The Highland Fling has, over the past 13 years, become a staple and a classic event on the Australian MTB calendar. The 120km jaunt through the singletrack, forestry roads and farm tracks of NSW’s Southern Highlands has attracted tens of thousands of competitors from around the country and the globe over its existence. Due to […]
One of the Toughest, and one of the Best: The Whaka 100
It’s a typical Rotorua morning – there’s a cold drizzle and a slight wind, the forests are shrowded in deep mist, and the air is redolent of sulfurous fumes. On this particular morning, a couple of hundred riders are lined up at the Waipa mill in a colourful display that belies the monotonal grey skies. […]
Roc d’Azur End of Season Party
Last weekend it was time to celebrate 2017 and 20,000 people came out to party. Roc d’Azur once again hosted the end of season get together with 5 days of events. This could be my fourth visit to sunny Frejus on the stunning French Riviera. After being ill I wasn’t in a position to […]
Getting ready for one of the toughest: the Whaka 100
Rotorua has long been touted as one of the greatest mountain biking destinations, with the trails of the Redwoods – the hard work of the Rotorua Trails Trust – becoming almost mythical in their allure. While principally a destination for those who enjoy the Southstar shuttle service and reps of the great Corners or Little Red Riding Huck […]
How do I hydrate for a marathon MTB race?
It’s one of the questions we’re asked most often here at MarathonMTB.com, so we chatted to our team of marathon riders and put together a bunch of answers, starting with the most pressing one… What to drink? What should I drink in a marathon MTB race? It really boils down to a couple of choices […]
Perskindol Swiss Epic takes a flying start
The fourth edition of the Perskindol Swiss Epic kicked off on Monday 11 September 2017 with the prologue in Grächen. The first day’s champions in the men’s category was the Team Centurion Vaude with Daniel Geismayr and Jochen Käss, who completed the 18km track in the fast time of 52 minutes and 20 seconds. For the women, […]
The seven stages of marathon mountain biking
Like grief, or a long-term relationship, a marathon mountain bike race is a journey through a spectrum of emotions, from joy to despair. Here’s our take on the seven emotional stages of a marathon mountain bike race. 1. Anticipation You sign up. You call your mates and tell them to sign up. You’re all signed […]
The Redback Returns
What’s my favourite thing about mountain bike stage racing, you ask. The camaraderie? Wrong! The epic scenery? Wrong! Visiting new places and experiencing new cultures? That’s great, but wrong! Nope, it’s the buffet breakfasts. So. The Redback got off to a good start for me when I hit the buffet at the Mercure Alice Springs […]
Emotions of a National Marathon Champs Weekend
Over the past 2 years it’s been a privilege to have worn the National Champion’s stripes at the front of some of the biggest marathon races in the world. I remember the first international race I went to in the jersey, I was parked up at the hotel pulling the bike out of the Vauxhall […]
Alta Valtellina Bike Marathon returns
How do deep blue lakes, historic sites and the impressive panorama of huge mountains such as the Ortler-Cevedale sound? These things are almost as important as the actual mountain biking itself when the Alta Valtellina Bike Marathon is on the agenda. On Saturday, July 29, the route will take athletes to an altitude of 2,350 metres, on […]