Video: Course Previews for the 2021 Australian DH & XC National Championships

Mar 7, 2021 at 5:26
by maydenabikepark  
photo

Words: Maydena Bike Park


Maydena Bike Park is primed to host the 2021 AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships from March 9-14. As the first time the National Downhill and Cross Country Championships have been hosted in the state of Tasmania, there is significant interest in what will be a brand new venue for these disciplines. Trail builders, Dirt Art have recently developed brand new race courses for the event, which are set to challenge Australia’s fastest racers. The courses capitalise on the phenomenal rainforest terrain of the park, which is set on the edge of Tasmania’s World Heritage Wilderness in the Derwent Valley.

A full event schedule and course information can be found here.

Check out what is in store for the riders with the 2 brand new course previews below.


DH Course Preview

photo


XCO Course Preview

photo
photo



Author Info:
maydenabikepark avatar

Member since Feb 2, 2017
7 articles
Must Read This Week
Kona Bicycles' Parent Company Appoints New CFO, Intends to Sell Brand
64938 views
Downhill Bikes of Sea Otter - Part 1
47653 views
Brian's Randoms from Sea Otter 2024
45516 views
Randoms Round 3: Dario's Treasures
44929 views
Pinkbike's DH Fantasy League: Get Your Team On The Line - Fort William is in 10 DAYS!
40173 views
Randoms Round 1 - Sea Otter 2024
38477 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Araxá XC World Cup 2024
38249 views
Spotted: Frameworks Racing DH Bike with Electronic Fox Shock & Unreleased Enve Rims
37514 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

71 Comments
  • 60 7
 X-country looks more technical than the downhill.
  • 4 3
 Twice the travel and half the head angle does amazing things for GoPro footage.
  • 4 0
 The downhill section they are running is called Tinder. One of the funniest trails on the hill. Which is pretty much all flow except for the two rutted brake sections into right handers.
  • 2 0
 *downhill section of the xc
  • 5 0
 I'll take technical trails over flow trails any day of the week.
  • 2 0
 Believe us, it’s not...
  • 1 0
 @maydenabikepark: definitely not now the best section ( tech DH) of the XC course was removed....
  • 32 2
 So many armchair critics that are falling victim to the GoPro effect. I don't even need to see the DH track in person to know how fucking wild it'll be full speed and how much of the technicality you're unable to see from a wide angle lens at full pelt.
  • 9 1
 And look how much the wheels are cutting in to the soil. That track is brand new and will get cut up and get rough AF then get hit by an Antarctic storm front what south west Tassy get a lot. Wait and see it on race day it will be mental.
  • 8 1
 Exactly right mate. Living in Hobart i get to ride Maydena a lot and its bloody steep. Too many people being fooled by the go-pro effect and the ability of elite riders to make a gnarly track look like a flow trail. As a brand new track its going to change considerably over the next few weeks. It looks like what people have been asking for for ages - wide open, multiple lines with that non bike park natural trail feel.
  • 8 0
 mate i rode this last week with Rhys. Its steep, off-camber and a great course. everyone speculating who haven't ridden it have no idea what they are talking about.
  • 4 0
 Shit is steep! Not a single proper pedal and these doogs were flat out. Looks like a hoot of a track
  • 4 0
 Everything looks sketchily off camber to
  • 2 0
 @tgiblin50: it really is steep. Can't wait to see the racers tackle this in person
  • 4 0
 I could totally sweep both fields on a full rigid bike from the 90s with a Hite Rite. I just don't feel like it right now. But it would be easy.
  • 24 0
 I vote more riders on course previews going forward to actually see the different line choices and how much time they can make up or lose. This video was good, you could see all the different line choices.
  • 1 0
 i rode the dh track last week. this is spot on.
  • 1 0
 Track looks hella fun!
  • 18 1
 If I was the Aussie XC elites, I'd be watching my back for Jared Graves - track looks made for him, and he's been killing it on the road and XC comps in Queensland
  • 8 0
 Agreed, Jared has been super strong this year. He’s my pick as well!
  • 2 0
 He smashed the field in XC eliminator a few years back, would be great to see him race XC!
  • 3 0
 I've had the pleasure of lining up beside Jared for the QLD Elite State Series last year and the dude is a beast. He's always been my favourite mountain biker, but to see it with my own eyes, Jared is definitely the pick for XCO National Champ. His physical tenacity and technical skill will be something to behold this weekend
  • 11 0
 Keep in Mind both riders in front finished 5th (Baxter Maiwald) and 6th (Darcy Coutts) at last years National Champs.
Dan Booker with the Go Pro footage just singed with Nukeproof after recommendations from Sam Hill. These 3 guys are no slouch on a DH Bike. These guys make the track look alot easier than it acutally is. Plus the GoPro hype smooth. Do not be fooled this track middle section is steep, overcamber and the rocks will become exposed once ridden in...

Dan Booker also just won the National Enduro Champs on the weekend.
  • 1 0
 What this guy said!
  • 13 0
 That XC course looks super rowdy - I bet it's a blast to race! More XC race courses should be like this.
  • 13 0
 Anyone know the training required to become a professional armchair racer? Asking for a friend.
  • 5 0
 Almost none, you get to decide your own qualifications for the position. Its a sweet gig if you can get it.
  • 2 0
 Always be the first one to comment it looks like a session, tell everyone how you’ve ridden steeper tracks in Nelson and you have to tell everyone how carbon is crap and you only ride alloy because you’ve snapped so many carbon frames
  • 11 0
 Yeah, that XC course looked way more fun (apart from the steep climbs)
  • 9 1
 The overbuilt bits of DH tracks are the worst bits, and the underbuilt bits the best. This track looked like a nice mix and length
  • 10 0
 the XCO course would be my DH course....
  • 2 4
 If they swapped bikes you would be saying the opposite. 100mm travel and steep head angles hanging off the back wheel on the XCO. DH is super steep, plus the soil is soft and freshly cut as so come race day it will be full of roots and blown to bits
  • 8 0
 That is a damn quiet bike...
  • 16 9
 so the DH course is basically a flowtrail, into off camber hell into big hits. interesting...
  • 8 1
 That DH course looks so sick! So many options
  • 3 1
 That DH track is ripping FAST!!! Thinking finding time gaps on that course is going to be tough. Looks super smooth and wide open, but maybe that will get a bit more technical as it gets ridden in? Looks like it's new or a ton of maintenance got done ahead of the event? Good luck everyone who's racing!!!!
  • 2 0
 watching the maydena insta it looks as if the track has only just been completed. It also won't be open to public as a run. It does use a couple bits of existing tracks
  • 5 0
 We need a live stream for this!!!
  • 7 2
 I expected more koala bears trackside????‍♂️
  • 2 0
 None in Tassie, unfortunately! Frown
  • 2 0
 @Feideaux: but the Devils will get you when you stack Razz
  • 3 0
 Zoe Cuthbert features in the XC video. Extremely well rounded rider. Between her and Bec McConnell, humble Canberra is producing some top tier XCO talent.
  • 4 0
 Maydena for the win again! Sick Track!!!!!
  • 4 0
 Graves going for a Olympic XC spot?
  • 4 0
 Where is the coverage from the enduro in maydena last weekend?
  • 3 0
 XC Track is gnarly. Must be absolute mayhem in the wet.
  • 1 0
 Shame to see all the really big tree stumps around 1:40 and onwards, Mountain Ash or Subtemporate rail forest gone for trail.
  • 1 0
 Logged by Forestry for the timber, the trees were not cut down to put in the trails. Most riders would prefer the trees remain standing.
  • 1 0
 Incorrect. Our trail crews only felled larger trees in native plantation (which we own privately- it just looks like native old growth in areas). Otherwise we have only felled dangerous/dead trees and non-canopy flora in the rainforest.
  • 2 0
 that DH track looks like my dream trail
  • 2 0
 1:30 you seeing this huck? god damn dude XC looks sick here ha
  • 1 0
 That DH track looks like major fun, even the fire road bombing at the end looks killer.
  • 1 0
 If XC races would look like that in my area I would have an excuse to get another bike, looks so sick
  • 2 1
 Nice Flow Line to ride with your friend!
  • 1 1
 Will a trail bike be the choice for the DH? Doesn't seem like you need that much travel. The XC looks more gnarly.
  • 6 0
 Did you actually watch the whole video? It's warp speed at the bottom and a trail bike is going to explode.
  • 2 0
 @JamesR2026: I hope Sam Hill rides this and shows you. I don't think a trail bike will explode. They're rock solid.

Reading further that once it ruts up is is a different animal. Would be great if somebody would broadcast this for the rest of the world to watch.
  • 5 0
 @MMOF: If you are referring to Sam Hill riding his Mega at Cairns world champs, I need to point a few things out. That was an Enduro bike with a 180mm fork and DH tyres, wheels and drivetrain. Not a trailbike. Cairns had a lot of tight berms and a big pedal out at the end. Sam Hill is incredible but the enduro bike was still the wrong choice for that one.
Gopro hypersmooth has you totally fooled. Maydena is a big steep hill and the bottom half of that track will be brutal by race day.
No one will choose to ride a trail bike over a DH on that track!
  • 1 0
 @JamesR2026: Fair enough. I guess I am old school as to me a trail bike is AM/Enduro and only the travel would be long travel or shorter travel, so my bad.

I only mentioned trail bike as there seems to be a ton of flat sections at the beginning with plenty of pedaling and therefore the gain in the pedal sections may be enough to offset the actual gnarlier stuff at the bottom. I cannot speak for the terrain as I only see what the flattened GoPro presents so I'll leave that up to the locals who know the terrain and know best. I'd still like to see a back-to-back on an Enduro (I'm learning) bike vs a downhill bike to see which weapon of choice is the best option for this track.
  • 1 0
 This is an incredibly fast track that is going to get very rough. There is no big springs like cairns. If anyone wins this on a trail bike we’d be very, very surprised.
  • 1 0
 Trails look awesome! On my list to visit for sure soon.
  • 1 1
 The DH looks fast and flowy and not too technical, probably would be faster to do it on an all mountain rig.
  • 1 0
 Righto turbo
  • 1 0
 What a joyride!
  • 4 5
 The DH course - smooth as a babys bum as we say here in Deutschland.
  • 4 0
 Sounds remarkably English to my untrained ear.
  • 4 0
 By the time practice is finished and its race runs, that thing is going to be shredded. Maydena is properly steep and loamy.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.030536
Mobile Version of Website