A SUN-DRENCHED ODYSSEY

The Otway Odyssey rounded out its 11th year as one of Australia’s premier mountain bike marathon races this February. And the introduction of the Great Otway Gravel Grind (GOGG) turned the event into a weekend-long festival of cycling in the glorious Otway ranges. Near perfect conditions greeted those who took to the start line in Forrest, Victoria. With 100km, 50km and 30km mountain bike events on offer, cooler temperatures and blue skies provided a magnificent environment for those tackling their respective events. The 100km event has become something of a mecca for Australia’s top marathon riders, with significant prize money on offer and one of the best courses in the country. Victory is often as hard earned as the respect it garners. In 2017, the Otway added a new men’s winner to its list, with talented 21-year-old Tasman Nankervis claiming his maiden victory in the event. His fellow Bendigo-based rider, Peta Mullens, claimed her fourth title in the women’s race. Mullens, a perennial winner in the Australian cycling scene, crossed the line elated and with her hands aloft. She admitted afterwards she’d been unsure of how she’d measure up on the three-loop course after a month away from racing. “I made a promise that I would look after myself today, and just follow the girls early on,” Mullens told AMB after the race. “I hadn’t done any intensity leading up to the race and I was really intrigued to see how I was going. I’d done a lot of five-hour rides so I knew it wouldn’t be the distance that would get me, it would be the intensity. So I sort of shut down the intensity as I went into the last loop. Turns out I had a much bigger gap than I thought I had. But I was still looking back in the last couple of kilometres just in case.” Asked to compare her fourth victory to her previous wins, Mullens’ thoughts quickly turned to the state of marathon racing in Australia. “Every one is different. Last year was special because I set such a blistering time,” she said, in reference to her course record 5:06:18. “I feel like the marathon scene is kind of changing and we’re waiting for that next era of younger riders to come through. A couple of the younger girls haven’t quite stepped up to the longer distance.” In contrast, Nankervis’ win ahead of Adrian Jackson and elder brother Russell Nankervis, signalled perhaps a changing of the guard in the men’s endurance racing scene. “I’m stoked. The honour board here is impressive, some of the strongest riders in Australia have won it, so it’s awesome to join them,” Nankervis told AMB moments after crossing the finish line. After getting away on the first climb of the race and swapping off with brother Russell, the return of Jackson after the half-way point spurred the younger Nankervis into action. “It was kind of an odd race. We went pretty hard out on the road [at the start],” he said. “I was the first to attack, and then my brother came across to me. For the next two-thirds of the race I was with him. Then we saw AJ not too far behind. In

the last third I had to say, “I’ve got to go Russ”, and I launched from there.” It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Nankervis, with Jackson keeping the pressure on right to the finish. “I crashed at the bottom of the last major descent, The Red Carpet. I was actually pretty nervous at that point, I was looking behind a lot. I’d bent my front wheel. I had a pretty big taco in it so I was a bit worried about that but I just kept at it,” he added. Alongside Jackson, Nankervis was joined on the podium by his older brother Russell, who claimed third and then admitted that he’d previously identified his little sibling as the man to beat. “The race worked out well,” said Russell. “I knew Tas was going to be the strongest up the first climb. Being able to hold on to him was really motivational for me. As soon as you lose contact with someone in a marathon that’s usually it. Having someone to chase on the singletrack the whole way through is great. Tasman has great skills so we were able to work together and keep it pretty clean.” The hit out at the Otway was part of a lead up to a stint of European cross-country racing for the Nankervis duo. Asked if there was any rivalry between them, Russell was diplomatic. “It’s there, but it’s respectful. I know he can drop me if he wants to, so knowing that I don’t push him too much!” he joked. Grave(l) new world While the Otway Odyssey has earned its place as a focal point on the Australian endurance mountain bike racing calendar, the addition of the GOGG the day after the mountain bike event has converted the weekend into a festival of all-round cycling. Some 300 riders took part in the ride, which took in a range of double track and fire road trails. With the GOGG’s 49 and 97 kilometre courses crossing paths at an un-timed, coffee cart-equipped feed station, it provided a great opportunity for riders of all abilities to round out the weekend together. In spite of the caffeine available at the rest stop, there was plenty of racing at the pointy end of the event. Tasman Nankervis again claimed victory in the men’s 97km race, while Peta Mullens also added a bonus for her own double-up win. With gravel racing a relatively new concept, reactions to the innaugural running of the event were overwhelmingly positive. A good number of riders took part in both events, a statistic organiser Rapid Ascent expects will grow in coming years.