Australia’s best mountain bikers will make their way to the trails at the University of New England this weekend for the sport’s pinnacle event.
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Mountain Bike Australia’s National Cross Country Championships commences on Friday with a unique and exciting race to start the three-day event.
A Cross Country Eliminator over a short 600 metre course through the centre of the university, aimed at enticing spectators, will get underway on Friday night.
Up and down stairs, through concrete areas, the Eliminator is a speedy and exciting race where only a handful of riders face off.
“Four riders go through an urban, up stairs and around campus for a sprint finish,” New England Mountain Bikers president Peter Hosking said.
“It's short and punchy - it is all over in a minute to a minute and a half each heat.
“It is a knockout heat where two riders advance and two go back.”
“Because it is such a fast format, a spectator will be able to watch a lot of the race because it just goes around them.”
The Eliminator races on Friday night are a perfect lead in to the National Championship races start which start on Saturday morning.
The junior races begin first before the under 23 and elite men’s and women’s divisions hit the trails at Sport UNE.
Local cyclists are tipped to be among the medal winners with siblings Holly and Michael Harris in top form heading in.
“Holly Harris was over at Oceania in New Zealand and she was the fastest Australian in the elite women so she is definitely on fire. It will be interesting to see if she can hold that form,” Hosking said.
“Mick Harris, during the season you have to race elite's even if you are an under 23, but at national champs you do an under 23 category.
“Mick Harris has been top six or seven in elite men's so when he drops to under 23s only he is definitely going to be in the mix.”
Holly concurred, tipping her younger brother to be among the favourites.
“He is racing really well at the moment,” she said.
“It will take a very good rider to beat him here so I am really excited to watch him race.”
Harris herself isn’t really sure about her form, and said she was feeling the pressure this week as she prepares to take on the biggest race on the calendar in her hometown.
“I guess like all big races you don't really know until the day,” she said.
“I am working really hard so I am happy with the work I have put in.”
She is ranked second in Australia behind Olympian Rebecca Henderson who beat her to the country’s only mountain bike place for the Commonwealth Games.
Although she bettered the reigning national champion the last time the two raced – at the Oceania Championships on February 10 – Harris believes Henderson is the one to beat this weekend.
“Bec has never lost a national title yet so I definitely think she will be the favourite,” she said.