Blake Nielsen is back on the gas after a long bout of injury, finding his speed and the podium, just a second behind the top time of 2:00:84 (Graeme Mudd).The Bilt Bikes team were looking fast all weekend. Brendan Moon claimed 4th in Elite Mens and Ryan O’linn (pictured) took 2nd in U19s.Danielle Beecroft was in form off the back of Val Di Sole; a couple of runs on Sunday morning prepared her for the win in Elite Women’s.Rain on race day left the tight, fast, off-camber bottom section slick. The creek was all too inviting and time consuming for some riders.Line choice was more important than ever come Sunday, slippery chutes saw riders taking corners early, to straight-line their descent.This was where the action was come Sunday. The transition from grippy, dry dirt to loamy, wet mud, spattered with rocks allowed riders to show off creative lines, and some brilliant saves.Rocky Trail Entertainment put on a brilliant weekend for everyone, riding or not. The atmosphere at Del Rio was great; no waiting for shuttles or unhappy riders. The amount of effort the Wisata couple puts in is heroic. Here, Martin finds his own rhythm on the track.With over 160 riders, it’s clear that the MTB industry is picking up in NSW. Maybe over the next few years we will start seeing comparable numbers to SA and VIC races? Only time will tell.
