The Crocodile Trophy
Who’s Racing?
John-Michael Flynn. Photos; Mark Watson / 14.10.2005
Traditionally the competitors of the Crocodile Trophy are an eclectic mix of professionals and amateurs, former champions, up and coming talents, roadies crossing over, die hard endurance mountain bikers, adventure racers and those on a bizarre mission of personal accomplishment.Among the sixty riders who will start in 2005 are individuals and teams from Italy, The Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia.
For the internationals in the field, it is as much about the experience as it is the race. Beyond the proverbial ‘black stump’ there are no five star hotels, no room service, just endless miles of corrugated road and bulldust.
When the day of racing is done, it’s time to set up camp, pitch your tent and bunk down for the night. The only luxury racers are afforded is the camp kitchen, without which the Crocodile Trophy could simply not survive.
On the longer stages, it’s not unusual for the latecomers to arrive in total darkness and those without support crews are on their own.
Returning to defend his title, Adam Hansen and his Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort team will be up against one of the biggest names in the sport in UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series leader Mauro Bettin of Italy.
A former star of road cycling who has found a new life in endurance mountain biking, Bettin will spearhead the Felt-Shimano Dream Team, which also features a one-time road warrior in former Team Telekom cyclist, now Ironman triathlete, Kai Hundertmark.
Dream Team Director Sportif and one of the ‘eclectic’ characters of the Crocodile Trophy, Christi Valentine-Anderson, has already been quoted as saying she, “will scream if the team doesn’t win this year.�
Her comments follow a disastrous 2004 campaign when the then Gatorade Dream Team’s stocks were decimated in the opening two days of the event due to fatigue, lack of acclimatization and ‘busted arse syndrome’, the legacy of traveling hundreds of kilometers over deeply rutted roads.See All Event Posts
