Graves to race at Rotorua Bike Festival
Jared Graves has confirmed he'll be racing the enduro race at the Rotorua Bike Festival - so along with Tracy Moseley that's both World Series champs from 2014!
2014 Enduro World Series champion, Jared Graves, from Australia will be riding at the 3rd Rotorua Bike Festival.
“The flights and accommodation are booked and paid for and I’m definitely coming over,” he confirmed in an email to Graeme Simpson, the Festival media coordinator on Monday morning.
“I invited Jared over late last year,” said Simpson. “But his entry into the Giant 2W Gravity Enduro seems to have got lost in the Christmas mail. I’m really glad I reminded him to enter.”
Graves is home in Australia for a summer break after a superb season in last year’s Enduro World Series. The Team Yeti rider will get his eye in next week before returning to Rotorua for the first round of the 2015 series late in March.
Jared Graves, 2014 Enduro World Series round 6, Whistler (Dave Trumpore)“He told me that he’s looking forward to starting the EWS in Rotorua, before having to pack up all his bikes and gear for the long haul back to Europe,” added Simpson.
Graves was injured in 2006 when Rotorua hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
“He still came over to support the big Aussie team and was probably holding one of those blow-up kangaroos,” Simpson continued. “He’s really looking forward to actually racing in Rotorua and also sampling the 150 kilometres of mountain bike trails we call home.”
Graves is enjoying his break.
“It’s been awesome, training hard and having fun,” he said.
2015 has started well for him. Last week he won the Rock Shox Enduro Challenge in Mount Buller, Victoria.
“It went better than expected and it’s always a good confidence booster to get a win against a very solid field when you haven’t raced in quite a few months,” he said.
His philosophy for success is simple.
“Just to keep doing what I have been doing,” he added. “Train hard, prepare well, have fun and win races.”
Enduro Women’s world champion, Tracey Moseley, will also be in Rotorua for the Festival. The locals are looking forward to having them here.
“It’s a matching set of champs,” said Simpson. “Jared and Tracey are great examples of how top mountain bikers operate: relaxed and casual off the bike, demons on it.”
The Festival starts on Friday February 13 and runs to Sunday February 22.
The 10-day Festival programme is at www.rotoruabikefestival.com
