The Belgium Mountain Bike Challenge might only be 3 days but it’s impossible not to get wrapped up in it. Eat, race, eat, sleep, repeat. The post race depression quickly kicks in as reality strikes. No sooner had we finished the final 6 hour stage we were on the road driving the 8 hours back […]
Belgian MTB Challenge “the hardest mountain bike tour in the Benelux”
Tomorrow the fifth edition of the Belgian Mountain Bike Challenge, in short the BeMC, will kick off in La Roche-en-Ardenne. During three days and 260 km covering 7800 meters of climbing over 500 participants from almost 20 different countries will fight for the final victory. I’m currently sat in our accommodation with 2 nervous Brits, […]
Volcat GP to see 700 participants take to Catalan Hills this Easter
This Easter weekend, 25 – 27 March, the Spanish Catalan Hills will host the 3 day UCI category 2 Volcat GP. This year the town of Igualada will host all 3 stages making it logistically easier for participants. Whilst the Elite race competes for UCI points as individuals the open race is run as a […]
Algarve Bike Challenge 2016
This past weekend the UCI category 2 Algarve Bike Challenge took place. The event is a marathon stage race taking place over 3 days. You can read my preview for the event here https://marathonmtbcom.wpengine.com/2016/03/03/algarve-bike-challenge-preview-and-stage-race-catch-up/ The event was a pair’s race so I teamed up with Austrian Uwe Hochenwarter who rides for the Craft Rocky Mountain […]
Algarve Bike Challenge Preview and Stage Race Catch Up
This weekend Algarve Bike Challenge takes place, the event is a UCI category 2 marathon stage race taking place over 3 days. It’s the 4th year the event has taken place and I thought it was about time I checked it out. It will be my first visit to southern Portugal, the Algarve is known […]
Kowalski Classic race preview, tips and predictions
The Kowalski Classic is just three years old, but already attracts big numbers and top riders. Set in Kowen Forest near Canberra, the 100km and 50km marathons take in the finest trails built by the mysterious trail construction coven, the Kowalski Brothers. Your MarathonMTB team were out on course today to bring you the best tips […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Stage 4 – Grachen 75km
I keep getting all ‘hero worship’ but heres todays chat, Matt to Karl Platt, ‘Hey Karl you doing the Munga?’ Karl to Matt ‘Yeah, it should be good but I’ve never done 24 hour racing before’, Kulhavy to Sauser ‘Hey Susie we go from the gun yeah?’ *nervous laughter from those in earshot* Sauser to […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Stage 2 – Leukerbad to Leukerbad 70km
Well after yesterdays horror and semi-terminal implosion in the final 5km today was all about survival and pacing, no real tactics just get to the end respectably! Hard to do when you get sucked along in the vortex that is the mad UCI peloton but this faded the minute we hit the climb and my […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic – Verbier to Verbier 16km Prologue
You can’t imagine any time trial near this Swiss town will be anything other than challenging. Verbier sits looking over a stunning valley at around 1600m, surrounded by 2000m plus ski runs that during the summer act as a magnet to any mountain biker who likes to keep things punchy. The climbs are tough, the […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic nerves
I’m a bit of a delicate flower, I look for a good bed, some good food and a warm shower when planning the next mtb adventure. You can call me soft but I’m just admitting that even Mr I-prefer-a-duvet wasn’t prepared for what waited for us in Verbier! Oh man! The Perskindol Swiss Epic is in […]