The hub for marathon mountain biking
Chris Jongewaard is a name well-known in Australian mountain biking. He is the 2014 Australian Cyclocross Champion, six-time Australian MTB Champion, five-time Oceania MTB Champion, Commonwealth Games Representative and… five-time Giant Odyssey winner. The Odyssey is a hard race to win, and other elite riders have wondered how exactly they can beat JBlood at the Odyssey. […]
While some of us aren’t sure if fat bikes are a fad, fashion, or functional – lots of ski towns are getting onboard with them. They’re a great option to sit alongside other snow sports, and when the snow is a bit sparse for skiing or snowboarding, in can be great for fat biking. Livigno […]
The Topeak-Ergon team are often seen at the front of a marathon or stage race, with such successful racers like Sally Bigham and Alban Lakata. Alban Lakata has finished 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 10th in his six Absa Cape Epics. In 2013 he finished, but as an Outcast after his partner Robert Mennen famously […]
The Cape Epic is the biggest mountain bike race in the world. Every four years it gets overshadowed by the Olympics, but in general the World Cup schedule is altered to allow racers to compete in the Epic. It’s that important. 2015 is shaping up to be a very competitive year. On paper, Christoph Sauser […]
If you had to name some of the most prominent names in marathon racing from the past decade it would be hard to move Karl Platt from the top of your list. While Urs Huber, Alban Lakata, Christoph Sauser and Stefan Sahm all have their place – Platt has been fast, and successful, for a […]
Marathon racing in other countries offers different experiences. While the name remains, the format and style can change. The Ultra Raid de la Meije lives up to the “ultra” in its name, clocking 5150m of climbing in the 112km it covers. This highlight video from 2014 should give you a taste of what to expect […]
All photos by Oliver King. The launch of the Blue Derby trails in North East Tasmania have received a lot of attention, and that is completely justified. The development of the trail network there has been made in the hope of rejuvenating the town and surrounding communities that have shrunk since mining stopped and forestry […]
Germany’s Robert Mennen seems destined to have an interesting relationship with the Absa Cape Epic. In 2013 he was forced out of the race when he hit what he described as “a peeg” as he descended on singletrack during Stage 1 near Citrusdal. The pig, it turned out, was a duiker (small antelope) and in […]
The Absa Cape Epic is one of the most important mountain bike races in the world. Some would say the most important. It’s a hard race for all who attend, but some people seem to be able to take it in their stride a little better. And ff there was a prize for popularity at […]
There was a whole lot of noise late in 2014 about the Evocities MTB series. Said to be the richest marathon series in Australia, it left a few die hard racers disillusioned. Since when were lap based races run on time called a marathon? But lap based races have been the bread and butter for […]
