Adrian Jackson from Victoria has taken the overall lead in the Pure Tasmania Wildside Mountain Bike stage race, after finishing in second place behind Olympian Sid Taberlay in the second of Sunday’s stages.
The afternoon leg took riders on wild tracks over some of the area’s notorious, steep, mountain country between Rosebery and Zeehan, in Tasmania’s remote west.
Not long after dismounting to cross the suspension bridge at the base of the 100 metre high Montezuma Falls, Taberlay broke away from the pack following the old tramway by himself to Confidence Saddle.
It was a confidence-boosting ride for the multiple after punctures tyres in the two previous legs, left him well behind the leaders overall and almost certainly out of contention to win a fifth Wildside title.
Overall, Jackson leads Launceston’s Ben Mather by a mere nine seconds, setting the stage for a tight, exciting finish, with both riders determined to take the Pure Tasmania Wildside Mountain Bike title.
Twenty-six-year-old Victorian Daniel McConnell is about three minutes behind, at third place overall. Launceston’s Rowena Fry still leads the women, well ahead of her competitors.
Earlier on Sunday Tasmanian Ben Mather took out the first stage from Tullah to Rosebery with Adrian Jackson just behind and Ben Grieve-Johnson from Hobart third.
More than 450 riders from as far afield as Switzerland, Germany and Canada, are taking part in the four day race covering 200 kilometres between Cradle Mountain and Strahan.
Results
Open (all categories)
Women Open (23-29)
Men Under 23 (18-22)
Men Open (23-29)
Men Veterans (30-39)
Men Masters (40-49)
Men Super Masters (50-59)
Men Grand Masters (60+)
Women Veterans (30-39)
Women Masters (40-49)
Singlespeed
Stage 4
Open (all categories)
Women Open (23-29)
Men Under 23 (18-22)
Men Open (23-29)
Men Veterans (30-39)
Men Masters (40-49)
Mens Super Masters (50-59)
Men Grand Masters (60+)
Women Veteran (30-39)
Women Masters (40-49)
Singlespeed
General classification after stage 4
Open (all categories combined)
Women Open (23-29)
Men Under 23 (18-22)
Men Open (23-29)
Mens Veteran (30-39)
Men Masters (40-49)
Men Super Masters (50-59)
Men Grand Masters (60+)
Women Veteran (30-39)
Women Masters (40-49)
Singlespeed
ArrayFor full results see Cyclingnews.com