The PBM is a current staple on the endurance MTB calendar, yet it's one mid coast NSW event we'd not ever raced. Having heard plenty of stories about manicured trails and the great vibe created by the Tipriders, we've always been keen to check the event out.
When a Supavest team-mate reached out for like minded team-mates to attend the PBM for some fast, fun laps we jumped at the chance. Turns out the attendee numbers tripled in the last few days before the weekend, with over 130 riders keen for some mountain biking during their long weekend. It was great to see riders from as far as Sydney, Grafton and Tamworth pumped to get out on the PBM's Kiwarrak state forest trails.
Sunday morning, race start, with lots of teams present it was quick off the start line. Somehow we'd been voted to do the start lap, which was also our sighting lap. Our team-mates had arrived the day prior and already completed a sighting lap of the race loop. With lots of single track, a mix of riders on trail it wouldn't take long for the leading riders across all categories to make significant gaps to chasing riders.
With live timing, by the Tipriders, our team were keen to see how we went every lap. Turns out we were sitting in second after the first lap, three minutes down with 5.5hrs to go and we would have to get a full rotation of riders to really understand how strong the teams were.
Our team-mates for the PBM 6hr were Supavest riders Russell and Grant, both quality endurance riders in their own right. Most recently both attended the MVMTB 2/4hr Series, where we chased each other around the Kempsey loops.
Back at the PBM we'd now each completed a lap each and it was going to be close, there was less than a minute between the two teams. A rotation later and our team had remained consistent between our first and second laps, creating a two minute gap. But we were up against some PBM locals, with intimate knowledge of their trails.
Over the next couple of laps we switched leads, thirty seconds doesn't sound like a lot, but that's what we were playing with. Then in the back-end of the event, it shifted our way, the locals chasing to pin us back. A bit big well done to Russell and Grant whose lap times between fastest and slowest was never more than a minute, their consistency was really starting to show in the results.
We kept the pressure on, striving for consistency while others were starting to show signs of becoming tired. Then we crossed the line and sent Russell out with just 25 minutes and 30 seconds remaining of race time, could he do a sub 0:25:30?
We held our collective breath. Imagining the dusty first section of trail, the 'wall', the climbs, the green zone and then finally the tight dusty turns on the return...
It was so close, we don't remember a count-down but the race commensaire said he'd have to check the official time. Either way our MTB competitors for the day didn't go out and were clocked five minutes behind on their last lap, meaning we'd triumphed! Taking the top step!
It was great to catch-up with both our Supavest Team mates and Tamworth friends, who all rode really well.
Race results can be found via the PBM Hardrock website.
Thanks to our Supavest Racing Sponsors;
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