Indian Pacific Wheel Race 2017 – the first few days: Val and Faith are joined in the studio on this miserable autumn morning by Will Hartnett. We briefly chat about the tragic death of Arzu Baglar in Yarraville recently, trolls abusing Janet Rice for commenting on the gender split on much of Melbourne’s cycling routes and the nexus between these two. We then turn to the inaugral Indian Pacific Wheel Race, now underway after setting out from Fremantle on Saurday at 6am.

Will is updating the #IPWR blog and fills us in on the leaders, their efforts so far, the conditions they’ve been riding in, what they can expect coming up. We also take a look at the rest of the field, with 50% of the women riding in the top ten, and some fascinating stories amongst the seventy-odd riders who’ve chosen to take on this challenge.

Some handy links to keep in touch with the Indy Pac Race over the next week or two; Indian Pacific Wheel Race, Indian Pacific Wheel Race on Facebook, Indian Pacific Wheel Race Potato Cake Survey, Sarah Hammond Purple Dot.