Bendigo to host Round 3 of the National XCM Series!
Following the recent announcement from Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) comes the exciting news that the Bendigo Golden Triangle Epic will officially form Round 3 of the 2016 National XCM Series.
Following the recent announcement from Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) comes the exciting news that the Bendigo Golden Triangle Epic will officially form Round 3 of the 2016 National XCM Series.
As the stage for Australia’s highest profile cross country marathon competition, the National XCM Series will see the country’s finest elite riders descend on the town of Bendigo to take on the Golden Triangle Epic.
CEO for Mountain Bike Australia, Shane Coppin, cites the ongoing success of the event and the strength of the Bendigo Mountain Bike Club as being key factors in the decision to award the Golden Triangle Epic as an official round of the National XCM Series.
“MTBA have repeatedly heard very positive comments about mountain biking in the Bendigo area,” says Coppin. “The local Club is extremely proactive, they’re facilitating many opportunities for potential riders, and the region also receives significant local Council support.”
Coppin also cites Bendigo’s extensive trail network and its close proximity to Melbourne as being additional factors in MTBA’s decision making process.
Scheduled for Saturday the 16th of April, the Bendigo Golden Triangle Epic will enter into its 11th year in 2016. As the premier event for the Bendigo Mountain Bike Club, the Golden Triangle Epic is one of the largest club-run events in the country, with all profits raised from race entries going straight back into trail development and maintenance within the Bendigo region.
Entries for the 2016 Golden Triangle Epic are expected to swell significantly over previous year’s events. Bendigo has always been home to a strong contingent of Elite riders, both on the road and off it, though the interstate competition is expected to step up considerably in the wake of the MTBA announcement.
Despite the added pressure, local hero and World Cup contender, Tasman Nankervis, has his eyes set on the top podium position for this year’s Golden Triangle Epic.
“The 100km Epic is something that I’ve always wanted to win,” explains Nankervis. “But if I can get points towards the National XCM series than that would be pretty handy, as I am aiming to also compete in the other rounds around the country”.
Nankervis is banking on his racing form being in top notch in time for the Golden Triangle Epic, as he’ll be representing Australia at the Cairns World Cup round just one week later.
“My training is going well, and I’m hoping it will pay off this season,” says Nankervis. “Regardless of the results though, I’m looking forward to racing on home soil. Last year we had a really strong competition, but I reckon this year will be even better with increased prize money and a five man podium.”
After winning the Elite Women’s 100km category last year, twice National XCM Champion Jenni King is feeling confident in coming back to Bendigo to defend her crown.
“My form is certainly great for this time of year, so if I can keep it building I will be confident of putting together a solid race,” says King, who will be competing for the Marathon National Championship title in Derby, TAS, the week before the Golden Triangle Epic.
Although she’s expecting many more elite riders to be on the start line at the Golden Triangle Epic, King is looking forward to battling it out on the renowned singletrack around Bendigo.
“I do love the tracks at Bendigo, especially those tight twisty sections. It is the type of terrain I love to ride as I reckon it is a course for the true mountain bikers!”
World Solo 24-Hour champion Jess Douglas will also be returning to Bendigo for the Golden Triangle Epic. After winning the 100 Mile category last year, Douglas is determined to beat her time and set the pace for the Elite Women’s field.
“I have been doing bucket loads of road riding and racing this summer season, and I feel that this will give me better legs for smashing out a PB,” says Douglas. “I successfully completed my best ever 24-Hour last October at the Aussie Solo champs and know I have more to give.”
Another local rider who’s looking to defend Bendigo’s cycling reputation is young gun Chris Hamilton, who will be saddling up for his 4th Golden Triangle Epic in 2016. Last year, Hamilton finished in 3rd position behind Paul Van Der Ploge and Kyle Ward. Aside from achieving national-level success on the mountain bike, Chris “The Hurricane” Hamilton has recently been making waves on the road too, after winning the U23 National Road title earlier this year.
“From all of the places I have ridden in, I would say Bendigo is very unique,” says Hamilton. “The trails are fast, and it’s the quickest 100km I have ever done on a mountain bike. There are rocks though, probably a lot more than out of town riders are used to, but things have changed and a lot of work has been put into the trails to smoothen them out and improve the flow.”
For this year’s event, the race format retains the same successful recipe, with the popular 50km racecourse sending riders out along the sublime trails in the southern forests of Bendigo. Depending on their fitness, competitors can sign up to 50km, 100km or 150km race options.
Following on from competitor feedback, a new 30km Miner option has been added, which will be perfectly suited to beginner riders. For the kids and their parents, there will also be a shorter 15km Pioneer option.
To find out more about what’s on offer in this vibrant regional centre, head to the Bendigo Tourism website. And for more information on the Golden Triangle Epic, make sure you sign up to the Bendigo Mountain Bike Club Facebook page for regular news updates.
Event Details:
- Date: Saturday 16th of April 2015
- Location: Spring Gully, Bendigo, Victoria
- Distances: 15km Pioneer, 30km Miner *NEW*, 50km Shorty, 100km Epic, 150km Ultimate Enduro
- Entries: mtbbendigo.com
About Bendigo
Located just 1.5 hours drive North of Melbourne (and 1 hour drive from the airport), Bendigo is the regional centre of the Goldfields region. Bendigo is the 3rd largest town in Victoria, and it’s also synonymous with gold mining due to its historical significance from the Goldrush era in the 1800’s.
Theses days, the town hosts a thriving cycling community, a growing network of mountain bike trails, and a reputation for producing elite athletes. Although Bendigo is well known for its quality singletrack, the active MTB Bendigo Club has been hard at work establishing a new trailhead in Spring Gully as part of their Master Plan to build a world-class MTB park.
Bendigo is also the Northern hub of the Goldfields Track, which is a 190km trail that begins in Ballarat, and runs through Creswick, Daylesford, and Castlemaine, before finishing in Bendigo. The Goldfields Track is already recognised as one of the best multi-day mountain bike rides in Australia, though a series of proposed mountain bike parks along its length will only see it become an even bigger asset to the region.
