After a solid outing north west of Sydney at the Convict 100, we turned our focus more locally for the annual Jacks Ridge Triple X. As always we were keen to benchmark our current form against our previous campaigns on this layout and were please to hear the team had chosen the same route as last year.
The weather lead-up to this year’s event could not have been more favorable for maintaining high flow. With only scattered showers leading up to the weekend. The level of moisture, paired with a crisp overnight minimum on race morning, served to deliver near perfect conditions. We were pretty certain the singletrack was due to be running at peak rolling velocity. This pristine track condition would lay the groundwork for an incredibly high-paced day.
We opted for the Pivot 429 with a proven Conti Race King wrapping the rear wheel. Maintaining momentum through the course is critical to saving energy over a long duration, and the low-profile, fast-rolling rubber Race King was set to a pressure to balance traction and rolling efficiency.
The start was fast, utilising the wide firetrails to sort out some general positions before funneling us into the singletrack. We settled into a fast but controlled tempo early, letting the aggressive starters go while focusing on clean line selection. The Pivot 429 excels through the flow sections, holding its line beautifully and allowing us to stay off the brakes, maintaining momentum and conserving early energy.
The tactical shape of the race shifted significantly on Lap 3 with the wave start of the 50km field of riders joining the race loop. This injection of fresh riders into the system altered the track traffic and rhythm. Our main objective here was maintaining our established momentum while having the 50km riders attempt to navigate our 100km pace and race line, possibly sneak a drafty wheel. While the pace at the front of the 50km field was very fast; it took the first two fast bunches the entirety of the lap to progressively catch and pass us. By holding our lines predictably, we minimized energy loss and managed to hitch a ride on the back of most riders, getting a premium speed boost before settling back into our solo rhythm. Lap 3 was our fastest.
As the race stabilised post 50km rider merge, we focused entirely on smooth execution over the technical features. In past years, we have seen riders lose significant chunks of time by misjudging the narrow timber bridges or getting bogged down in the tight switchbacks. By maintaining a steady cadence and staying light on the bike, we kept both wheels firmly on the ground and avoided any mechanical complications.
Fatigue began to impact lap times across the field, but our consistency paid off. We managed to hold our target pacing block, utilising our familiarity with the trail's rhythm to claw back several positions in the final three-kilometer singletrack run back to the event village.
Looking at our racing history, Jacks Ridge has always provided a clear indicator of our mid-year performance step.
2019 - A highly efficient run where we secured 2nd place.
2022 - Climbed onto the podium with a hard-fought 3rd place.
2025 - Digging deep through a highly competitive field to secure 8th place overall
This year we felt we were tracking well, the last hour was the toughest. The 50km riders had already finished, the trail seemed to empty with just a few riders we'd catch or lap seemingly randomly. We could feel the pinches become harder, the climb a little longer. Finally on our second last lap (his final lap) Jason English caught us and we just one final lap to complete.
Crossing the line after that final lap we were spent, we had chased for as long as we could and kept all other riders at bay. We were happy to climb onto the podium, for a 3rd.
Our thanks go to the Jacks Ridge MTP Park crew and the event coordinators for presenting a perfect course. The timing infrastructure, course marking, and track preparation were flawless.
Results can be found here.
Thanks to our team sponsors;
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