After all the hype in the media and my 2nd placing last year on the identical track in Rotorua I was feeling particularly nervous for this one! Having said that I was also feeling confident as I knew I was in a good run of hot form. I really wanted to regain the national champions’ jersey so I could wear it on the world stage once again. The start of the race went to plan and I felt great on the first lap, keeping a fast pace as the field whittled down to just 3 riders at the head of the race, myself, Sam Gaze and Dirk Peters. On the 2nd lap Dirk couldn’t maintain the fast pace and dropped off to leave just Sam and I to duke it out for the remaining 4.5 laps. It was a very tactical cat and mouse game just as it was last year and I was unable to get away from Sam until halfway around the final lap when he made a small mistake which gave me a 10 metre lead which I was then able to capitalise on. I pushed hard to the finish and crossed the line with a solid gap to reclaim the Elite National Champion’s title! Stoked! I can’t wait to wear the jersey both locally and on the World stage.

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Cycling has always been a huge part of my life as I have been riding ever since I could walk. I see mountain biking as an adventure and a challenge.
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There are many things I love about mountain biking – the people you meet, the skills you need, the concentration it requires, race strategy, the opportunities to explore new places and countries.
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