The hub for marathon mountain biking
When you stand on a start line and look around you one thing is always the same: everyone looks fitter, calmer, better dressed, and more prepared than you do. You can try numerous strategies to overcome your nerves: a friendly chat, a thousand-mile stare, some tweaks to your gear – but your heart will hammer […]
The Perskindol Swiss Epic Official Race Book recommends that each competitor ride a full-suspension mountain bike with at least 120mm of front and rear travel and a dropper seatpost. I did an extra check and can confirm that this is not just for the Flow category (which is the ‘enduro’-style side of the race). Nope, […]
I’ve been working in media for a while now, and I’ve learned that there’s a time for every kind of writing. There’s a time to explore ideas. There’s a time to discuss events. Then there’s a time to go deep inside and treat yourself in a bit of self-indulgent introspection. That time has come! That’s […]
“Ja!”, “Si!”, “Yo!”, “Here!”. Roll call at school was always seen as a painful burden of the educational system, at international mountain bike races, it’s like you’re sitting in the front row at the UN. The Mongolia Bike Challenge packed itself up and left the ritzy surrounds of Ulaanbaatar on Saturday morning, headed for a […]
The Breck Epic is one of the North American classic stage races right up there with Singletrack 6 (aka TransRockies) and the BC Bike Race. The 6 day event takes part in the Rocky Mountain town of Breckenridge, Colorado with a base elevation of 9 500 feet and goes up from there, a couple stages […]
I’m sitting in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport en route to Ulaanbaatar for the Mongolia Bike Challenge. And a challenge it will be. I was searching for a way to explain the race to friends a few days ago in terms they could understand. “I’m essentially riding Sydney to Melbourne next week. On a mountain bike.” It […]
Euphoria; a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness. A feeling of euphoria swept through the event village when the Swiss rider led the race. The dictionary people didn’t use that example, but they probably should have. Although ‘the Swiss rider’ could be easily replaced by the name Nino, and still be fitting! The […]
Anyone who follows me, or MarathonMTB on social media will be aware that my World Marathon Championships didn’t exactly go to plan. Around 30km into the 60km race my rear wheel bearings randomly failed. The second descent was pretty hair raising anyway and with my wobbling wheel I felt really unstable on the bike. I […]
This post has been supplied by Australian XCM Champs representative Sarah Riley, tracking her journey from race supporter, to international mountain biker. You can follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarahriley80 The day after the biggest race of my life I am still trying to process the enormity of what I achieved. To finish 46th at […]
Here we go! BC Bike Race has been one of the races on my bucket list for a long time and I’m finally here. The race really kicked off yesterday with all the racers registering and checking in their bikes for the week ahead. This morning we had quite an entertaining rider briefing before jumping […]
