Last Saturday marked the return of the HOT ROCK RACE to Townsville XC racing with the Shimano MTB Grand Prix by Rocky Trail Entertainment and supported by the Townsville Enterprise Limited. The event might have had lower than expected numbers but there wasn’t a lack of competition. The 4 hour and 7 hour format might […]
Favourites lead at the Swiss Epic
Nino Schurter and Lars Forster won the opening stage of the 2020 Swiss Epic in the men’s, while Annika Langvad and Haley Batten won the women’s race. The 2020 Swiss Epic got underway in Laax on Tuesday, 18 August. Graubünden, the race’s host canton and title sponsor, could not have hoped for a better result; […]
Men and women to watch at the 2020 Swiss Epic
With Olympic Gold Medallists, multiple World Champions and a host of talented young riders, the Swiss Epic boasts arguably its best ever field this year. The Swiss Epic has always seen a quality field take to the start, with World and National Champions lining up to test themselves at the Swiss mountain bike stage race. […]
5th Kronplatz King MTB Marathon attracts top talent
On 30 August 2020, the 5th edition of the KronplatzKing MTB Marathon, the mountain bike marathon starting in San Vigilio di Marebbe (1,200 m) and finishing at the summit of the Kronplatz (2,275 m), will take place. And with only three weeks to go, some of the world’s best including Tiago Ferreira (POR), Leonardo Paez […]
Training for the Start Line Jitters
The start of a mountain bike race wether it be XCM, XCO, enduro or even downhill is the peak of nerves, excitement, intensity and fear for all riders. Training for this element of a race is often the most complex. And it is not just from the perspective of intensity and training structure but also […]
Brentjens and Limburg Cycling unite
1996 Olympic Mountain Bike Champion Bart Brentjens has entered a partnership with his team and the platform for cycling in Limburg (the most southern province of the Netherlands) for recreational sports, events, infrastructure and promotion. What does the professional mountain bike team CST PostNL Bafang Mountain Bike Racing Team offer the platform? Quite a lot! […]
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 […]
Bike Check: Norco Revolver Hardtail team builds
With two new Norco Revolver hardtails added to the MarathonMTB.com service course, it is worth asking what role does a hardtail play in the mountain bike world? The humble hardtail is often seen as the bike for beginners, for family riders, and for ‘cross-country’. A hardtail can also be seen as a race-only bike, a […]
An insider’s guide to WEMBO 24 hour racing
Racing a 24 hour mountain bike race in the solo category can be anything from a New Years resolution, a dare from a mate, a personal goal, or a professional accomplishment. But the challenge of riding your mountain bike isn’t diminished, not matter the reason for you to sign up to a solo 24 hour […]
Dragon Trail MTB
Anyone can see that around Australia, the marathon scene is shrinking. Some of the classics keep fighting on, but the demand for single day 100km races is not what it used to be. And given the costs involved for a one day event it is understandable. Time off work, entry, accommodation, maybe airfares as well […]