The ABSA Cape Epic is the brute of the marathon stage race game. Plenty of events will claim to be the hardest, some claim the best trails, some claim the best event services – but there is no escaping the fact that the Cape Epic is the biggest of the bunch. As we have published […]
Otway Odyssey returns for 18th edition in 2024
If you think of mountain bike marathons in Australia, only a few come to mind as long-running events that still offer unique experiences for Australian mountain bikers or those visiting from further afield – and the Otway Odyssey is one of them. Event promoter Rapid Ascent have just announced that entries for the 2024 Otway […]
Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2023 – Stage Four
Everything I have heard about the Appenninica MTB Stage Race over the past years has been positive. From the food, to the hospitality of the towns, the event crew, the event vibe and of course – the trails. Today’s stage from Fiumalbo to Fanano has probably been the best example so far for the trails. […]
Appenninica MTB Stage Race 2023 – Stage Two
Stage Two of the Appenninica MTB Stage Race dawned with some cloud cover, but a very upbeat and friendly vibe in race HQ. No doubt after the heat of stage one, everyone was happy for less intense sun as we took on the Queen stage, riding 90km and ascending 3200m from Castelnovo ne’ Monti to […]
Selle Repente Artax GL mountain bike saddle – trail tested
Earlier this year I reached out to Selle Repente about testing one of their saddles. I wasn’t very aware of the entire range, but had seen a few athletes (Italian riders specifically) using them, and their designs looked intriguing. While I have moved to the flat, wide, short style of saddles over the past few […]
Riding the Swiss Alpine Bike #1 MTB Route
Last week I set off to ride the Swiss Alpine Bike #1 MTB route, which runs across Switzerland from Scuol to Aigle (or Aigle to Scuol), covering 670km and 24700m of climbing. It is suggested to cover the route in 16 days, but I planned around 8, booked my accommodation on Booking.com and arrived in […]
Alpine Bike #1 route in Switzerland – the preparation
I’m sitting on a train, travelling backwards on the way to Zurich. Every now and then I take a cursory glance at my bike bag near the train’s entry. My final destination today is Scuol, right in the east of Switzerland in the canton of Graubuenden. But this is far from my final destination on […]
Bike Check: Imogen Smith’s Factor Lando XC
For 2023, our team riders made the move to the recently released Factor Lando XC full-suspension frames. The bikes were released in 2022, one of two mountain bikes that Factor have designed and built. Given their place in the high end road, gravel and triathlon markets, it is no surprise that both the Factor Lando […]
6 reasons to ride The Redback this August
Mountain bike stage races and Alice Springs go together like red wine and cheese. The city in the centre of Australia has hosted mountain bike stage races for two decades, with riders visiting from the edges of the continent to ride the sweet singletrack in the red centre. In 2023 The Redback runs from 18-21 […]
Bike check: Mike Blewitt’s Factor LS for the Devil’s Cardigan
Here at MarathonMTB.com we’ve realised there is a lot of crossover between the training, racing, and outlook of marathon events and gravel events. And that’s why along with Justin Morris and Imogen Smith, I’m mixing in a few gravel events this year. Having used a Norco Threshold for cyclocross racing, road racing, training and gravel […]