Epic ride to put Townsville cyclist to ultimate test
EIGHT days, 650km – Baily Devantier-thomas is in for the ride of his life.
The Townsville mountain cyclist is headed for South Africa in March to take on the Cape Epic, the longest mountain biking event in the world.
He will go into the marathon with a previous longest race of four days under his belt.
“I’m worried (in a way),” Devantier-thomas said, “it’s always an unknown, you never know how you’re going to go.
“I’ve said to a few people the hardest race in Australia is what you’ll do every single day over there.
“I’m going to be on the start line with a multiple time world champion and the best in the world. I think the experience in itself is enough.”
Training for the event is a simple principle for the cyclist – repetition. With such a high level of endurance required to succeed, he has gone to training camps where he has attempted to replicate the conditions he will face over an eight-day period.
Devantier-thomas had a fruitful 2019 on the bike, competing in nine races ranging from 70km to 110km.
His efforts included a podium finish at the national championships, placing third.
But his performances were not just about securing results. Where his passion lies is using his platform in the sport to raise awareness and funds for type one diabetes research.
A diabetic himself, Devantier-thomas raised “a few thousand dollars” last year doing a five-hour stationary ride, with all funds going to JDRF.
While he does not expect to be victorious, DevantierThomas said that the experience would be more about continuing to show young athletes the disease is no barrier to success.