The 18th Crocodile Trophy last year finished in Cooktown with a victory going to Czech racer Ivan Rybarik in the men’s and with the world class triathlete Kate Major from Australia in the women’s category. The route has been set for the 2013 edition, with some of the changes in 2012 carried on, plus some new innovations for the iconic Mountain Bike Stage Race in the Australian Outback.
From a race with close to 1300km covered over 10 days, down to 9 days with close to 1000km, there were some changes from 2011 to 2012. The newer format included an XC race at Smithfield, and had two ‘rider villages’ that were transported between camps. In this way, riders were able to arrive in a camp that already had the basic needs to start their recuperation after the stage: water, shade, and food. All stages will be the same as last year with three modifications. “The stages will stay shorter, however, they will include considerably more mountain bike tracks again”, promises event organizer Gerhard Schönbacher. “Furthermore, a time trial will ensure more variety on day six”.
Grassy Hill – a great place to finish a bike race.
After the successful finish on Grassy Hill in Cooktown last year, the spectacular landing site of the legendary Captain Cook will crown the stage race at its grand finale also in 2013. Overall, the participants will ride 855 km and more than 15.000 m elevation. To put that in international perspectives, that’s about the same climbing as the Cape Epic, but with about 150km distance and an extra day racing. Don’t be under the illusion that the Crocodile Trophy is flat. The first stages involve a lot of climbing as you have to cross the Great Dividing Range, which will take you to about 1200m.
In 2012, the race was won by climbing prowess and consistency. The best placed riders had the Croc as their target event for the year.
The 2012 Crocodile Trophy Podium
The longest individual time trial in the world
Stage five from Mt. Mulligan to Adams Dam with 147 km will be the longest stage this year’s Crocodile Trophy. The next day to the former gold mining town, Maytown, the Crocodile Trophy will set a record: to complete this distance of 97 km as a timetrial it will be the longest individual time trial in the world. Maytown is a ghost town, but an old dam can provide respite in hot weather. Beware of the freshwater crocodiles though. The 8th stage finishes in Hopevale – a small Aboriginal community. The final stage to Cooktown is the second shortest stage but the beautiful single tracks will deliver everything a mountain bikers’s heart could wish for.
Josef Benetseder, checking out the Smithfield trails. Photo: Regina Stanger
The Outback will continue to be centre-stage with the cattle station at Mt. Mulligan, Mitchell River and the Bicentennial National Trail all being included in the stage plan of the endurance race in the Australian bush.
Full event details and registration are on the event website