The Otway Odyssey started in 2007 as an epic event starting opposite the Surf Club in Apollo Bay and climbing up to the Otway Ranges. The course took riders through the trails around Forrest and beyond, before dropping them, with a lot of fatigue, back to Forrest for the race’s finish. Since 2013, the race […]
De Groot triumphant in Sabie XCM
South African marathon champion, Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) won a tight tussle with Amy Beth McDougall (Valencia) to capture the overall honours in the women’s division of the Ashburton Investments National MTB Series in Sabie at the weekend. It was the inaugural two-day format race in the prestigious seven-round series and it delivered the […]
Moffitt and Burtonwood take JetBlack 24 crowns
The ninth edition of the JetBlack 24 Hour race took place at Awaba MTB Park on the weekend, a change from the previous events closer to Sydney. Sam Moffitt took out the 24 Hour Solo Men’s title and Jemma Burtonwood from Nambucca Heads claimed the women’s win. Despite a grim weather forecast and challenging conditions with […]
Simon Zahner claims 2nd Tortour Cyclocross race
This year again, it turned out to be the Grand Finale of the Cyclocross season: Some 140 athletes from 15 nations gathered together for the second edition of Tortour Cyclocross, the first multi-day ultra-cyclocross and gravel stage race in the world, from the 10 to 12 February 2017 in Glattfelden near Zürich. The two Swiss pro-riders, […]
The Pioneer stage 7- One last push to Queenstown
Riders took joy at crossing the finish line after 7 days of exhausting, stunning, character building and painful mountain bike miles across the Southern Alps of New Zealand in The Pioneer stage race today. On the menu for the final stage was far from a cruisey parade into town. Although the stage profile suggested 59km […]
The Pioneer Day 6 report- Penultimate punishment
Day 6 of The Pioneer gave rider’s a welcome shorter stage of 64km today. However, initial excitement of a significantly shorter day in the saddle was quickly put to rest with a look over the course profile. The stage beckoned 64km of pretty much entirely uphill riding to the XC ski village of ‘Snow farm’. […]
The Pioneer Day 5- Queen stage tests all riders
The Pioneer MTB stage race has now reached Lake Hawea close to Wanaka, New Zealand. The riders have now have close to 450km in their legs and some serious tales of struggle, suffering, spectacle, disappointment and victory up their sleeves. Today’s stage was suggested to be the ‘Queen Stage’ of this tour with 112km and […]
The Pioneer Stage 3: Leaders Consolidate as Zanella Conquers 4-Day-Traverse
There are so many landmark stages, so many ‘wow’ moments on the Pioneer Mountain Bike Stage Race that it is hard to single any out, but the climb over Ben Ohau must be in the conversation and it didn’t disappoint on today’s stage four of the race from Christchurch to Queenstown. The climb didn’t separate […]
The Pioneer stage 3 report- Weather BOMB!
After a scorching day 2 with many riders experiencing sunburn and heat exhaustion, in typical New Zealand style the weather for day 3 took a severe turn for the worse. With wind chill temperatures of well below zero and gale force winds expected on the planned route the organisers took the very smart decision to […]
The Pioneer Day 2 report- The reality sets in.
After a relatively tame first day in Christchurch for the 2017 Pioneer stage race yesterday, today was when the real business got underway for the hardy competitor’s of this truly epic race. A pleasant 8am roll out from the polite town of Geraldine began relatively conservatively with a moderate pace across the first 15km of […]