When dual-Olympic medallist Michelle Ferris would compete in a time trial, the race was intense... and short. After just 35 seconds of explosive power, it would be over. But throw the 80‑kilometre coastal MS Gong ride her way? That is a whole new game.

Michelle first tackled the MS Gong Ride with a bunch of mates, wobbling through her early “how‑do‑you‑shift‑again?” kms just like the rest of us. This year, she’s back as an official ambassador, riding for a cause that hits close to home.

The MS Gong Ride is a fundraiser for MS Plus, which offers essential services like emotional support, symptom management, employment guidance, and NDIS assistance. Over 33,300 Australians are currently living with multiple sclerosis, a 30% increase in just four years. No one should have to face MS alone, and your participation helps ensure no one does.

Her advice for all riders is to start small and train consistently, ride with friends and remember that the Gong is not a race. The victory is showing up and seeing it through.

We couldn’t have said it better.

How to train for the MS Gong Ride

Luckily for anyone contemplating the MS Gong Ride, Ferris’s fellow gold‑medal hero Brad McGee has sketched a free six‑week program for riders of every level.

McGee is the only Aussie to wear the leader’s jersey in all three Grand Tours (the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a Espana). He currently serves as a High Performance Coach Advisor at the NSW Institute of Sport.

If anyone can teach you how to train for the MS Gong, it’s McGee.

Here’s Brad’s plan in a nutshell

• Weeks 1–2: Base miles & bike fit – three 30‑minute spins plus one 40 km weekend cruise.
• Weeks 3–4: Strength & skills – short hill repeats and your first 50 km group ride.
• Week 5: Distance peak – your longest effort: around 70 km over rolling terrain.
• Week 6: Taper & sharpen – two brisk 25 km spins, heaps of rest.

We recommend you grab the full PDF of McGee’s training program from the MS Gong Website.

Quick‑fire Q&A for MS Gong Ride first‑timers

Both of us at CycleHub love the MS Gong Ride. If you're thinking of tackling it, here's our best advice.

How far is the ride, really?

• 80 km: start at Tempe Recreation Reserve, Tempe
• 53 km: start at Preston Park, Engadine

No matter where you start, you end up at the same beautiful finish line in Wollongong.

What should I pack?

Helmet, lights, event bib, ID, phone, nutrition, and water bottles are non‑negotiable. We also swear by:

• Wind vest or rain jacket
• Spare tubes + mini‑pump/CO₂
• Gloves & sunnies
• Sunscreen (you will fry)

Lay it out the night before so your 5 am brain doesn’t forget socks.

How should I fuel?

• Coffee vans at both starts
• Volunteer‑run morning tea (Waterfall Public School)
• Lions Club BBQ + pre‑paid baguette lunches at Red Cedar Flats
• Food trucks, bar and lunch collection in the Wollongong finish village
• Water refills at every rest stop—top up, always.

Even riders who purchase the pre-packaged baguette lunches are going to want to take nutrition. The best advice is to eat early and eat often. There really aren't any convenience stores along the route where you can make a quick stop during the ride. So plan ahead and pack your food.

What if my bike goes “clunk?”

Service your bike before event day. On course, call the mechanic number on your bib and wait safely off the road. Roving techs carry spares but having a patch kit in your pocket speeds things up.

Any sketchy sections I should know about?

Yes! The long downhill through the Royal National Park is a crash magnet every year. Sit back, feather the brakes, leave a big gap between you and the riders ahead of you, and scan ahead for anyone who’s tasted asphalt. Momentum is fun; an ambulance ride is not.

By far our favourite part of the route is after the RNP, when you fly through coastal towns like Scarborough and Wombarra. The rolling, curving road there is beautiful, with the ocean on one side and hills on the other. Traversing the Sea Cliff Bridge is also, all by itself, worth the price of admission.

Our two cents

We (Andrea & Dave) have each ridden the Gong. Yet we still get goosebumps rolling into that Wollongong finish chute. The scenery, the camaraderie, the cause—there’s nothing like it in Aussie cycling.

Join Michelle, join us, join thousands of strangers‑turned‑mates on 2 November. Sign up, follow Brad’s plan, and we’ll see you at the start line!

Got questions? Ping us any time at inbox@cyclehub.com.au. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Cyclehub newsletter for more tips, stories and ride‑day hacks.