THE Kerang Technical High School will once again be involved in all nine days of the Great Victorian Bike Ride.

The school is the only educational institution in the state that has been involved in the event since its inception in 1984.

This year’s team, which consists of eleven riders - including nine students - have been training regularly since July and are looking forward to getting out on the bike after exams are done.

“It’s like a reward or celebration after the hard work throughout the year,” team member and assistant principal Ryan Andrews said.

The team leader said there was more to the expedition than travelling across the state.

The event promotes teamwork and initiative-building for students, who have to set-up and dismantle their campsite each day, as well as cycle up to 100-kilometres on each of the eight legs of the ride.

“It’s a bit like winning a footy premiership after you’ve trained all year. Crossing that finish line with your team mates is a feeling that you’ll remember forever,” Mr Edwards said.

Day one of the ride starts in Swan Hill on November 26, and the riders will cover 590 kilometres of rural countryside and townships before reaching their final destination in Castlemaine on December 4.

This year’s event has added significance, with the ride taking in Kerang, Murrabit and Barham.

“It’s one of those things you have to see to believe,” Mr Andrews said.

“I strongly recommend Kerang residents to come see it. There will be between 3000 and 4000 people camping on Riverside Park. It’s like a moving town.”

However, Mr Andrews expects new challenges this year resulting from the floods, specifically road damage.

Local experience will help though, especially with the increased chances of seeds, such as bindi, causing punctures.

“When it rains it washes the stuff from the side of the road on to the road. When it’s dry the cars will blow the bindi off the road,” Mr Edwards said.

“We all carry spare tubes and equipment to change the tyres and pumps.”

It is predicted many of the participants will have trained for up to three months prior to the event, travelling up to 200 kilometres per week to get their bodies ready for the journey.

Team members have been undertaking their own training, as well as weekly group rides from Kerang to Barham.

“Some more experienced riders might be able to do it without as much training,” Mr Edwards said.

“It takes years to get your body used to doing long events like this.”