Mountain Bike madness about to descend on Forrest, Vic

Rapid Asent - Media Release / 20.02.2008

Drive down the main street of Forrest any other day of the week and you’ll see a friendly mix of locals out tending to their gardens, kids mucking around on their BMX’s and the odd out-of towner’s Subaru driving past with a bike on the roof… but come and visit on February 23rd and you’ll not only hear the tunes of live music wafting over from the football ground but you’ll see the cavalcade of 1400 mountain bike riders shifting, breaking, cranking and racing into town. Bring it on.

In only its second year, the Lowan Otway Odyssey has quickly grown to be the new must do event on the Australian Mountain Bike Calendar after selling out with a massive 1400 riders in the 100km and 50km races plus an extra 150 riders in the junior 15km race more than 6 weeks before the event and now the township is getting ready for the action ahead.

The competitors’ list reads like a who’s who of mountain biking in the country with 7 of the top 10 finishers in the recent XC nationals all ready and rearing to go including the likes of Sid Taberlay, Chris Jongeward, Daniel McConnell, Shaun Lewis (x2), Dylan Cooper, Aidan Leffman and last year’s winner Murray Spink all bearing fangs and ready to charge. And charge they will have to if they’re going to break the tape at the finish line because they’re up against one of the best in the business, none other than the reigning 24hr Solo World MTB Champion, MTB Hall of Fame Member, 2 times USA Olympian - Cannondale’s Tinker Juarez. Bring it on indeed ‘cause this is going to be one hell of a race.