On your bikes, get set, go

The Thailand Enduro Series 2014 is back next weekend and more than 200 Thai and foreign cyclists have already registered to ride through the shady eucalyptus forests of Khao Ito Forestry Park in Prachin Buri province.

  “The Enduro World Series has been gaining in popularity among cyclists all over the world and our Thailan Series is no exception,” says HSH Nawaphansa Yugala, special adviser to 299 Company, which holds the Enduro Series licence.

“Last year more than 100 mountain bikers took part in the event, which was held at Chet-Khot Pong Kon Sao Nature and Ecotourism Study Centre in Saraburi,” he adds.

 The Series is also getting a larger response from mountain bike enthusiasts in Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, New Zealand, France and England, not least because it has adopted the SPORTident system solution for timekeeping and identification of participants.

“The most interesting thing for this mountain biking racing is the beautiful and challenging trails,” says Nawaphansa.

The Khao Ito trails are mostly single track, with some technical challenges, some great climbs and of course the accompanying descents, testing mountain bikers' technical bike handling skills as well as providing endurance and climbing. Under Enduro World Series 2014 rules, the challenge must consist of four special stages, in which all riders have to make a startup on the uphill in each of stages and also to manage their time limit.

“Enduro isn’t just a race but also a community of riders,” Nawaphansa says.

Thailand Enduro Series consists of six classes: Class 1 Elite Men (age: open), Class 2 Elite Women (age: open), Class 3 Master A (age: 30-39), Class 4 Master B (age: 40-49), Class 5 Master C (age: 50 up) and Class 6 Junior (age: under 18).

 

 

Two-wheel challenge

_ To take part in the Thailand Enduro Series 2014, go to www.ThailandEnduroSeries.com.

_ Find out more at Facebook.com/ThailandEnduroSeries