Behind the Scenes Action at the UCI MTB World Cup Cairns

Apr 27

It’s loud, busy, dusty and dirty and sometimes even muddy BUT aficionados wouldn’t want it any other way…

It’s the UCI MTB World Cup and in the lead up to the BIG event you can’t help but notice an increase in toned bods, flashy lycra outfits, jaw-dropping expensive bikes and foreign accents getting around Cairns. Battling it out on steep rainforest trails are the World’s best riders and if you’re keen for some hard core action then you can’t afford to miss this!

**It’s no easy ride in the rainforest!!**

Smithfield Mountain Bike Park has played host to a number of UCI Mountain Bike races thanks to its world class trails originally built by the master himself, Glen Jacobs. Jacobs now builds bike trails all over the world but Cairns is his home town and its here that he built his first trail with a rake, in his family’s backyard.

**The Smithfield Mountain Bike Park is a world class venue**

It was Jacob’s trails in the rainforest that inspired the first UCI MTB World Championships to be held here in 1996. Cairns now has a solid reputation for hosting epic mountain bike races and cyclists fly in from all over the world to battle it out in the tough humid conditions and unforgiving environment of the Tropical North Queensland.

(Check out our VLOG[video blog]below from the 2016 event)

In the case of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, it is the downhill race that appears to attract the biggest and nosiest of crowds. The course itself takes the cyclists straight down the mountain and over the toughest of terrains - across rock gardens, big gullies, boulders and tree roots - and all clock a time that defies reasoning.

The Rock Garden attracts the nosiest crowd and its standing room only BUT you'll see the BIGGEST [SPILLS] ACTION here!

**Going pretty damn fast during the downhill race at the 2014 UCI MTB World Cup**

At the most popular spots (ie the one’s that technically can cause a rider great harm) you’ll find supporters with all manner of noise making items: cow bells, horns, clackers and I’ve even heard a chainsaw (thankfully minus the actual chain). The noise that the supporter’s create follow the cyclists as they descend the mountain and it’s easy to know when to expect them on the trail near you.

**Getting air during the Downhill race in the 2014 UCI MTB World Cup**

In 2016 we caught the Elite Woman’s Cross Country (XCO) race and weren’t disappointed – the women battled it out over several laps on a course that had them pumping as hard downhill as in the uphill sections.

It was great to see Aussie girl Rebecca (Bec) Henderson take third place. From what I heard the race itself was seen as a bit of a precursor to the 2020 Olympics so I’ll be watching with more interest now.

Aussie Bec Henderson fights for a place on the podium

You can get pretty close to the cyclist’s during the race

It can be a busy day trackside and pretty overwhelming for younger kids but if you choose your spot well (plus take plenty of food and water) you should see plenty of action to keep them entertained. Just don’t forget to bring something 'loud' to help cheer the cyclists on……

**AND Don’t forget to SHARE the experience with others**

Good Things to Know:

You can download the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World-Championship Event Program >> HERE <<.
There's FREE entry for all students on Thursday 7th September to the 2017 UCI MTB World Championships Cairns - Click HERE for more Details.
Tickets for the World Championships are also available for the weekend via Ticketek, with the finals of the XCO and DHI taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
In 2017 prices for adult tickets start from $15 and $40 for families with children under 10 FREE to experience explosive action from the worlds best Mountain Bike athletes. For more info click HERE.
Tropical North hosts a variety of Mountain Bike events which include, RRR, Cairns to Kurumba, and the Crocodile Trophy. For more details Click Here to Ride Cairns.
Click HERE - For more info on Mountain Biking trails around Cairns.
Accommodation in Cairns Northern Beaches gets booked in advance during events like these. They are an easy cycle distance from the Smithfield Mountain Bike Park and often offer bike lock up and wash-down facilities.