An adaptive mountain bike category has been included in Rounds 3 & 4 of the 2017 XCO National Series in Armidale this weekend for the very first time.

Hank Duchateau will compete in the category specifically for people with mobility issues, which restrict them from riding a standard mountain bike.

“To compete at a national event has been a long time goal for me. I will be competing at Woodford Island near Maclean, Northern NSW and any enduro event I can get my hand-cycle in,” he said.

Another rider who makes a return to the national series scene is current Enduro World Series racer and former 4X world champion, Toowoomba’s Jared Graves.

It’s been three years since the Queenslander competed in the national cross country series.

“It gets me motivated to train hard and get fully fit for the start of the EWS season,” he said.

“I had planned on doing more XC racing last off season also, but with the switch of teams I had to focus more on thoroughly testing and getting 100% in tune with a completely different bike.”

Graves will go up against the likes of current elite men’s series leader Daniel McConnell (ACT), as well as Cameron Ivory (NSW) and Brendan Johnston (ACT), who will compete for the first time this season after missing the opening rounds in Orange.

“Honestly at this point of the year I still am building fitness and it’s all just good fun and motivation to train well,” Graves said.

“That said I’m super competitive and wouldn’t enter if I didn’t think I could race well. Given my prep to this point, if I can be at the pointy end, it will give me a lot of confidence for March onwards.”

The round also offers UCI points for junior riders with more than a dozen mountain bikers from New Zealands High Performance Hub set to compete.

Online entries close 11:59pm Wednesday 25th.

Source
MTB Australia