Live streaming hope

A GLIMMER of hope has emerged for Cycling Australia’s goals of evolving live streaming of future Great Ocean Road events with infrastructure upgrades in the pipeline.

Cycling Australia last week announced the sevenrace National Road Series (NRS) would have more live content than ever, although the elite road races at the Amy’s Gran Fondo will largely miss out due to black spots on the remote course.

That could change in the future as providers prepare to install more infrastructure on the Great Ocean Road.

Telstra will have base stations built at Separation Creek and other localities along the road by the end of the year, while Optus is also planning two new mobile sites at Wye River and Lorne South.

Amy’s Gran Fondo brings thousands of cyclists, from casual riders to the nation’s best, to Lorne each September and the elite criterium, which takes place around the streets of the town, was successfully streamed last year.

Cycling Australia sport general manager Kipp Kaufmann said that could extend to the finish of the road races but a lack of 4G coverage, which was required to maintain highquality vision, on the course would prevent the full event from being streamed.

“There’s little 4G coverage around the course but pre-event, post-event, presentations and having a nice, professional package from the event that highlights the races are all achievable,” he said.

“It’s a spectacular area, and it’s also good for the organisers for what they want to show for their sponsors and teams above and beyond those who are already there.”

Mr Kaufmann said streams typically cost in the “tens of thousands of dollars” to run, but costs blew out in weaker coverage when other signals could interfere.

Cycling Australia runs streams to bring more exposure to the sport and sponsors and does not profit from it directly.

Mr Kaufmann said it was up to Amy’s Gran Fondo organisers if they wanted to look at a road race course more suited to live streaming.

A Telstra spokeswoman said mobile 4G connectivity would improve with additional base stations planned for more areas along the Great Ocean Road.

“A number of factors influence coverage, including local topography, obstructions such as trees and other structures and building materials,” she said.

“For large-scale events, event organisers can contact Telstra to discuss options to improve mobile coverage for visitors, including through the provision of a Cell on Wheels.”

An Optus spokeswoman said local terrain had made accessing suitable land challenging south of Lorne.

“To overcome this, we’re considering a number of options,” she said.