Cycling: Determined favourite puts aside setbacks

Defending champion Annika Smail's training has been interrupted by sickness and injury. Photo / APN

Local rider Annika Smail has had a nightmare buildup to today's Contact Huka XL MTB Race but she is not making excuses as she looks to defend her title.

Smail, who this year competed in the MTB Marathon World Champs in Switzerland, is regarded as the favourite but her preparation has had some setbacks.

She was sick and forced to take a break from training - she later flipped off her bike and escaped without any broken bones but lost some skin and suffered a minor injury to the AC joint in her shoulder.

"I have had a few setbacks in my lead-up to the race but I should be ready by the time the race day comes round," said Smail, 33.

"Challenges can make you even more determined to get to where you want to go, so I should be OK."

Smail, who successfully defended her title in the Mizuno Off Road Half Marathon in September, believes her greatest competition will come from familiar faces Nic Leary and Karen Hanlen: "Nic and I always seem to have a good battle and haven't raced each other since last summer.

"I have only raced Karen in running events so it will make it interesting. And you never know who else shows up, so it's best to be ready for anyone."

The men's defending champion, Stuart Houltham, also returns to defend his title.

His leading challengers for the men's crown are expected to be Mark Leishman and Richard Anderson.

Smail, a Swiss-born Kiwi, enjoys the atmosphere and views of the mountain-biking race and regards it as one of the most demanding she has competed on in New Zealand.

"It is mostly single trail and some of it being very windy with hardly any big long climbs, it means you have to work hard to keep a good speed and you have to attack the short sharp climbs.

"The last part of the course is really tough if you don't know what's coming up.

"You think you have now arrived in town and are therefore pretty much home but suddenly a new trail with short but steep up-hills appears out of the blue to make you dig a bit deeper before you get to ride to the finish."

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Local legend all set for extreme test of will

By the time you pick up the paper this morning, 19 determined athletes will have cycled more than 1000km in the Extreme Track Extreme Enduro.

The Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, which offers three endurance options, began at 2pm on Wednesday, November 24, as a quest to complete 1280km or eight laps of the lake.

Many are hoping to finish the event at the same time the cycle challenge athletes finish the 160km ride this afternoon.

One of them is Craig "Crunchie" Donaldson, a local legend who is making his debut in the Extreme Enduro.

It was his 58th birthday last Tuesday and the self-confessed "average athlete" was enjoying the calm before the storm of endless riding ahead.

"It is a good challenge and not the way many would celebrate their birthday," said Donaldson.

"It is hard to know whether I am undercooked or overcooked in terms of preparation - I guess we'll see but I'm hoping to get fitter as I go.

"I'll do it once and that will be it, I reckon, but it will be nice to prove to myself that I can push myself that far."

Donaldson's workmate's 14-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer recently; his effort will raise funds for the Child Cancer Foundation.

Peter Thornton