On the Stan coverage yesterday, the commentators were discussing how the effects of the race will filter through Wollongong's younger generations - and I know that for many of the kids who have been out watching these athletes ride their local streets, the bike race will stick in their memories for years to come.
Cycling enthusiasts are a friendly bunch
For some reason, even though it's just a mode of transport, cycling is incredibly divisive. If you believe social media comments, people either seem to have a deep hatred of cyclists, or a burning passion for bikes - with not much in between.
However, being out on the race course proves otherwise, and we have met so many lovely people on our adventures this week.
On Wednesday, my preschooler spent an hour playing tip and making cubbies with kids who live on our street but whom we have never met, while the parents watched the time trials on Dumfries Avenue.
We've also chatted to people from all around Wollongong and the world, and struck up conversations with volunteers and emergency services workers on the course.
Getting to meet and chat to police officers - thank you especially to Jo, who engaged in a lengthy conversation about unicorns and tiaras - was a serious life highlight for my daughter, who now has aspirations to become a police-dance-party-mechanic (?) when she's grown up.
There has been so much debate about the UCI events - whether it's a positive or negative event for Wollongong.
But, there is no denying that, right now, we have a rare chance to be part of something out-of-the-ordinary.
By the end of tomorrow, it will all be gone, back to normal - and Wollongong residents are unlikely to have another chance to just wander out onto our city's streets and see an international race fly by.
The two biggest events - on Saturday afternoon and Sunday - are yet to come, so get out there.
*I have watched exactly three days of cycling, please excuse any incorrect terminology!
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- Where will I park, how do I get there and other UCI Wollongong questions answered
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
