The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race captivated spectators again this year over the weekend of 27th - 29th January 2017 with over 100,000 people lining the streets of Geelong, Barwon Heads, Torquay and around the Great Ocean Road for this annual event.
This event is now part of the 2017 UCI World Tour calendar and was the first one-day race of the UCI World Tour season further enhancing Australia's global presence in the world of road cycling.
MAPEI were again proud to be involved as an Official Partner of this event and welcomed over 500 customers to our VIP Hospitality venue in Geelong - just metres from the Start/Finish line and overlooking the beautiful Corio Bay.

Many customers flew from interstate to attend the event and from the feedback that we received they all enjoyed the hospitality, atmosphere, race events and relaxing on the balcony overlooking the event.
In addition to our Hospitality Suite at the Novotel, Mapei also organised a 10m x 5m marquee in the gardens on the Geelong waterfront for spectators to visit. We setup a freestanding 3 metre high cutout of previous Mapei cyclists, cut holes where their faces should have been, blacked out the wheels and provided "happy sacks" and "velco-wrapped balls" for the kids (and plenty of adults and one dog) to try and throw the balls through the holes to win a prize. Smaller kids used the "velco wrapped balls" to try to get them to stick to the carpeted wheels of the cyclists' bikes.
Hundreds of people lined up to try their hand to win a Mapei umbrella, cycling cap, yoyo or paddle board. Being as the days were extremely hot, Mapei also supplied cold bottles of water to everyone waiting in the line.

Cadel Evans came to visit our venue for lunch on both Saturday and Sunday. A couple of customers brought their copy of his latest autobiography with them to have it signed which he did willingly.

Cadel was also happy to have his photo taken with customers. Even Phil and I got into the action!
Overall the event was a huge success and we are all looking forward to a bigger and better event next year!
