DUBBO mayor and bike riding enthusiast Mathew Dickerson has declared himself a certain starter for the Evocities MTB race on July 19.
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The fifth stage of the Evocities series, which is sponsored by Fairfax Media, publishers of the Daily Liberal, will be hosted by Dubbo with the race being held near Geurie.
After sustaining three fractured vertebrae, his C5, C6 and T9, a slightly strained AC joint in his shoulder and four stitches in his ear from a crash in a race in an earlier round, Cr Dickerson was unsure if he would be able to compete in the July 19 event.
However after consulting with a specialist, Cr Dickerson was given the all clear to return and he has confirmed he is good to go for the event, however a lack of training may hinder any aspirations of a top finish.
“I only got back on the bike a couple of weeks ago so I am not very fit at the moment,” Cr Dickerson said.
“It will be great to just participate and I am really looking forward to it.
“I feel this track is probably the most flowing of any in the series and the organisers have done a fantastic job.”
With just over 10 days to go before the event, riders are ramping up their preparations, with Darrell Wheeler Cycles in Dubbo starting to see people come in to get work done on their bikes for the event.
“We have had a few people come in but it’s from about a week or so before an event when you see people come in,” Darrell Wheeler Cycles owner Sheri Dunn said.
“We even get people the day or two before the event who need final adjustments or repairs done.
“The majority of work is a service of the bike, or getting the gears or brakes adjusted.
Ms Dunn believes the Evocities MTB race will benefit all businesses in Dubbo.
“An event like this doesn’t just benefit our business, but all the cafes and petrol stations around town,” she said.
“The Evocities should grow every year and I think it’s great for all the regional cities that get to host a stage.”
For anyone interested in the Evocities MTB series, visit www.evocitiesmtb.com.