Anaconda MTB Enduro

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Stage 3 – Bloody Stage 3

Naantali Marshall - Rapid Ascent / 23.05.2008

All but two riders made it to the start line to tackle Stage 3 of the Anaconda MTB Enduro through the McDonnell Ranges around Alice Springs.

The Stage was riddled with stories of crashes and bike malfunctions but still camaraderie and enjoyment of tough mountain biking prevailed. The story of the race was from Matthew Fleming, NSW, coming into Stage 3 in second place who flew over his handlebars and face planted into some rocks on a descent 32km into the race. In the lead group at the time and racing well, his was a prime example of how brutal mountain biking can be. You can’t stop concentrating for a second, and sometimes it doesn’t matter if you’re on the ball, you just won’t have fast enough reflexes to avoid disaster. Lucky for Fleming, mountain biking is also a relaxed sport where the competitors are concerned about the safety of others and camaraderie prevails. As it did in this instance where Nick Both, Adrian Jackson, Perren Delacour and Tim Bennett, all with the potential to win this event, stopped to help out Fleming. Using their bandages from their compulsory first aid kits they must carry they quickly dusted him off, stopped the bleeding and wrapped him up before continuing the race.

Tim Bennett won a sprint to the finish to take line honours from Adrian Jackson and Perren Delacour in 2 hours 4 minutes and 11 seconds with second and third just a second behind. Matthew Fleming managed to re-mount his bike and complete the Stage in a commendable 2 hours 8 minutes and 28 seconds, only 4 minutes behind the men that assisted him.

Overall , Adrian Jackson now leads from Perren Delacour with race favourite Tim Bennett in 3rd.
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