Simpson Desert Bike Challenge
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| Simpson Desert Bike Challenge | |
|---|---|
 Simpson Desert Bike Challenge competitor | |
| Status | Active |
| Location(s) | Simpson Desert |
| Coordinates | 25°02′48″S 136°44′37″E / 25.0466°S 136.7435°ECoordinates: 25°02′48″S 136°44′37″E / 25.0466°S 136.7435°E |
| Country | Australia |
| Inaugurated | 1987 |
| Most recent | 2019 |
| Organized by | Desert Challenge Inc. |
| Website | desertchallenge |
The Simpson Desert Bike Challenge (SDBC) is an annual staged mountain bike race held in the Simpson Desert of Australia.[1][2] First held in 1987, the SDBC is run by the non-profit organisation Desert Challenge Inc[3][4]
The SDBC covers between 500 and 600 kilometres and lasts five days. The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winner. Although the course changes every year, the SDBC typically starts in South Australia and finishes in Birdsville, Queensland. The route takes riders and support crews through the largest parallel sand dune desert in the world.[5]
Riders of all ages and abilities are allowed to participate participate. For example, past competitors have included a cop,[6] a coffee shop owner,[7] and an IT manager.[8]
The SDBC is unofficially the world's longest-running mountain bike stage race.[9] According to several endurance event rating sites, the SDBC race is one of the world's toughest endurance events.[10][11][12]
There is no prize pool for the SDBC .[13] All proceeds are donated to charity.[1] Since 2008 the committee has donated the proceeds to the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) [14][15] Money is raised for the RFDS through online fundraising of riders, a post-race auction as well as donations collected during the event for (fun) fines. So far more than $312,000 have been raised by the organisation, which is run by a group of volunteers and incorporated in South Australia as non-for-profit organisation Desert Challenge Inc.[16]
Race location and routes[]
The SDBC"[17] crosses the Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert Conservation Park and the Munga-Thirri-Simpson Desert Regional Reserve,[18] a large area of dry, red sandy plain and dunes in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.[19] The course varies from year to year as several routes have been surveyed and developed.[20]
The SDBC it is basically a moving race village, comprising riders and their support crews, 4 wheel drive vehicles and event crew.[1]
The race routes traverse tracks that were constructed for oil exploration in the 1970s.[21] In wet conditions, track closures are common and the race may need to be diverted.[22]
Race concept and purpose[]
There are no settlements or service locations between the start and finish lines. As the event crosses protected conservation areas, it has to comply with a range of rules designed to protect the environment.[23] The race follows a format in which riders are always travelling between a front and rear convoy.
Each day, riders complete a morning and afternoon stage.[24]
- Race distance: 485–570 km (301–354 mi)
- Race duration: 5 days (9 or 10 stages; on day five there are one or two stages)
- Stage distances: ~ 75 km morning, ~ 45 km afternoon.
Due to the significant daily distances and the requirement for riders to arrive at night camp before dark, the event has a minimum speed requirement. Riders must maintain a minimum average of 12 km (7.5 mi) per hour to stay ahead of the rear convoy – which is led by the sweep vehicle. If caught by the “sweep”, riders have to take a lift to the end of that stage. Riders are allowed to restart the next stage in the afternoon or the next morning.
All riders who complete every stage of the five-day race get the “100% SDBC medal”. The average percentage of riders winning the 100% medal is 36% – although there have been years where no rider completed the course (e.g. 2008[25]) as well as one year where no rider was swept at all (2016[4]).
Water stops are located approximately every 20 km (12 mi) and every rider has to stop and collect water. At the start and end of every stage, the weight of each rider is recorded to manage risks related to dehydration. Beyond water stops, riders must be self-sufficient.[26]
Medical teams are present at each water stop to monitor the physical and mental status of the riders.
[27] Support vehicles must travel in either the front convoy ahead of the riders or in the rear convoy behind the Sweep vehicle. Vehicles experiencing difficulties crossing dunes can expect prompt assistance. Regulations require each vehicle to have UHF radio and a high visibility safety flag.[28]
Event origins[]
Source
In 1988, Jack and Mary Mullins organised and directed the first Simpson Desert Cycle Classic In 1988. The event raised money for the Paraquad Association.[citation needed]
The Mullins ran the Simpson Desert Cycle Classic until 1994, when Rod and Loz Townsend took it over. During those years an association with the Paraplegic Benefit Fund was created as a recipient charity. The Townsends managed the event until 2001.
In 2006 a management committee for the race was elected. This committee established Desert Challenge Inc..[citation needed]
Race results[]
| Year | Overall Winners | 100% Finishers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | No. of riders who completed all race stages / overall no. of riders | |
| 2021 | n/a (cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic) | |||
| 2020 | n/a (cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic) | |||
| 2019 | Rasmus Altenkamp | Michael Liebert | Chris Baillie | 5/15 |
| 2018 | Derek Ragless | Eckart Altenkamp | Aurelia Strozik | 6/18 |
| 2017 | Eckart Altenkamp | Graham Hancox | Adam Gowlett | 4/11 |
| 2016 | Justin Morris | Jason Morrison | Peter Moore | 20/20 |
| 2015 | Paul Schroder | Peter Moore | Ollie Klein | 10/20 |
| 2014 | Bruce Wood | Bill Somerville | Michael Chidgey | 9/20 |
| 2013 | Ronn Slusser | Lynton Stretton | Chris Baillie | 15/22 |
| 2012 | Alan Keenleside and Murray Rook | n/a | Lynton Stretton | 7/17 |
| 2011 | Paul Schroder | Ken Glasco | Neil Thies | 13/17 |
| 2010 | Ron Whitehead | Simon Honore | Lynton Stretton | 12/24 |
| 2009 | Alan Keenleside | Lynton Stretton | Jason Dreggs | 1/30 |
| 2008 | Lynton Stretton | Warren Quinn | Heinz von Holzen | 0/12 |
| 2007 | Bruce Wood | Andrew Koop | Matthias Axt | 2/17 |
| 2006 | Ed Bourke | Heinz von Holzen | Jason Iwanow | 5/11 |
| 2005 | Jaap Viergever | Anthony Brattolli | John Dermody | 6/24 |
| 2004 | Jaap Viergever | Craig Peacock | Leon Fisher | 18/30 |
| 2003 | Adrian Laing | Kim Proctor | Carl Barrow | 13/16 |
| 2002 | Leon Fisher | Carl Barrow | Trevor Best | 3/22 |
| 2001 | Leon Fisher | Ed Bourke | Ian Langstaff | 21/32 |
| 2000 | Jack Oldfield | Ed Bourke | Michael Rueger | 4/54 |
| 1999 | Jack Oldfield | Ed Bourke | Ben Edols | 2/41 |
| 1998 | Jack Oldfield | Alun Hoggett | Lincoln Gore | 6/37 |
| 1997 | James Aylmer | Bob Simpson | Leon Fisher | 2/44 |
| 1996 | Luke Mahoney | David Cossettini | Richard Millard | 22/43 |
| 1995 | Richard Millard | Darren Benson | Micheal Worden | 14/51 |
| 1994 | Robert Eckel | Tom Landon-Smith | Novak Thompson | Unknown / 31 |
| 1993 | Ian Thompson | David Austin | Mark Baker | Unknown / 15 |
| 1992 | Ron Versteegh | Brett Lovell | Ian Wright | Unknown / 52 |
| 1991 | Lenny Van Berkel | Ronald Versteegh | Ian Wright | Unknown / 12 |
| 1990 | Peter Wood | Mal Cummack | Kevin Piercy | 12/21 |
| 1989 | Ross Martin | Peter Barnard | Jim Smith | Unknown / 18 |
| 1988 | Greg Mickle | Danny Mariotti | Rob Bray | Unknown / 19 |
| 1987 | Peter Hanson | Leon Fisher | Phil McDonald | Unknown / 30 |
Event history[]
In the early years of the SDBC , riders used non-suspension mountain bikes with skinny tyres. They were forced to push their bikes over the sand dunes... The route usually ran along the Rig Road and Birdsville Track , now known as the “Classic Route”.[30]
After 2009, many competitors started uses fat bikes. With 4+ inch wide tyres, those bikes made it possible to ride on soft sand and cross even steep dunes without having to push. Today, the event is dominated by fat bikes.[31]
This development did allow the event organisers to choose different route options including the French and WAA lines – which feature more challenging sand dunes than the classic route.
The climatic conditions in the desert vary from year to year. There have been extremely dry and hot years as well as wet years which did create an even more challenging set of circumstances for riders.[32] Due to flooding and well as bush fires,[33] there have also been years where the race had to be held in alternative locations. In 2020, due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, the race was cancelled for the first time..
The below table provides a summary of SDBC history:
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 1987 | Over Easter 1987, the inaugural Simpson Desert Cycle Challenge took place. It was organised by Hans Tholstrup and sponsored by Caltex and Friends Provident Life insurance. The course ran along the French Line, which featured deep sand for much of its length - which forced the race to be shortened to six stages.
Thirty riders competed, including two women. The youngest riders were 13, riding BMX bikes; one of them finished all stages. The oldest participant was 73. |
| 1988 | Twenty-three riders competed,
Flooding in the Simpson Desert forced the relocation of the event. The start was in Kulgera and the course took riders along back roads past Uluru[34] and finished at Kata Tjuta. Nineteen riders finished the course. |
| 1989 | Eighteen riders competed. |
| 1990 | Twenty-one riders competed.
Twelve riders completed the entire 575 km (357 mi). |
| 1991 | Eighteen riders competed. |
| 1992 | Fifty-three riders competed, including five women.
Conditions were wet in the desert. Many vehicles got bogged down on the way to Purni Bore, the start location. One rider took his bike to cover the last 65 km (40 mi) to the start line due to his vehicle and crew being stuck in the mud. His support crew did only arrive at Purni Bore hours before the race started. Stephan Vanderhee, #23, had several tyre punctures during the afternoon of day 3 until he ran out of spare tubes. That forced him to ride the final 30 km (19 mi) on his rims. That night, Vanderhee worked until 11 pm on his bike rims with steel wool and a file and appeared at the start line the next morning with a new tube and his original tyre still intact. Twenty-one riders completed the entire 576 km (358 mi). |
| 1993 | Eighteen riders competed. |
| 1994 | Thirty-one riders competed, including three women.
Twenty-nine riders completed the entire course. |
| 1995 | Fifty-one riders competed, including five women.
Fifteen riders completed the entire course of 581 km. |
| 1996 | Forty-three riders competed, including five women.
Twenty-two riders completed the entire course of 681 km (423 mi) |
| 1997 | Forty-five riders competed, including five women.
Two of the women riders were Japanese\. Of the men, two were Japanese, one was Canadian (who fell and broke his shoulder on the first day) and one was British. Also participating was a blind rider, Chad Towns, who followed his son on a bike with “clickers” on the spokes plus a friend following him. A “Mr Bean” participated in his white business shirt, long army shorts, black shoes and white socks. He inspired the SDBC Mr. Bean Award. The temperature reached 45 Degree Celsius on two days and the Rig Road had thick dust on the dunes. The front convoy bogged down on one dune and were overtaken by the riders. Two riders completed the entire course of 585 km (364 mi). |
| 1998 | Thirty-seven riders competed, including three women.
Bob and Jayne Simpson rode a tandem bicycle.[35] Six riders completed the entire course of 581 km (361 mi). |
| 1999 | Course: Rig Road + Outside track. Race Directors – Rod and Lorraine Townsend
Forty-one riders competed, including six women. The conditions were hot with significant sand drifts on top of many dunes. On day 2, only two riders got past the 40 km (25 mi) mark (Jack Oldfield and Ed Bourke). Both riders arrived at the lunch stop just before the sweep vehicle. Many vehicles got bogged down on the dunes. On day 4, a shower created muddy conditions. Bicycle wheels got jammed with heavy mud, forcing cyclists to manually remove mud from their bikes every few minutes. Some racers carried the bikes on their shoulders. The race route had to be diverted from the inner to the outer Birdsville track. Two riders completed the entire course of 587 km (365 mi). |
| 2000 | Course: Rig Road, K1 with the convoy to Big Red via QAA Line, then out and back on Inside track.
Fifty-four riders competed, including two women. The conditions were hot and dry. On day 3, due to water in the Warburton Crossing, the riders went up the K1 line. Day 4 saw a transport stage across the QAA line to Big Red - instead of riding. The dunes on the QAA line were too steep and sandy (for non-fat bikes). The race did finish off with an out-and-back stage on the Birdsville Inside Track on the last day. Jack Oldfield won the 2000 event, his third win in a row. Four riders completed the shorten 457 km (284 mi) course. |
| 2001 | Course: Classic Route; Rig Road and Inside track
Thirty-two riders competed, including two women. Conditions were cool, with overnight lows of 1 degree Celsius. There was relatively little soft sand. On the afternoon of day 4 riders traversed massive cracks in the claypan on the Goyder Lagoon. One rider, Graham Bug, broke the seat on his bicycle during one of the stages He cycled the next 50 km (31 mi) standing up and eventually won a 100% medal. Twenty-one riders completed the entire 592 km (368 mi) course. |
| 2002 | Course: Classic Route; Rig Road and Inside track
Twenty-two riders competed, including one woman Conditions were dry with warm temperatures. However, on the morning of day 2, sandy conditions hindered many riders. riders. The Sweep collected all but four of the 22 competitors. Three riders completed the entire distance of 593 km (368 mi) |
| 2003 | Course: Rig Road + Outside track. Race Distance was (only) 519 km (322 mi) due to shortened day 2.
Sixteen riders competed, including two women. Conditions were relatively cool with very little soft sand.. On day 1, there was heavy rainfall on the course. The next morning, the riders were transported to the “Lone Gum”, where the race resumed. Thirteen riders completed the entire 519 km (322 mi). |
| 2004 | Course: Rig Road + Inside track. Race Distance was 510 km (320 mi) due to shortened day 2, 3 & 4.
Thirty riders competed, including one woman. Conditions were cool and the track was firm due to previous rain. However, rain started on day and continued into day 3, causing very muddy and slippery conditions. Eighteen riders completed the entire race. |
| 2005 | Course: Rig Road + Inside track
Twenty-four riders competed, including two women. Conditions were dry and hot . However, headwind picked up on the morning of day 2 which left only 8 riders completing that very stage... with another 2 of these riders failing to get through the afternoon section. From there onwards, good conditions did allow most of the field to get through the remaining days. Six riders completed the entire 587 km (365 mi) |
| 2006 | Course: Rig Road + Inside track
In 2006 only a small group of riders gathered at Purni Bore for the 2006 Cycle Challenge. Several participants had failed to make the start line, including an Army contingent (they had been sent off to Afghanistan) and the Air Force (had been sent off to Malaysia) 11 riders incl. 1 female. 5 riders achieved 100% |
| 2007 | 20-anniversary event. Course: Rig Road + Inside track
The conditions were dry and hot conditions. Large amounts of sand lay across the track. 17 riders competed, including two women, Only two riders achieved 100% of 592 km (368 mi) |
| 2008 | Out of 12 riders competing, none achieved 100%
Winds between 40 and 50 knots and temperatures up to 44 degrees created very difficult race conditions.[32] |
| 2009 | Course: Rig Road, K1 Line, QAA Line
Alan Keenleside is the first rider appearing on a fat bike at the SDBC. 30 riders, 3 female. Only 1 rider achieved 100% of 489 km (304 mi). Funds raised by riders and proceeds from the race raised over $22,000 for the Royal Flying Doctors. |
| 2010 | The arrival of fat bikes.
In winter 2010, ongoing rains across the heart of Australia had turned the low-lying areas of the Simpson from an arid desert into something like Florida's everglades. An alternative location had to be found. The organisers chose an Out-and-back route in the Great Victoria Desert. The riders did travel along the Anne Beadell Highway from west of Coober Pedy (Mabel Creek Station) to Anne's Corner and back. 24 riders, 3 women. 12 riders achieved 100% of 587 km (365 mi) 2010 was the first year where several riders tuned up on bikes featuring fat tyres. Due to the wet conditions, however, the sand was firm. The fat bikes did not get a real opportunity to demonstrate their advantages on soft ground. Fundraising in 2010 did achieve $14,823.90 for the RFDS. |
| 2011 | Fat bikes make up half of the field.
Unfortunately, the 2011 event had to be diverted again – this time due to bush fires. Thunderstorms had sparked scrub fires. The national park authorities did close the desert only days before the race was supposed to start. The organisers had to come up with a plan B within a very short time window - and decided that this event would run along a northern loop starting at Oodnadatta, via Eringa to Charlotte Waters and return via Mt Dare and Dalhousie Springs. The last stage on day 5 was a circuit loop on 4WD tracks around Oodnadatta. The Pink Roadhouse was the logical location for final festivities. 13 of 17 riders achieved 100% of 466 km (290 mi) |
| 2012 | Course: Rig Road, K1 Line, QAA Line
Finally, 2012 saw the race back in the Simpson Desert. Overall conditions were still somewhat wet; then the Warburton Crossing had been closed for 4 consecutive years - a new record. The oldest rider in 2012 was Lou McLaren (#16) - at 74 years of age the oldest participant yet. 16 riders, thereof 11 with fat bikes. 1 female. 7 riders achieved 100% of 572 km (355 mi) Fundraising efforts did achieve $38,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. |
| 2013 | Course: Rig Road, K1 Line, QAA Line
The 2013 event started with a unique challenge. The race director (Greg Roger) was missing at the start due to mechanical issues with his car. The experienced 4x rider and head of the medical team (Leon Malzinskas, aka Dr. Mal) were selected to replace the race director. 22 riders incl. 2 women; 15 riders did achieve 100% of 532 km (331 mi) |
| 2014 | Course: Rig Road, K1 Line, QAA Line
Once again, the desert did remind the Simpson cycle folks that one should expect the unexpected. In the afternoon of day 1, half the field was swept. Under normal conditions stage, 2 is a relatively easy run, however, in 2014 a relentless headwind destroyed many riders aspirations on day 1. 20 riders incl. 2 women; 9 achieved 100% of 587 km (365 mi) |
| 2015 | Course: French & QAA Line
The 2015 event did return to the infamous French Line – 28 after since the failed attempt of 1987. The French Line is the shortest, but also the hardest route option across the Simpson. The French line features a frightening armada of tall and steep dunes with only short swales in-between - which give riders only very limited opportunity to recover before the next ascent. However, 2015 delivered an unexpected challenge to the event: Due to relatively "easy" weather conditions (cool weather each morning, low winds, firm tracks), the front riders were consistently faster than the vehicles. The convoy heading into the desert first got quickly under the pressure of being overtaken by the bikes - which caused the organisers to delay the start of the cyclists by 1/2 hour. The 2015 field did only feature one rider in traditional 26er and one on 29er MTB tyres - the rest of the field was made up of fat bikes running on 4+ inch wide tyres. 10 of the 20 riders achieving 100% of 488 km (303 mi). |
| 2016 | Course: French & QAA Line
The first year ever where no rider was swept. Unseasonal rains in central Australia caused the organisers to hesitate with the confirmation of the 2016 course. The decision to run the event in the Simpson was only confirmed days before the start. A good decision. It did not rain and the moist conditions in the lead up to the start caused the tracks to be very firm and fast. Around Poeppel's Corner, the course had to be diverted due to water in the (normally dry salt) lakes. 20 riders, 2 women – with all 20 riders achieving 100% of 481 km (299 mi) Another great year for fundraising with $35,000 raised for the RFDS. |
| 2017 | Course: Classic Route (Rig Road, Warburton Crossing, Inside Birdsville Track)
2017 saw a small field of riders battle some of the more extreme conditions the Simpson has to offer. Whilst the first two days brought record temperatures (49 Degree Celsius at lunch on day 2 with zero wind), a storm on day 3 brought a very cool change and rain – turning the clay pans into such sticky affairs that some of the riders had to carry their bikes. The Birdsville Inside Track was so buggy that the riders had to travel the long loop to Birdsville on the Outside instead. A special mention to Dr. Mal who did return to the event for a record 15th time (this time again as a head medic) 4 of 11 riders did achieve 100% of 593 km (368 mi). Despite the small field, the 2017 event did raise $26,000 for the RFDS. |
| 2018 | Course: WAA Line, Rig Road, K1 & QAA Line
In 2018 the organisers did attempt a new route option. Fort the first time, the course did take the riders along the WAA line, which runs in-between French Line and Rig Road. The 2018 event did also feature the longest daily distance in the history of the event, 144.5 km (89.8 mi) on day 2. Five of the 18 riders were from the Australian Army. Attempting to ride the WAA line did prove to be a brave choice for both riders and vehicles. Whilst 2018 saw generally good conditions, half the field was swept on the afternoon of day 1 and many vehicles - including the sweep – got seriously bogged. As a result, several riders - instead of being swept - did ride into the evening and arrived at night camp in complete darkness. Several riders who were swept did not arrive at camp until midnight. Nonetheless, all 18 competitors did show up at the start line at 6 am the next morning. 18 riders incl. 3 women; 6 riders achieved 100% of 540 km (340 mi). A special mention to Aurelia Strozik. In a competitive field, she rode to 3rd place and is the first-ever female rider on the podium of the SDBC. Fundraising did achieve a total amount of $40,000 for the RFDS. |
| 2019 | 2019 saw the first-ever SDBC running from East to West, starting in Birdsville in Queensland and finishing at Mt Dare Hotel in South Australia.
Course: QAA line, the French line The race started in Birdsville with a prologue stage, then heading west towards the sunset. The race also featured a first-ever single 100 km (62 mi) stage (day 4). Riders did face a tsunami of steep and soft dunes. Only 30% of riders completed the route. It was the afternoon stage of day 3 which did the damage: The combination of fatigue, extreme heat and soft sand challenged all competitors with only a few managing to stay ahead of the sweep. 15 riders incl. 2 women; 5 riders did achieve 100% of 499.6 km (310.4 mi) At only 22 years, the 2019 winner Rasmus Altenkamp is the youngest champion in the history of the event. |
| 2020 | No event due to the global pandemic of COVID-19
In June the event committee had to cancel the 2020 event due to state borders being closed. |
References[]
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- ^ "Three Simpsons: Two Up – Simpson Desert Bike Challenge". Retrieved 2020-11-14.
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