Snowy Mountains to Host Australia’s Ultimate Mountain Bike Stage Race in 2016

On the back of the success of the inaugural event in 2015 the iconic NSW Snowy Mountains is again set to welcome riders to Australia’s ultimate stage race with some all new surprises and challenges in 2016 as riders tackle 5 stages across 3 days in the chase for a mammoth $10,000 prize purse.

12-14 February 2016

3 Days – 5 Stages – $10,000 Prize Purse

mtb_river_600x400Starting at an altitude of 1260m, riders will be tested with over 100k of rugged mountain terrain, technical single track, a mammoth ascent, and some awe inspiring downhills, making this one of Australia’s most iconic mountain bike stage races. And in 2016 riders can expect an even more diverse challenge as we add an all new stage with the ‘Thredbo All Mountain Descent’ including a chair ride to the top of Australia followed by 9ks of epic downhill on Thredbo’s new All Mountain Trails.

Stages include:
  • Stage 1: Happy Hour Time Trial – a 5.5km time trial at Lake Crackenback Resort.
  • Stage 2: Thredbo Summit Smash – a 21.5km ascent from Lake Crackenback to Thredbo
  • Stage 3: Thredbo All Mountain Descent – 9kms of flowing downhill racing including the chairlift to the top of Australia and finishing up with the Thredbo Peak Party!
  • Stage 4: Gravity Check – a 24km descent from Thredbo Resort to Lake Crackenback
  • Stage 5: Release the Cracken! – a 45k XC MTB Marathon hosted at Lake Crackenback Resort

Event Director Robyn Lazenby told us that “we are so excited to launch the 2016 festival on the back of the success of the inaugural event in 2015. This is an event that will continue to evolve along with the development of mountain biking within the Snowy Mountains, and this year it is so exciting to announce the addition of the all new Thredbo Mountain Descent adding a new dimension to this already diverse stage race.”

The Snowies Welcome Mountain Biking’s Elite

mtb_river_3_600x400The Snowies MTB Festival is already attracting the big names with champions Andy Blair and Jenny Fay joining the elite line up for 2016. And what is it about the Snowies MTB Festival that is enticing Australia’s elite?

According to Andy, “The inaugural Snowies MTB Festival in 2015 was so good it’s hard to believe that it was the first year the stage race had been run and it was one of my favourite races of the year. This is truly a mountain bike race that has everything; iconic location, epic trails, varied fun stages that are challenging yet achievable, friendly atmosphere, beautiful accommodation & no stressful transfers.

With a few tweaks to the stages and a Friday afternoon start, the 2016 Snowies MTB Festival is set to be even better. The new Thredbo all-mountain trail is set to join the Thredbo Valley Trail as the showcase of the event, with the three day program allowing the maximum down time between stages to enjoy the wonderful venues without making it a huge commitment away from home.

With plenty to do for non-cyclists it is also a good mountain escape to share with friends and family. I definitely recommend booking your trip to the Snowies MTB Festival for 2016, I for one will be there!”

The Snowy Mountains, Australia’s Adventure Playground

The Snowies Mountain Bike Festival is supported by two of the region’s major resorts with Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa and Thredbo Resort proving to be ideal venues for the hosting of the various stages.

mtb-mtns-river-600x400Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa General Manager Anthony Cleary told us that “Mountain Biking is becoming one of the fastest growing key summer activities here in the Snowy Mountains; development of new activities and events to support this developing market is essential.

Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa has purpose built trails providing a variety of difficulty and distance options depending on skill and fitness levels, making the resort an obvious choice for hosting the annual Snowies MTB Festival.

The Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa trails access the neighbouring Kosciuszko National Park, Thredbo Valley Trail and Muzzlewood Trail, which means riders can easily cycle from the resort to Thredbo’. Adding ‘The Snowies MTB Festival will make excellent use of these world class trails with stage four of the event featuring a 24km roller coaster ride from Thredbo to Lake Crackenback’.

Angus Thomson, Director of Brand Development at Thredbo, said “Thredbo is excited to see the Snowies MTB festival back in the region for the second year running and we look forward to witnessing some action packed racing across the 2 stages of the event that take place in and around Thredbo. The “Thredbo Summit Smash” with a gruelling 21.5km ascent from Lake Crackenback to Thredbo will only be surpassed by the all new “Thredbo All Mountain Descent” stage. Seeing riders head up the chair ride to the top of Australia followed by 9km’s of epic downhill on Thredbo’s new All Mountain Trail.

 $10,000 Prize Pool

mtb-horse-600x400Elite riders will compete for a share of the $10,000 prize pool on offer to the top five male and female finishers, making it one of the most lucrative stage races in Australia.

Something for All

But it’s not just for elite riders. The Snowies Mountain Bike Festival will be a testing event for solo riders, but those looking for a slightly less demanding challenge can take part in teams of two or three riders, with team members sharing the challenge of the various stages. Riders can also take part in either the 45km XC MTB Marathon or 30 or 15km XC MTB on Sunday, choosing the distance most suited to their ability.

As the event hubs, Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa will offer competitors and spectators use of the resort with properties from studios to three bedroom apartments covering all budgets and tastes. Thredbo Resort also has a wide range of accommodation and activities, giving visitors a perfect base to explore this spectacular part of NSW.

The Snowies Mountain Bike Festival is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

Entries & Information

mtb_mtns_600x400Event entries open at 9am on Thursday 20th August, 2015. Enter on Thursday to take advantage of the very special one day entry offers.

For full event information and to enter online, visit the website www.snowiesmtb.com.au

About In2Adventure:

In2Adventure are Asia-Pacific’s premier adventure event specialists. With a full calendar of national events scheduled throughout Australia, including adventure races, cross triathlon, XC Mountain Bike, trail runs and corporate events, In2Adventure fully embraces all things ‘off road’ and ‘off the beaten track’ and offers a unique, individual experience for all ages and skill levels. For more information visit In2Adventure here.

Upcoming Events (2015/16):

–       TreX Enduro – SE Qld, 19 September, 2015

–       TreX Victoria – Bendigo, VIC, 28-29 November 2015

–       Snowies MTB Festival – Snowy Mountains, NSW, 12-14 February, 2016

–       Australian X-Tri Championships – Snowy Mountains, NSW, 27-28 February, 2016

–       ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships – Lake Crackenback, NSW, 19-20 November 2016

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Photo Credit: In 2 Adventure

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Aaron S. Lee

Media Manager | Public Relations

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Media@in2adventure.com.au

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