WATCH the AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships LIVE and FREE via SBS On Demand on February 12 and 18.
The five-kilometre cross-country course has approximately 220 metres of high-altitude climbing per lap. It includes a mix of trails used at Thredbo in the 1990s and 2000s, more recent ‘bike park’ style trails, a decisive opening climb that will see riders more than earn each fun descent, and one-of-a-kind views and terrain that make Thredbo an increasingly popular cycling holiday destination as well.
Beyond the racing, the event also offers riders a chance to experience the tight-knit community atmosphere that has course setter and internationally-accomplished cross-country racer Andrew Blair falling in love with mountain biking all over again while riding at places like Thredbo with his kids.
Course map for the 2023 AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships cross-country events.
“This is real old school walking track that we’ve used in previous years but haven’t been able to – because it’s a walking track – more recently. You can see that’s pretty raw and rocky. A little bit technical, nothing super crazy, nothing to be scared of.”
WATCH the full interview on SBS On Demand
National Champs Course Designer Andy Blair talks through Thredbo route
From there the course heads into Lower Funnelweb, over the Flow track to the big, smooth berms of Home Run, down into Valley Terminal, and through a few more twists, turns, jumps and berms before climbing again up Woodridge.
Riders then turn into another historical favourite singletrack which crosses Merritts Creek. Here, Blair is quick to point out a “bridge that’s been part of many championships races at Thredbo over the years. We used to race on the older bridge that's now the walking track actually, just next to that newer bridge!”
Riders then descend back to the Start/Finish area at Friday Flat before heading back up a lung-busting fire road climb as they repeat the loop again.
“This course is really defined by the climb,” Blair said, estimating that it will take the Elite Men about six minutes. “That’s where the race will be won and lost I think in most categories - on that climb.”
Blair raced as a junior at Thredbo in 1994, 1995 and 1996, raced the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup circuit and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games among other peak achievements as an elite racer in the 2000s and 2010s, collected two Australian marathon cross-country titles along the way, and will be back racing in the Elite category at Thredbo this Sunday. His enthusiasm for the sport comes through in his excitement about the trails, their history, and as he chats about riding at the venue with his family this summer.
“As soon as I heard the announcement (about the national championships returning to Thredbo) I just put my hand up straight away and talked to the guys at Thredbo and said, ‘Look do you need any help putting an XC track together?’ And they were super keen to get me involved,” Blair said.
“(We) went through a big process, really, to work out the track. We looked at really no stone unturned in terms of what we could do, just had to work with the logistical limitations I s’pose that are the reality of holding such a big event.”
This included considering four different areas for their potential as Start/Finish locations, scaffolding to avoid crossing trails used by other riders, whether some of the older trails on the hillside could be used for the event, and whether additional trackwork was required.
Ultimately though, setting the course was about deciding what provided the right blend of fun and challenge, and refining it from there.
“You’ve gotta have a cool track and a tough track for a championships,” said Blair. “But then also, you want something that’s also pretty fun. You want something that showcases Thredbo as a venue and the snowy mountains generally, so you want to have as many nice little trees and creeks and views and stuff like that as you can.
“I also wanted that kind of homage to that original, technical, more walking-track-based course from back in the nineties before there was a bike park really developed properly. That’s where Meadows walking track just had to be in it!”
The village atmosphere at Thredbo is another drawcard of the event as riders stay in a centralised area, rather than being dispersed throughout a bigger town or city. Everyone sees everyone a little more often over the weekend, which has been as key to Blair’s memories as a junior looking up to his heroes-come-friends in the sport as the racing itself.
As one of the older riders in the Elite category this weekend, Blair’s enthusiasm for the younger generation of mountain bikers coming through is as contagious as when he talks about his own enjoyment on the bike, whether that’s back in the 90s or riding Thredbo today.
“I’m sure I’m going to be watching the juniors racing and just going like, this is the start for you guys!” Blair said. “Hopefully, they get some good memories out of this weekend.”
WATCH the AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships LIVE and FREE via SBS On Demand on February 12 and 18.
