I MADE IT – MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY

After 11 massive days on the bike, I’ve finally made it to the Sydney Opera House!

From the moment I rolled in, I was hit with so many emotions pride, happiness, relief, and honestly a bit of disbelief. I actually did it.

What started as a crazy idea turned into one of the hardest but most meaningful things I’ve ever done. Every single climb, every freezing early morning, every sore muscle and mental battle was all worth it the moment I got to Sydney.

This ride wasn’t about me it was about raising awareness and funds for kids battling cancer. Kids who should be living their lives, not fighting for them. A little bit of pain on my bike is nothing compared to what these kids face every single day, and every pedal I pushed was for them.

Over these 11 days, I’ve seen parts of Australia I’ll never forget, met some of the kindest people in small towns, and been reminded how much good there is in this world.

To everyone who’s supported me.

My family, friends, sponsors, and every single person who donated or sent a message thank you from the bottom of my heart. The biggest thank you goes to my support crew who took turns looking after me: my Mum, Nonna, Jordan, Fadlil, and Ian. You all made this ride possible and kept me going every step of the way.

And a special thank you to my mum, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure I had a place to stay each night and my nutrition sorted every single day. None of this would’ve been possible without her ❤️

This ride wasn’t just about getting from Melbourne to Sydney it was about pushing limits, making a difference, and showing that when you put your heart into something, anything is possible.

From Melbourne to Sydney… we did it for the kids. 💛

🚴‍♂️ DAY 11 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Moss Vale → Narellan ✅

11/12 days complete

Today started off with the biggest hill of the whole trip 😅 but after a long grind to the top, it was pretty much all downhill from there. Managed to hit around 65km/h flying down some parts best feeling ever after days of nothing but climbing!

We’re now officially one day away from Sydney! Tomorrow around lunchtime, I’ll finish the final stretch and arrive at the Sydney Opera House 🇦🇺💛

Massive thanks once again to Dormie House in Moss Vale for looking after me and my team tonight such a beautiful place and incredible hospitality 🙏

After almost two weeks on the bike, it’s crazy to think it all comes to an end tomorrow. The support, the towns, the people I’ve met it’s been something special.

Let’s go one last push to Sydney! 🚴‍♂️🔥

🚴‍♂️ DAY 10 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Goulburn → Moss Vale ✅

10/12 days complete

What a day! Saw a bunch of snakes out on the road today 🐍 and spent most of the ride battling leg cramps every couple of minutes 😅 The closer I get to Sydney, the tougher these hills seem to get they’ve been no joke the last few days!

Huge thanks to Dormie House for looking after me and my team tonight it’s an absolutely beautiful place. Massive shoutout to Susie for sorting it all out and making sure we were looked after 🙏

Tomorrow I’ll be riding to Campbelltown, and then on Wednesday… I roll up to the Sydney Opera House! 🇦🇺💛

🚴‍♂️ DAY 9 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Yass → Goulburn ✅

9/12 days complete

I was meant to post this last night, but as soon as I got to where I was staying, I passed out on the bed straight away lol 😅

Yesterday’s ride started off beautiful, but about halfway through things changed quick it got super cold and windy as I passed through the wind farms 🌬️

The last couple of days have definitely been tough both physically and mentally but that’s all part of the journey. Some days test you more than others, and this was one of them.

Huge shoutout to Club House Hotel Yass for giving me a place to rest my head for the night. It’s a beautiful old-fashioned pub, and I 100% recommend popping in if you’re ever passing by 🍻

We’re now only 3 days away from Sydney, and that’s keeping me pushing forward. Every pedal from here is one closer to the finish line 💛

🚴‍♂️ DAY 8 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Gundagai → Yass ✅

8/12 days complete

Today was a massive one the biggest day of the whole trip so far! Over 1,250m of elevation, and it honestly felt like it was just one long hill after another 😅 Up, down, up again… but we got it done!

Even though the ride finished in Yass, we’ve headed back to Gundagai for the night since we’re now officially a full day ahead on the trip 💪

Huge shoutout once again to Nathan and the team at the Criterion Hotel, Gundagai for having us back. The support from them has been unreal Nathan is an absolute legend, always up for a chat, a good story, and finding ways to help others and support charity wherever he can. We need more people like him 👏

🚴‍♂️ DAY 6/7 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Holbrook → Gundagai ✅

7/12 days complete

What a day it was! Started the morning off with two flat tyres before I even got going 😅 so had to get them fixed before hitting the road. After that though, it turned into an awesome day for riding.

It was meant to be a shorter day finishing in Tarcutta, but I decided to push on to Gundagai and jump a day ahead and wow, it was a grind. Some of the biggest hills I’ve ever ridden, but the views from the top (and the ride down!) made it all worth it.

Huge shoutout to Nathan and the team at the Criterion Hotel, Gundagai for looking after us tonight with an incredible place to stay and a delicious dinner. The community here has been unreal so welcoming and full of support.

To top it all off, the hotel even made a donation to the fundraiser, which will be updated on the page soon 💛

I’m so grateful for their support it honestly means so much. If you’re ever passing through Gundagai, make sure you stop by the Criterion Hotel and check out this amazing place! 🙌

🚴‍♂️ DAY 5 DONE! 🚴‍♂️

Albury → Holbrook ✅

5/12 days complete

Woke up this morning to the news that we’ve officially hit our $20,000 fundraising goal! 💛

Absolutely unreal I can’t thank everyone enough for the support, donations, and messages that have got us to this point. It honestly means the world.

Today’s ride took me from Albury to Holbrook, and we’ve been lucky enough to be looked after tonight by the Holbrook Hotel Holbrook, who’ve given us an amazing place to stay and shouted us some of the best food going around.

I went for a Parma… only to find out it’s actually called a Parmi now that we’re in NSW 😂

🚴‍♂️ DOUBLE DONATION DAY IS HERE! 🚴‍♂️

Today, every single dollar donated to my Great Cycle Challenge will be doubled, up to $710,000 💛

That means your impact goes twice as far helping fund more research, more treatments, and more hope for kids fighting cancer.

I’ve spent the last few days riding from Melbourne to Sydney, pushing through every hill, every sore muscle, and every tough moment for one reason these kids deserve a chance at life.

So if you’ve been waiting for the right time to donate, today’s the day.

No amount is too small together, we can make a massive difference 🙏

Let’s make this day count 💛

👉 https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/riders/MattYoung1