The Cairns Post

Million-dollar bike race plan for Centre

Christopher O'Leary

05Oct07

CENTRE RIDER: Alice Springs Cycling Club's Nicole James

ALICE Springs Cycling Club is investigating whether an adventure event company could run a major mountain bike race in Central Australia next year.

John Jacoby and Sam Maffett from Melbourne adventure group Rapid Ascent will arrive in Alice Springs next week to assess interest and support for a five or seven-day mountain bike event.

The concept would replace the now-defunct Central Australian Bike Challenge as Alice Springs’ premier mountain bike competition.

Jacoby believes an event of this size could inject more than $1 million dollars into the Alice Springs economy.

Jacoby said: ‘‘We’d like to put on events in a dramatic and appealing environment and there has been such a growth spurt in mountain bike events over the years.’’

Jacoby and Maffett will meet with Alice Springs Town Council and Northern Territory Major Events to gauge their support.

They will also ride around some of the former CABC course to see whether the local landscape would attract interstate and international riders.

Jacoby said: ‘‘We’ve been told it is a fantastic place to ride, but we’re coming up to see it for ourselves.’’

Club committee member Nicole James said the event would likely be run next May and over tracks used for the CABC.

In August the club, with former organiser Jack Oldfield, decided to replace the challenge with a new event.

The CABC attracted 170 riders in March last year, but will not run again due to lack of government support and Oldfield’s desire not to race again.

James said: ‘‘On Jack’s go-ahead we’ve approached Rapid Ascent to see whether they can hold a five or seven-day event.

‘‘The club had a meeting two months ago and decided the challenge was too big to run unless one or two people put their hands up.

‘‘No one was able to take on the massive event.’’

James said the club would try to secure Rapid Ascent’s interest by recruiting volunteers to assist in holding the event.

The group runs events such as mountain biking and kayaking competitions across Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales.

The club will also meet with the Parks and Wildlife Service along with relevant landowners to gain permission to run the event.

If they sign on Jacoby would also look to develop a concept similar to the annual Wildside mountain bike event in Tasmania.