On a glorious winter’s day in Brisbane, Brendan Johnston won his 4th cross-country marathon (XCM) title and Holly Harris won her first. After the 2019 National Championships were moved from Townsville to Redland Bay, there was a chance that the fields of the elite marathons would be a little deeper than otherwise. And that rang […]
Sibling rivalry decides Bendigo Golden Triangle Epic whilst Viotto powers away to strong win
The Victorian regional city of Bendigo again put on a show hosting one of the highest regarded XCM races in Australia. In 2019 the marathon has been recognised as a ‘tier 1’ event in the MTBA national cup. Meaning the highest offering of national ranking points was on offer to the riders in the 100km […]
Australian XCM Championships to Bayview
After many rumours starting to spread, Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) have announced today that the upcoming Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) National Championships will no longer be held in Townsville, but in Bayview near Brisbane instead. “Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) along with the Townsville Rockwheelers Mountain Bike Club wish to advise that regrettably due to the recent […]
Australian XCM National Champs course check
MarathonMTB.com flew into Townsville early this year to get the low-down on the new course at Mt Douglas MTB park. National Champs had been planned to take place at the Pallarenda trails closer to town, but A LOT of summer rain left the course in need of considerable maintenance, so the Rockwheelers MTB club made […]
Ivory and Beck take line honours at 2018 LEITA
The first stage of Lasseters Easter in the Alice doubles as the opening rounds of the Australian XCM Series – so not only does the 75km race decide who takes the LEITA leader’s jersey into stage 2 tomorrow, it also denotes who leads the XCM Series ahead of the 2nd round – which is also […]
XCO National Series Round 3 and 4 – inferno on the Commonwealth Games Course
I arrived early for Round Three of the Australian XCO National Series at the Commonwealth Games course at Nerang and watched the junior men race. By 8:30am it was already over 32 degrees and very, very humid. The field was completely devastated by the heat, many youths ending up in the first aid tent. I […]
2018 Australian XCM Series revealed
Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) have just confirmed the dates and venues for the 2018 National XCM Series. Next year the series is trimmed down to five events, including the National Championship, in a bid to have more riders attend more of the series, according to MTBA CEO Shane Coppin. “We really hope this condensed series […]
End of the beginning: Imo races the Flight Centre Epic
Related Event: Flight Centre Epic
Last year when Queensland’s biggest and oldest MTB marathon, the Flight Centre Epic rolled around, I had recently returned from World XCM Championships and had had some time off. It had also been raining. The prospect of pedalling through thick black mud for five hours held little attraction for me, and Mike and I sat that […]
Henderson and Johnston win 2017 Australian Marathon titles in Townsville
Related Event: Australian XCM Championships - UCI XCM Series
On the 30th April, the 2017 Australian Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) titles were hard-fought at Cape Pallarenda in Townsville, Queensland. The event is due to be held for two consecutive years in Townsville, and the initial course we rode in January had some modifications for race day. With the age group and open races decided on […]
Who can win the 2017 Australian Marathon Championships?
Related Event: Australian XCM Championships - UCI XCM Series
The elite titles for Australia’s 2017 Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) Championship are set to be decided on 30th April. For this year, the XCM Champs have travelled north to Townsville, being run in conjunction with the Townsville MTB Festival for this year and 2018. Townsville is home of the Townsville Rockwheelers mountain bike club (one of […]