This Saturday 25th February will kick start the Rocky Trail Entertainment 2012 calender as the MTB Cruise 100 takes place at Stromlo Forest Park in The ACT. As a lap based event, riders can choose their number of 33km laps, completing either one lap, 2, 3, or even 5 to make a 100 mile event. Camping is available, or great accomodation at the Crowne Plaza. Plenty of Australia and Canberra’s top Marathon racers will be in attendance, the racing at the front should be exciting. Mike Blewitt and Graeme Arnott will be present from the Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Team to race and report on the days events down in Canberra.
Nothing sounds as good as a last lap bell. Photo: Neil Thompson
Rocky Trail have a diverse range of events, and they assist with one of Europe’s toughest MTB Stage Races – the Alpentour Trophy. Four days long, and based out of one town, it removes much of the logisitcal nightmares that can be involved with. Martin and Juliane from Rocky Trail help support and promote this event in their own country. For an aspiring XC or Marathon rider it is a great event – a chance to test yourself against many of the worlds top athletes in a challenging environment. Running from the 31st May until 3rd June in 2012, make sure you take your climbing legs. With just under 9000m vertical in 220km – you have to know how to suffer.
Jacob Nimpf drills it in the last 200m. Photo credit: Regina Stanger,Alpentour / Sportograf
Still in Austria, Rocky Trail will be running the Wild Wombat, a homage to Australian lap based Enduro’s. This event will take place in Gnas, Austria on 26th May. Combining this with the Alpentour could make a great European racing block, as part of a great overseas holiday. Your mountain bike can take you to some pretty unique places and offer great opportunities. So get along to one of the Rocky Trail events, and speak to Martin and Juliane about their ‘home’ events. More than the events listed above, they also run the Shimano GP Series, plenty of Downhill races, and a stunning 12 and 24 hour event too. You can see all their events on their website – or the endurance specific ones on the MarathonMTB.com calender.