Threeday mountain bike race planned

ALEXANDRA

ALEXANDRA’S rugged terrain will play host to a new mountain bike event next year.

The inaugural Prospector mountain bike stage race has been confirmed for Alexandra in March and is set to become an annual fixture.

Mountain bikers will be put to the test from March 1214.

Alexandra has been confirmed as the base for the foreseeable future and variations will be made to the course in years to come.

Event cofounders James Williamson and Phil Oliver have combined 30plus years of experience to create what they believe will be one of the biggest events on the New Zealand mountain bike calendar.

Over three days, riders will tackle the rocky, single tracks for which Alexandra is renowned.

The race will challenge the riders’ skills, fitness, grit and determination.

The event will be designed to be challenging and achievable for a large range of rider abilities, including categories for juniors through to grand masters and an ebike category.

Williamson and Oliver also hope the event will attract New Zealand’s competitive riders and Olympic hopefuls as a buildup race for overseas campaigns.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED Testing the trails . . . Mitch Stringer (left) and James Williamson try out some of Alexandra’s many trails in preparation for a new mountain bike event planned for the town, called the Prospector.