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TRISTAN Ward, from Sydney’s south, has won the first stage of the 2016 Port to Port MTB.
Ward completed the 34.5 kilometre Port Stephens leg, the first in four days of racing in four different Hunter locations, on Thursday in one hour, 16 minutes and 42.9 seconds.
Shawn Lewis and Rohin Adams rode in behind Ward for a respective second and third place.
First woman over the finish line was Samara Sheppard.
Sheppard finished the Port course in a time of one hour, 24 minutes and 8.2 seconds.
Imogen Smith and Emily Parkes rode in second and third for the women.
Ward, riding with six others for Torq Merida, said he was “stoked” to have won the Port Stephens stage of the four-day race.
“It's awesome,” he said. “I'm enthused.
“It's nice to finish a race. It's a bonus to win it.
“It’s a great event, great atmosphere. Everyone was really happy, [there was] no negative racing.”
Ward goes in to the second stage, in the Hunter Valley, on Friday with a yellow jersey and a lead on the rest of the pack.
“I have maybe a five to 10 second lead, and I can sprint alright which is handy,” he said.
“So all I have to do is follow wheels. Whoever is leading, I just have to be on their wheel.”
Ward said the Thursday morning rain had made the sand “more grippy”, which was a good thing.
Unlike last year’s event there was not much mud.
This year however, a bike rider had to be airlifted to John Hunter Hospital after suffering serious injuries during the Port Stephens leg.
A Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter spokesman said the 36-year-old suffered multiple injuries when he fell on Thursday afternoon.
He was being flown to John Hunter Hospital for treatment and was reported to be in a serious but stable condition.
EARLIER:
STAGE one of the Port to Port MTB was held in Port Stephens on Thursday.
Hundreds of mountain bike riders left Nelson Bay Public Wharf about noon on May 25 to complete a 30 kilometre circuit around the Bay.
Worimi elder Uncle John Ridgeway performed the welcome to country.
Port Stephens councillor John Nell welcomed the riders to Nelson Bay.
Cr Nell said the mountain bike challenge event was especially welcomed in the area as it boosted the Port’s economy.
He told entrants the trails they would be riding along on Thursday were ones he had ridden along, although leisurely, during his years living in the area.
Cr Nell implored riders to stay safe on the trails, especially going down inclines, commenting it would not be a good end to their ride if they came out with a broken collarbone.
Organisers had to delay the start of the ride by 20 minutes as they waited to hear whether a chain had been removed from a trail near Box Beach at Shoal Bay.
The riders waited at the start line for about 10 minutes, in the rain, before organisers received word the chain had been removed.
The top 10 men and women riders led the pack.
Leaving Nelson Bay, the riders spend next 20km zig zagging through the various trails of Tomaree National Park.
Riders hit fire trails for 4km through to Gan Gan Road, near Anna Bay, where the easy speed ends.
Rider face The Bears; three steep climbs with loose rocks.
Last year this section of stage one shook up the field. The elite riders at the pointy end of the field struggled to stay upright on Three Bears.
Stage one is the shortest track of the four-day event, but by no means the easiest.
On Friday, riders are in the Hunter Valley for a 48km ride. Saturday is Lake Macquarie for a 64km leg and Sunday is a 51km ride around Newcastle.