THE Evocities Mountain Bike Series saw five current Australian champions roll into Tamworth to take on the Forest Road trail on Sunday, although it was Australia’s second ranked rider that finished on top.
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After just missing out on Olympic selection, Cameron Ivory headed to Tamworth instead of Rio for the second ever running of the series which highlights seven Evocities in New South Wales.
The five-hour race saw a record 142 riders hitting the loop, the winner completing the most laps after five hours of continuous racing.
For Ivory that was a step up from what he has been training for, the Olympic event only taking an hour and a half. Although for female winner Liz Smith, the five-hour race was a step back from her pet event, the 24-hour race.
It was back-to-back titles for the Oceanic Champion, and once again the Wollongong based rider had nothing but praise for the Tamworth track and event.
“I love this track – it is fantastic,” Smith said.
“There is something in it for everyone and it is just great fun.”
Race commissaire David Harris backed those sentiments.
“The quality of this field was amazing but we also had lots of riders doing their first ever race,” Harris said. “It was as good as it gets, and hopefully, it will be back next year.”
Armidale will also hold a series of the Evocities next year in a boom for the region.