SRAM ROCKSHOX ENDURO MT BULLER

Mt Buller Rockshox Enduro

 Also part of the Australian National Enduro series. 

  

Elite Men - 6th 

This was a huge event for Australian Enduro drawing 7 world champions!  

Jared Graves 

Jerome Clements 

Richie Rude 

Sam Hill 

Troy Brosnan 

Ben Cory 

Paul Van Der Ploeg 

From Tuesday to Friday Jared, Richie and I went for some great rides exploring the race course. 

The great thing about traveling for enduro racing is instead of spending heaps of time resting in the accommodation all week leading up to a XCO race doing 1.5h rides max you have to get out and do as much riding of the course as possible which is great when going to such great locations such as Mt Buller and Rotorua, New Zealand coming up.

It was great to see Brodie Chapman up on podium for 2nd in Elite Women considering she made everyone's coffee all week! She was the barrista at the Corner Store Cafe. 

Race Day: Bike and gear was prepared.  

Stage 1 - Gang Gangs
The first 3 corners I know from the National XC races are sketchy especially since they are the fiat corners. I literally didn't race them just rolled and survived (later found out a few people slid out) got into the red before the last decent which made it hard to focus but got it done getting 2nd behind Jared Graves.  

Stage 2 - Misty Twisty

This stage felt like 50 Switch backs over 2 minutes which equals 100 sprints in 2min and a spinning brain. 

Stage 3 - Stonefly 

 3 options to get to the top 

Stonefly climb, long n easy 

Fireroad the whole way, short n hard 

Stonefly climb then bush track 

I took the bush track option because everyone was doing it and I was a sheep. It was the worst option, pretty much walked the whole way. By the time I got to the top I felt like I had just walked the Kokoda Trail! My calfs didn't feel great. 

Did pre stage check..dropper down, dials flicked on suspension, knee pads not about to fall down to ankles, sunnies in helmet ;) garmin in pocket (because they interfere with the timing system apparently) hot dog socks nice and high, all set. 

Stage went great, just got in the zone and flowed my way down the mountain. i remember at one moment i went to dab a foot around a corner but all i had to put my foot on was a big rock at knee height, must have looked ridiculous.

3 stages to go I was climbing up a track and noticed that my chain ring was tarco'ed!! (about 7 teeth and the body they are joined to were bent in towards the frame) After talking with Tory, Jerome and Shaun, we decided standing on it was the better option than hitting with a rock, CRACK, I thought i had snapped it, but it was nearly straight again! I then Smashed out the next 3 stages without any issue.

Stage 4 - Clancy's Run

A fun stage, all went well apart from when I jumped down over some rocks onto road a camera man flashed his camera literally in front of my eyes blinding me just before the corner, was not expecting that!

Stage 5 - Outlaw DH track

The race within the race. Just kept it clean and fast.

Stage 6 - Village Run 

This stage was one of my favorite's. Down a loose fireroad with baby head sized rocks into a tight left hander into some tight corners through the trees, down a step down to a road, down a metal stair case, jump to flat grassy corners to the finish. Fun.

The Podium I was 4 seconds away from

Thank You Ian Harwood from EMS for putting on a great event.


SPONSORS Thank you to my New Recent Sponsor MAXXIS TIRES AUSTRALIA! Blake and Eamon from KWT are really going to help me out this year with the rubber I trust the most - Maxxis.



Maxxis Tires Australia
Alpine Stars
Trek Bikes
Kenmore Cycles
Cyclinic
Torq Australia