New England Mountain Bikers are gearing up for the Armidale leg of the 2016 Evocities MTB series.
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The series travels across all seven of the Evocities with an esimated 4,200 people taking part.
This Sunday’s 100 kilometre High Hunnit will be the third last in the series with the final two races wrapping up in Dubbo and Orange.
The event in Armidale is set to attract 150 locals and travellers.
New England Mountain Bikers’ president Peter Hosking said with a 50 kilometre and 17 kilometre course available in addition to the tough 100 kilometre marathon, there is something for everyone.
"We hold the 12 hours in the Piney which is held at the beginning of the year, that has more technical features,” he said.
What we are trying to do with the Evocities is make it a little less technical and try to get people if they are a road rider and not used to technical, they can get involved in the race.
- Peter Hosking
"What we are trying to do with the Evocities is make it a little less technical and try to get people if they are a road rider and not used to technical, they can get involved in the race.”
The shorter loops provide the perfect platform for news riders looking to get into the sport.
"We have actually managed to work with everyone and open up the western side of the pine forest which we normally don't ride in, that is all the walking trails,” Hosking said.
"It is a 17 kilometre loop using some of our less technical trails and also that western side of the pine forest.
"We are trying to get people that are maybe new to the sport, haven't been riding as long including local riders so it differentiates it from the 12 hour as well.”
It is a busy time for the local club with work to create new tracks in the region just completed at the University of New England.
The new tracks will cater for all levels as well as provide the course for the national series round to be held in Armidale in January.
The highly anticipated new trails will be officially opened within the next month.
Entries are still open for this weekend’s Evocities mountain bike event via www.evocitiesmtb.com.