24.11.07 - National XC Round 2: Illinbah, Qld

XC

Illinbah is a lush hilly area inland from the Queensland coast. You wouldn't just stumble upon it, but it has plenty to offer for MTBers. The XC circuit was more 'Euro', with steep inclines taking riders to the top in one go, then a long and fast downhill to get back down for more. The mud was another factor, making the track boggy and slow in places. And there was plenty of rain overnight.

With Jongewaard and Taberlay away, everyone was out for the win. Lewis, Lefmann, Cooper, and Jackson were the favourites. After a blistering start, the field strung out before the climb even began. Cooper led Lefmann, Jackson and Lewis, with a bit of a gap to fifth. They pushed the pace for a while, but Lefmann was the only one to maintain it. Lewis stayed strong, as did Jackson. But Cooper was having problems and could only cut his losses and make time on the downhill sections. Cal Britten, in the meantime, was moving up the field. In the end Lefmann held the chasers off and took the series lead. Britten moved into third, with Lewis, Jackson and Cooper in tow.

ST

Sunday's short track was held in fine weather on a flat and open course. It was a great spectacle, as riders pushed through dead legs from the day before and tried to take the win. Cooper was the most aggressive, attacking whenever it eased up. Mather made a bust for a while, but was reeled in by Cooper and Lewis. Jackson hung on the back before the pace picked up for the last time with a few laps remaining. Cooper hit hard with two to go and got to the line before Lewis and Mather could jump across.