Part One: Who? It is now just a week away from the 2013 UCI Marathon Mountain Bike World Championships (XCM Worlds to be more succinct). The XCM Worlds differ a little from any other Marathon, as this is when racers are representing their nation. Their colours are that of their country, not of their trade […]
A handy guide to cheering
It does rather depend on where in the world you are. Head to the cycling heartlands of Italy, Spain, Belgium & France, and increasingly Germany & Austria, and you can guarantee that any bike race that goes through a town will be greeted with encouragement of some description. Local kids, crudely painted (and sometimes crudely designed!) banners, […]
Marathon Goals for the Australian Winter
For those that don’t live in Australia, it may seem comical that we complain about cold temperatures and other typical winter conditions. Although we don’t have months of snowpack, we do still have single digit temperatures (and lower), cold rain, wind, and the worst – short day light hours. So just like in the Northern […]
Why Ride the Tour Divide?
Why? It’s a question I’ve been getting a lot lately. Closely followed by ‘are you insane?’ and not to mention my personal favourite ‘Idiot.’ See, later this month (June 14th to be exact) I along with approximately 120 other nutters will be lining up for what is often referred to as the toughest bicycle race […]
How to: Stepping up a gear
What does it take to step up from racing for fun to getting right up there with the big names of marathon mountain bike racing? 1- The bike Lose some weight. You’ll need a bike that doesn’t put much more than 10 kg on the scale, maybe a little bit more if you go for […]
Interview with Helen Wyman, the most experienced newbie in the AlpenTour
It’s not every day that you get to hear a seven-time national champion, European champion and prolific winner of races on the road and off be so self-effacing as to admit that they’re not quite sure what they’re doing. But then Helen Wyman isn’t your average European champ either. MarathonMTB caught up with her at […]
AlpenTour Packing – “What’s in the bag?”
In a bizarre, self-referential way, writing about packing for a stage race is very much like the activity itself- it can be difficult know where to begin! I’ve done a few of these crazy European raids now, snatched between busy times at work, and I still feel like a beginner. So, where to begin? Well, […]
Choosing insurance for your bike, racing and travel
Insurance has been around for 4000 years. Some scholars of the history of insurance – there are some and, indeed, you might be one – think it’s more like 2500 years but either way, neither of those figures are typos. That makes insurance salesman the second oldest profession in the world. Interesting then that there […]
Riding the Trails of Afan
Trails! Where would I be without Afan? The Southern Welsh gem of continuous trails, immense views and epic food are all within a reasonable drive away from London. It’s a long enough trip to feel you deserve it, yet close enough to be completely viable as a total immersive escape from the city. Now donʼt […]
Reviewing the 2013 Absa Cape Epic
Related Event: ABSA Cape Epic
Sauser. Kulhavy. Well Sauser’s here every year, and Kulhavy was here particularly to pay respects to Burry Stander. Brentjens, Frischknecht, Boelts, Platt, Dietsch, Huber, Mennen, Lakata. Well, this kind of racing is what they do these days. But what about Schurter, Vogel, Fumic, Fontana, Hermida, Van Houts, Paulissen? It starts to read like a who’s […]