It’s almost impossible to compare remote races against those in highly populated regions, or a cross country stage race which runs out of one town. It’s in the name; remote races aren’t near the regular amenities and services we would expect, which is part of what makes them such a unique experience. There are a […]
Mongolia Bike Challenge: Losing Control
Part of the joy of stage racing is the focus it gives you each day. Compared to the environment you’re stepping away from, life becomes highly simplified. You eat, race, eat and sleep. Sometimes there’s more eating. So although I know that I like to plan – to know, to prepare – and to an […]
Mongolia Bike Challenge Diary – Stage 1: The King Stage
Part of chasing mountain bike marathons and stage races around the globe is stepping into the unknown, being fully aware that you are about to do something that you can’t know everything about, and that you might not fully be prepared for. In the age of readily accessed information, you still yearn to know what […]
Mongolia Bike Challenge Pro Bike: Matt Page’s Pivot LES
Matt Page has made a plan to tackle the hardest races in the world. Although it is often argued what they are, having raced the Crocodile Trophy, Iron Bike, Grand Raid, Andalucia Bike Race, and now the Mongolia Bike Challenge (amongst a host of others) he’s on his way to ticking them all off. Having […]
Racers Respond to the 2014 National XCO/XCM Series
The announcement by Cycling Australia of the 2014 National Cross Country (XCO) and Cross Country Marathon (XCM) earlier this week came a little later than expected, but timely enough for racers to start planning their 2014 season. After the success of the Real Insurance XCM Series in both 2011 an 2012, Australia’s elite racers and […]
Brownie Points Burner – Teething for a biting race
A first year race can be a gamble for racers, organisers and event sponsors alike. We ride and race in an outdoor environment that means we have to deal with what the local area delivers. The Hellfire Cup was postponed earlier this year due to disastrous fires that hit the area. Numerous races on the […]
Mongolia Bike Challenge Pros: Cory Wallace
Cory Wallace took strong team mates to the Mongolia Bike Challenge in 2012, and came away with a deserving victory. Wallace is a renowned 24 hr racer and excels in tough conditions. We spoke to him ahead of the 2013 Mongolia Bike Challenge, where he is keen to defend his title. 1. With a strong […]
The 2 Oceans MTB Race – The Race Australia Needs?
Australia is a vast country, where great distances can need to be covered to travel between cities. Australia is also a country with highly a centralised population, most notably in the South East corner of the country. The size of the country and the spread of our population dictates transport and utilities infrastructure – and […]
What is it about the Cape to Cape MTB Race?
Australian mountain bikers like the challenge of a stage race. The proof is there multiple times each year, when keen Australian mountain bikers head to South Africa, or Canada, or the USA, or Western Europe, to pursue a riding holiday that focuses on a challenging stage race. This isn’t something that only elite racers do […]
Martin Loo looks to repeat at the Haanja100
The 10th edition of Haanja100MTB, the toughest MTB-race in Estonia, will this year take part on September 28th in South-West of Estonia, on the Haanja upland. The main race is 100km and consists of 1500m of vertical ascent. There is also an ‘Imperial’ race. This additional race of 100miles consists 2300m of vertical ascent. […]