Victories that haven’t been expected taste the sweetest. There is no denying that pressure makes me sometimes choke. Thus, races are tackled very much process oriented, meaning I don’t pay as much attention to the outcome, hence results. They will come automatically, if you give your utmost within your power. This race stood pretty high […]
Archives for August 2012
Wellies, mud and a few seconds – Ritchey TrailMasters
‘Remember to pack our wellies as it might be a bit muddy.’ How glad was I that Nadene (my wife) registered what I was saying at 4:30am as we were packing for the TrailMasters this past weekend. The Ritchey TrailMasters was a MTB race based in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, run over 3 days which consisted […]
Custom tuned Fox Float RP23
Getting a suspension unit, be it fork or shock, dialled for your bike and riding style isn’t something that you should take for granted. Although many bike manufacturers go to great lengths to make sure they specify the right rear suspension unit for a dual suspension bike, an amount of custom tuning may still be […]
2012 Flight Centre Epic
This year will be the 10th anniversary of the Flight Centre Epic, starting in 2002 as a 117km challenge amongst mates, the event has shortened slightly but gained momentum and become a weekend tradition for many local and interstate riders. This year will be my 7th FC Epic. Over the past seven years I have […]
Pro Bike: Amanda Carey’s Felt Edict Nine
A Pro bike riders requirements differ from race to race, and Mountain Bike Stage Racing can offer some unique demands on not only an athlete, but their equipment as well. The recent Breck Epic Stage Race was a great example of how different riders had varied views on what bikes would suit them best for […]
Hellfire Cup: Stage Racing in Tasmania
Entry for the Avanti Plus Hellfire Cup has opened. This is an event in an awesome area with awesome trails, awesome prizes, catering and entertainment. It’s more than a race it’s a festival of bike! Get on it. Here’s the basic lowdown. Check the website for more info. Prizes: First General Classification pair overall gets $12,000 […]
Breck Epic: Serving up Gold Dust
Related Event: Breck Epic
The last day of a stage race can be a mixed affair. Some races will deem it a parade, or perhaps a section will be unofficially neutral, until the racing starts at the end. With a six day stage race, there isn’t really the scope to do that. And with such a good course set, […]
Horal Tour 2012
To race in a so called “Promised Land” is always something exceptional. We did just this in the 2nd edition of the Horal Tour had us hit the illusive trails of Slovak Paradise National Park, next to the Tatra highlands. That creates a hard-to-resist desire to plunge into the world of evergreen surroundings. Three days in this […]
Montane Kielder 100. And a 50!
Four years after its first outing the Montane Kielder 100 is now a firm favourite with endurance mountain bikers and is still the only 100 mile single lap race on the British calendar. Taking place in Kielder forest on Saturday 15th September, this year will also see the introduction of a stepping-stone distance, the Montane […]
Breck Epic: Earn your turns on Wheeler Pass
Related Event: Breck Epic
So far, the Breck Epic has delivered on lots of great riding and racing days. The trails take you up, over and around the valley, although you usually don’t notice due to either the hard climbing or stunning singletrack descents. Stage 5 took a slightly different approach, as it went straight up and over Wheeler […]