What started in chilly conditions from 7am at the Walcha Showground last Sunday turned into a massive day for the 2012 Walcha Mountain Bike Teams Challenge.

Maitland trio Scott Steward, Pat Lane and Stuart Lord left Walcha thinking they had won the 100km Extreme Challenge.

When talking to The Leader Sunday evening upon arriving home, Steward, a local cycling coach, said he thought there was a little controversy surrounding their win but was confident his team were the rightful winners.

“There was some controversy. They thought we missed a checkpoint but our numbers had all been stamped.

“We should be right.”

It would have been a second successive victory for Steward and  Lane, who had won the Extreme Challenge with Tony Wilson last year.

 Wilson is in England so that allowed  Lord to join as the third rider.

The trio all ride together three or four times a week in Maitland and completed the 100km in around five hours.

Steward was a late “ring-in” last year when a late pull-out gave him a berth.

He enjoyed it so much he returned to win what he thought was a second successive Extreme Challenge.

However Walcha Mountain Bikes Team Challenge organiser Barry Walton had bad news for the Maitland trio, declaring The Free Wheeling Oldies, Tim Costell, Barry Rix and Glenn O’Grady the winners.

Second was the Rafters of Guyra team containing Dave Mills, Billy Perrottet and the one and only Fat Cat, Peter Malcolm, with Steward, Lane and Lord (Secret Men’s Business) third.

Walton said the Maitland team had failed to present its registration cards at the presentation after a number of calls over the PA system to do so.

“I phoned them today,”  Walton said on Tuesday.

“I told them what happened, I apologised for any mix-ups and will send them something in the mail. 

“But unfortunately those final placings stand.”

Apart from that, it was a big day of fun and mountain biking.

“We had 216 riders all up,” Walton said.

“160 pre-registered and then we were inundated on Sunday morning with a heap more. 

“And it was cold Sunday morning. Wow. It was minus one or two with the wind chill factor.”

“A big thank you goes to our sponsors Joblinkplus, Walcha Council, Brian Smith Timber Transport, Neverfail Spring Water and IGA. 

“We also would like to thank the volunteers and property owners for the valuable assistance they gave the riders. Feedback from the riders was very favourable.”

WALCHA MOUNTAIN BIKE TEAMS CHALLENGE

70km GENERAL MALE: Team 29 the Mountain Men, combined time 11hours 12 minutes - Phillip Bloomfield, George Garner, Mathew Moon. 2nd Team 31 $1 Plus GST, combined times 11hours 42minutes - John Hiscox, Michael Sou, Greg Steir

EXTREME CHALLENGE 100km: First Team 79 Free Wheeling Oldies, combined times 16hours 6 minutes - Tim Costell, Barry Rix, Glenn O’Grady. 2nd Team 78 Rafters of Guyra, combined times 16 hours 53 minutes - Dave Mills, Billy Perrottet, Peter Malcolm. 3rd Team 75 Secret Men’s Business - Scott Steward, Patrick Lane, Stuart Lord

70km GENERAL MIXED: First Team 46 combined time, 12 hours 18 minutes - Matt Szwec, Daniel Humphrey, Jill Auld. 2nd Team 45 Magin, combined times 14hours 13 minutes - Janelle Conomos, Michael Conomos, John Rootes. 3rd Team 44 Team Green Edge, combined times 14hours 15minutes - Paul Frazier, Mark Vile, Emma 

Garroway

COMMUNITY CHALLENGE 30km: First Team 116 Fully Loaded Men, combined time 5hrs 34 minutes - Bill Wake, David Ledingham, Graeme Wall. 2nd Team 110 Still Coogeless, combined time 6hrs 18 minutes - Scott Kermode, Wayne Brennan, Gerry Moran. 3rd Team 108 combined time, 7hours 31 minutes - Joanne Relf, Jane Marr, Michael Patterson

JUNIOR CHALLENGE 30km: First team 153 combined time, 6hours 13 minutes - James Conomos, Jake Conomos, Chloe Rootes. 2nd Team 158, combined time 6 hours 45 minutes - Lachlan Kemp, Nick Hayden, Andrew Barr. 3rd Team 157 Manilla Awesome, combined time 6 hours 49 minutes - Tim Sykes, Mitch Hannerman, Nard 

Hayden.