Saturday 9 April 2011 saw 2800+ mountain bikers comprising 580 teams and their entourage set up a small town in a paddock off the Kings Highway in that little stretch of the ACT.
The planning and preparation has been ongoing for months with the 18.5km course consisting of about 60% newly built single track and existing fire trails in the East Kowen Forest. Enties were sold out in 4 days. Riders decended on the ACT from all over Australia as well as several international teams.
This years Mont 24 hour did not dissapoint with a Le Mans style 500m run start before getting on the bikes. The weather was perfect and the track hard. The hill climbs wrecking havoc on lungs and legs.
Several hours later saw dust off the tracks being kicked up after 1000’s of riders tearing up the singletrack. Night saw the field thin out a little as those who were not so brave caught up on some sleep instead.
Sunday changed the weather with rain bucketing down and turning the dusty dry track into sludge. This detered a few but the majority continued cutting laps of the grueling circuit coming into the transition area completely covered in mud with big smiles.
From where I was riding the event was a huge success. A big thanks from all us riders to the Mont organisers and volunteers.
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