Stage 6 Robinvale to Balranald 83km -7am start 12.30pm finish

Brian Birchall wins his criterium at Balranald although it appears Carly Gillard may be the only interested spectator. Bad luck Birch!

The 23 riders and seven support crew left Robinvale Caravan Park crossing the Euston- Balranald Bridge across the Murray River at 7am. Back into NSW they now headed to Balranald where a special treat awaited them. After arriving at 12.30pm the riders settled back for a picnic lunch and were entertained by support bus driver Brian Birchall. Brain raced his own criterium and followed the Berri criterium earlier in the tour when John Mercer shone.

Birch was unchallenged on Geoff Newling's "super quick" bike. Mt Mongrel Bastard Alan Moyle reckoned he might teach it bad habbits.

"He's going too fast on it," Alan Moyle said.

Birch jumped off after what he estimated as a 10km ride and reckoned he and Newlo could perform a tag team operation over the next couple of weeks. Newlo suggested he stick to driving the bus and picking up the dead bodies.

Brichall has had slim pickings so far and on a day where heads winds made it tougher than normal he only had two occupants. TYomorrow the mountain bike challenge leaves at 6am for Hay, a 130km burst down the Sturt Highway efore taking on the local Hay Bowling Club members in a lawn bowls tournament. One interested person in the mountain bike challenge is Peter's "Fat Cat" Malcolm. He rang to offer his best wishes to ride organiser Barry Walton. The former Newcastle and Inverell Hawks Rugby League star now runs Rafters of Guyra a popular restaurant, and is one of the organisers of tomorrow's Top of the Range Mountain Bike Challenge which is also a fundraiser for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. He helped to establish the mountain bike event last year with 60 riders.

"We have 100 to 120 riders this year," Fat Cat said.

"And we have some pretty good riders too."

He is also a handy rider as well, Barry Walton said.