For years to come, bike riders will be able to test themselves on the route through Wollongong streets that was ridden by the best cyclists in the world.
A coloured line will be painted along 79 kilometres of Wollongong roads to commemorate the 2022 UCI Road World Championships held in the city last week.
Member for Wollongong Paul Scully proposed the project last week, and on Wednesday NSW's Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes confirmed the state government would go ahead with it.
The permanent road marking - which will run from Helensburgh to Cringila, taking in Wollongong and Mount Keira - will mark the route of the elite road races, held at the weekend.
It will be similar to the blue line in Sydney that guides runners along the 2000 Olympic marathon course.
"This is not just about cyclists, it's about making sure that we've got a continuing investment in cycling activity, tourism activity, and capitalising on what... was such a fantastic event for the city," Mr Scully said.
"You don't get to host an event that big very very often, and we've got to make sure now that... the tail on that - the visitation tail, the expenditure tail on it - is as long as possible."
He said the course marking would complement the other work council was doing to support cycling in Wollongong, Australia's only UCI Bike City.
Not only would the permanent markings encourage cyclists, Mr Scully said, but they would serve as a reminder to motorists that they might encounter people on their bikes on the roads.
Mr Stokes said the line would encourage people to ride the course and "make sure Wollongong and the Illawarra stays firmly on the global cycling map".
"It's great that Wollongong is now on the global map as a global cycling city, and these lane markings are all about remembering that for the future," he said.
Heathcote MP Lee Evans added that he could see significant tourism coming out of this and he wanted to see Wollongong become a mecca for cyclists worldwide.
The UCI championships were not just about the week they ran, Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said, but they held long-term implications for the city, especially as a UCI Bike City.
"Been given that designation means there's pressure one us to provide," he said
"It's one thing... to showcase the city; we've got to really work hard now to make sure that when people do arrive here they say, 'Hey, that experience matches what we saw'."
This included providing more cycling infrastructure, Cr Bradbery said, and changing the culture to make cycling part of the transport around the city.
"This is just part of another instalment of that investment in cycling in our city, and also the wellbeing of our people," Cr Bradbery said.
Transport for NSW will manage the project and will work with Wollongong City Council to deliver it.
Mr Stokes said work would start straight away, but traffic studies would need to be undertaken and the painting itself would be weather-dependent.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
