With just 2 editions under its belt, The Mongolia Bike Challenge sponsored by ORBEA is emerging as a strong addition to the global mountain bike stage race calendar. The epic, 10-day stage is also taking mountain bike racing into a region largely bereft of competition.
Despite its relative infancy, the race has attracted professional racers like Cory Wallace (Kona Factory Team) and Marzio Deho (Olympia), the latter the winner of each of the first 2 editions.
The event looks likely to play a strong roll in the emerging Asian mountain stage race market, which includes events such as the Langkawi International MTB Challenge. With generous prize money and exciting courses on offer at Asian events, the future for mountain biking in the region is looking bright.
The Mongolia Bike Challenge is no exception, with the race unlocking the immense potential of the country. The event is already regarded as one of the toughest of its kind in in Asia, with over 14,000m of climbing across its 1,400km course. With news that Australia’s Crocodile Trophy is to be shortened in 2012, Mongolia’s only major mountain bike stage race could soon stake its claim as the World’s longest.
The third edition of the race will take place from July 28 – August 11, 2012. Entries are open now.
The event has been well subscribed by a wide range of international visitors, with Spanish and Italian riders representing the largest proportion of entries in the past few years. However local riders too have taken advantage of the opportunity to race at home, with visitors from Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, The United States and Belgium all appearing on previous start lists.
For more information about the Mongolia Bike Challenge please visit the event website at: www.mongoliabikechallenge.com or contact Rob Fawcett at [email protected].
MarathonMTB.com will be bringing full coverage of the 2012 edition of the race.
Wonderful Autumnal conditions make the challenge of 14,000m of climbing over 1,400km a little easier to bear
Riders relax after a stage of the 2011 edition of the Mongolia Bike Challenge