English aiming for fourth consecutive 24 hour title

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24 hour mountain bike world champion, Jason English, will be riding for a fourth-straight Australian Solo 24 Hour National Championship at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra this weekend.

A member of the Merida Flight Centre Mountain Bike Team, English is hoping to take his second national title in consecutive weeks after winning the Australian Marathon Championships in Wyaralong, Queensland, last Sunday.

English said the race consistently attracted Australia's elite riders with lure of a national title always increasing the pressure on track.

"It's definitely one of the toughest races on the Australian calendar and strategy plays a huge part in staying in the hunt, especially during the early hours of the morning when fatigue starts to kick in," he said.

English explained last week's victory was a great confidence booster but this weekend's event presented a very different prospect.

"Pacing is much more critical in longer races, you don't just go flat out and hope to finish this race well. There are far more variables and it's not always the fittest athlete that wins."

2011 marks the first year the event has been held at the Stromlo course.

"The change in venue from previous years makes the race more unpredictable as some riders will have had more time on track than others," English said.

"Stromlo is tough course with some hard, technical riding. It has some tough climbs but it's also one of the fastest tracks in Australia."

The Australian Solo 24 Hour MTB Championships will take place at Stromlo Forest Park, Canberra, this Saturday, April 23 at 12 noon. One of the most popular events on the Australian mountain biking calendar, the event is recognised as a tier one title for endurance specialists.