Pro Roadie Takes to the Dirt at Motatapu Mountain Bike Race

1 March 2017

For immediate release from the Macpac Motatapu, for further information visit www.motatapu.com

PRO ROADIE TAKES TO THE DIRT AT ICONIC MOTATAPU MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE

Hayden McCormick is a surprise entry for this weekend’s SKODA Mountain Bike race at Macpac Motatapu, and the former National Time Trial Champion is serious about adding his name to an illustrious list of past winners.

23-year-old McCormick has multiple titles and podium finishes to his name at national road championship events, including the 2016 U23 Time Trial title, and that same year signed with British based team One Pro Cycling, a team he will again ride for in 2017.

Taking on New Zealand’s iconic one day mountain bike race was not on the radar though, that is until good friend and current National Mountain Bike champion Sam Gaze planted a thought in McCormick’s head about a temporary switch to the ‘other side’.

“I had just raced the Tour of Dubai in February and was busy building up towards heading over to join One Pro on March 7. I am good mates with Sam Gaze and in casual conversation he suggested I should look at riding the Marathon World Champs with him later in the year. It is a long shot but that got me thinking, so I thought I would do the Motatapu as something different to help me prepare for the season.”

McCormick won’t lack for road company on the start line, with former Tour de France rider Hayden Roulston, 2012 National Elite Road Champion James Williamson and former pro rider Tim Rush all contending for the title on Saturday.

The Cambridge based rider knows however that he is playing catch up as far as the technical side of the sport goes, with Williamson able to call on a mountain biking pedigree before he turned to the road, while Rush was runner up to Anton Cooper in the 2016 edition of the SKODA Mountain Bike Race at the Motatapu.

“James (Williamson) has done the Pioneer so he will be in good form I am sure. For me the race on Saturday and adapting to the mountain bike is not a physical thing, I have the fitness from the road but for me it is more technical. I have checked out the course profile and it looks okay, so I don’t think it will be too much of an issue, it should be a good race with a few guys to battle it out with.

“I went riding with Sam quite a bit over summer and I have improved a lot over that time, but he goes like a cut cat on the downhill and I can’t go with him at those speeds, he is mad. It is definitely a roadie thing trying to cope with those downhills, but you learn pretty quick I have to say! Sam has helped me a lot, he has taught me a few things on the downhill but until you learn to jump, there is only so much you can pick up, but riding with Sam has definitely been a big help.”

McCormick is not under any ‘instructions’ from One Pro as to how he should ride, indeed he argues that riding on the trails might present fewer challenges than riding on the road in the middle of a large peloton.

“In some ways it is more safe than road cycling, if you crash it is your own fault but on the road there are crashes that can be out of your control. It won’t be a drama I am sure, but by the same token I won’t be taking too many crazy risks.”

And just to confirm that this is not some sort of stunt or a ride just for the fun of it, McCormick says he would love to have his name on a trophy that features some of the best mountain bikers the country has produced.

“I want to win it, definitely. It would be nice to do so just before I leave for overseas and I haven’t been in the South Island for a couple of years since the road nationals were changed so it will be great to get down South and see some of the country down there before I leave.”

Macpac Motatapu
March 4, 2017
Wanaka to Queenstown
www.motatapu.com

Featuring:
• SKODA Mountain Bike – 47km – solo and teams
• Miners Trail – 15km
• Off Road Marathon – 42.2km
• UDC Finance XTERRA Triathlon – 2km swim, 47km mountain bike, 15km run
• Ultra-Run – 51km

As well as leading contenders in each of the events (profiled below), other entries of note include:
• Hamish Carter – Olympic Games gold medalist (triathlon), competing in the Ultra-Run in a team
• Mike McRoberts – TV3 News Anchor, taking part in the Off-Road Marathon
• Hayden Roulston – Olympic track cycling medalist, former pro road rider, competing in the Skoda Mountain Bike
• Mahe Drysdale and Nathan Cohen – multiple world and Olympic rowing medal winners, taking part as a team in the SKODA Mountain Bike race
• Ian Morgan – Christchurch runner who has become something of a social media star with his running account on Instagram. Collapsed during the Queenstown International Marathon in 2015 and following heart surgery now runs 80 to 140km a week, always with his phone and always posting pictures. Morgan has shoe sponsorship and is recognized all over the world for his running feats.

Leading Contenders
SKODA Mountain Bike
Men
• James Williamson, Alexandra. A member of the Watson & Son Manuka Honey team with Scott Lyttle that won the 2017 Pioneer, former elite national road champion and Motatapu runner up in 2015, Williamson will be one to watch on Saturday.
• Hayden McCormick, Te Awamutu. McCormick is road cycling star, a former National Time Trial and U23 Champion, McCormick rides for the British One Pro Cycling team.
• Tim Rush, Oamaru. Rush is a former runner up at Motatapu, finishing behind Anton Cooper last year in his first attempt at the race. Like Williamson he rode the Pioneer (with brother Kris) with mechanical issues derailing their team effort. Possible favourite given his experience on the course last year.
Women
• Kate Fluker, Queenstown. Fluker is gunning for an amazing six in a row at Motatapu. The only question mark might be any after effects from a fall during the Nationals at Cardrona this weekend gone where she finished second in the elite women’s race.
• Marissa Graham, Ranfurly. 25-year-old Graham has competed in various events from triathlon, off road tri and cycling – in particular on the mountain bike. Runner up in the XTERRA Triathlon at Motatapu in 2016.

UDC Finance XTERRA Triathlon
Men
• Dougal Allan, Oamaru. One of New Zealand’s premier long distance triathletes, Allan is competing off the back of his impressive win at Challenge Wanaka two weeks ago, but will have the endurance in the legs to be a serious contender here. The winner here in 2015.
• Olly Shaw, Rotorua. The defending champion and an off-road expert, having already represented New Zealand and finished top ten in the ITU World Cross Tri Champs in 2016, the one to beat here.
Women
• Julia Grant, Christchurch. A long-distance triathlete with a number of podiums throughout her career, Grant is a previous place getter here at Motatapu.
• Mary Gray, Dunedin. Gray is the defending champion, taking out the title last year in a time just under five hours, experience can be vital on such a course, expect Gray to contend again.
• Martina Fellmann, Timaru. Fellmann has raced for some years now on the New Zealand and Oceania triathlon circuit, representing New Zealand at the ITU World Age Group Championships and finishing on the podium in 2013 in the 20-24 age group.

Ultra-Run
Women
• Lucy Bartholomew, Australia. Lucy is the stand out in this field. The young Australian is forging an impressive career in ultra-running and will be tough to beat, the real class on the start line and testament to the reputation of the event.
Men
• A tough one to pick, in truth an open field with any number of athletes capable of putting together a good race and standing on the podium.

Macpac Motatapu by the Numbers

• SKODA Mountain Bike – 1,914
• Off Road Marathon – 437
• Miners Trail – 688
• XTERRA UDC Finance Triathlon
- Individual – 124
- Teams – 37 teams (101 competitors)
• Ultra-Run - 96
- Solo - 60
- Team - 18 teams (36 competitors)
TOTAL = 3,360

PARTICIPANT INFO
• Average age: 43
• Gender split: 65% Male 35% Female
• Oldest Competitor: Barry Gardiner, 79yrs old from Christchurch, Skoda MTB
• Youngest Competitor: Oscar Gallagher, 16yrs old from Brisbane, Miners trail

REGION STATS
Biggest representation from a region - Canterbury = 39% (1,338)
• Otago region 16% (577)
• Southland 5% (180)
• Auckland 5% (177)
Overseas representation = 11.5% (378) from 23 countries
• Aussie = 8% (270)

NEW THIS YEAR:
• Official Macpac Merchandise
• New MTB Rolling Start Process
• New MTB Teams Division
• Earlier Marathon Start Time
• Triathlon selected as the Cross-World Triathlon Champs NZ qualifier.

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