THE Orange Cycle Club will hold the inaugural 42km handicap road race this Sunday as part of the Mulga Bill Festival at Yeoval.

The race starts from Yeoval along the newly constructed Renshaw-McGirr Way out to Baldry and return, a distance of 42km.

The race is restricted to holders of an Official Cycling Australia Federation Licence from under 17s and above with as many as 100 riders from Bathurst, Mudgee, Dubbo and Sydney’s Randwick-Botany Club expected to participate in the event.

A strong contingent of riders from the Cootamundra Cycle Club is also expected to compete.

A prize money pool of $1000 will be shared amongst the top 10 with additional prizes for fastest female and fastest overall time.

The Yeoval Mulga Bill Festival, which incorporates a bicycle ride to celebrate the fact Banjo Paterson spent his early childhood living in Yeoval, is now in its fifth successive year.

Start time for Sunday’s race is 10.30am.