Jongewaard signals Olympic ambition with domineering win in wet and wild Otway Odyssey Mountain bike marathon

Media Release - Rapid Ascent / 20.02.2011

Jongewaard crossed the line six minutes ahead of Ben Mather, having fended off repeated attacks as the pair muscled through 100 kilometres of rain lashed wilderness. World 24 Hour Solo mountain biking champion, Jason English took a close run third, a mere half minute further afield of Mathers. Last year’s winner Adrian Jackson came home fifth behind Lachlan Norris, an early favourite who overcame mechanical problems to remain in the Top Five.<br /><br /><br /><br />
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Jongewaard’s win is all the more impressive given the revelation that he knocked himself out riding trails on a new dual suspension bike in his home state only last weekend.<br /><br /><br /><br />
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“I had concussion for three days,” said Jongewaard who admitted to still being a “little cloudy in the head” at the start line.<br /><br /><br /><br />
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“I wasn’t feeling great early on; I just didn’t have my usual confidence. (Fourth placegetter) Lachie Norris was going hard and broke away early. I just kept on his wheels and hung on. Once I got the lead back I just concentrated on blocking any attacks. Unfortunately for Lachie his chain broke. If that hadn’t have happened I think it would have been a much tighter battle all the way today.”<br /><br /><br /><br />
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While Jongewaard seemed to be in cruise mode having stretched his lead of Mathers in the latter stages, the National XC Series leader reckons he was hurting all the same. “I could feel the wall coming, so I just concentrated on staving it off. The [infamous final hill climb] Sledgehammer still got me, though. I tried to tell myself it would be rideable - I got 50 metres in before I was off the bike.”<br /><br /><br /><br />
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