Words: Imogen Smith Firstly, a clarification. The suggestion that Mike ride the last 17 kilometres to the finish of Stage 3 on our only back wheel after sitting at the feedzone for a couple of hours was mine – not the other mixed racers’, not the R2R people, and definitely, definitely not Mike’s. Also, we […]
Reef to Reef Stage 1 – Good vibes only
By: Imogen SmithPhotos: Tim Bardsley-Smith Today’s Stage 1 of Reef to Reef in gorgeous Cairns was a 17 kilometre time trial through Smithfield’s world class XC trails. I’m racing with long time partner Mike (and long time husband) in a return to doing what we love together after three years off. So how did it go? […]
Reef to Reef kicks off in Cairns on August 18
The 2022 Reef to Reef is here – returning to the tropical paradise of Cairns after a 2-year hiatus. Reef to Reef is the newest addition to the Epic Series of events in Australia, partnered with sister events such as Cape to Cape and Port to Port. Riders from across Australia and around the world […]
What’s it like racing an Epic Series MTB event?
The last two race seasons have dealt a tough blow to industries and individuals around the world. In the small world of endurance mountain bike events, the going has been brutal for some, and merely terrible for others. Some events needed to make difficult decisions in early 2020, with last minute cancellations and postponements. And […]
Swiss Epic champions return
In a year where nothing can be certain, at this point the Swiss Epic, the European arm of the global Epic Series, will be going ahead in August. After the successful running of the Engadin Bike Giro in St Mortiz already, and a Swiss Cup XCO race in Leukerbad, it is clear that racing is […]
Scott-SRAM to the Swiss Epic
In a year that will be remembered for different reasons by everyone, elite athletes have had a serious shift in their goals. With Tokyo 2020 becoming Tokyo 2021 (maybe?), the Cape Epic being cancelled, and the XCO World Cup being crammed into two months lots of athletes are overhauling their race calendars. With the Swiss […]
Swiss Epic 2020 route revealed
The 2020 Swiss Epic entries have been open for a while, and while the stage towns have been made public, the final route has just been revealed. Unlike some mountain bike stage races, the Swiss Epic changes its route drastically each year. While the challenge of finishing the Swiss Epic will be the same year […]
The Cape Epic women’s field is lit in 2020.
The Cape Epic is often seen as the one stage race to rule them all. And we will be the first to admit that while you will have a completely different race experience at other events around the world, nothing truly comapres to the Cape Epic. The size, the drama, the pressure, the fans – […]
Sizing up the Absa Cape Epic 2020
The Cape Epic is coming, and I am going to be there. The world’s most televised mountain bike event. The untamed, the big one, the Tour de France of mountain biking. Call it what you will, I’ve seen the routes, seen the GoPro vision, seen the helicopters, and I am smart enough to know that […]
Smith and Mattocks to 2020 Cape Epic
With just 95 days to go until the world’s most prominent mountain bike stage race, Australian mountain bike racers Imogen Smith and Briony Mattocks have confirmed they will team up for the women’s category at the 2020 Absa Cape Epic in South Africa. Imogen is a part-time writing and media professional and full-time academic. Imogen […]