21 October- 2 November 2003

From Mareeba                             
                          To Kuranda

The Crocodile Trophy

The Crocodile Trophy: one of the most beautiful and probably the hardest mountain bike stage race that crosses Australia. The total distance is 1550 km. The race lasts 13 days with stages being an average of 125 km a day, with the longest stage being 180 km. The start is in Kuranda, the finish 2 weeks later in Kuranda, near Cairns on the Pacific Ocean. The roads are in a terrible condition, with a lot of "corrugations" (washboards) and "bull dust" (very loose sand), from rolling hills up to difficult technical uphills (more then 30%). The stages pass through very varying terrain, going from desert to rainforest, crossing wild rivers and dry, sandy riverbeds. And this when temperature rises to 40°C and more.

The race itself is hard, but once the stages are finished the day is not over yet: gathering your bags, setting up the tent, taking care of yourself and cleaning and setting up the bike for next day's race - and this often in the dark.

For many unknown, for some a dream, for others your worst nightmare. There is a lot of talking about the Crocodile Trophy, but it is generally known that you need to be at least a little bit crazy to start this race. As a consequence there are very few people who have the courage to start this race.

What goes on in somebody's mind when he decides to race with a mountain bike 1550 km through the Australian desert? Long, lonely hours on the bike, without crossing one single living being or house. Miles and miles riding across roads with no turns, constantly fighting the headwind, far away from all luxury and comfort, until you almost get crazy.

What goes on in somebody's mind when he decides - once he has already finished this grueling adventure - to go back to the cursed dirt roads, to the corrugations en miles of loose sand, to the one and only Australian hell?

The Reevax Croco Racing Team already raced the Crocoile Trophy last year. The call from the Australian outback and the longing to adventure make sure that Domie, Kroki and Pepe accept the challenge one more time in the 9th Crocodile Trophy in 2003.

Organizer: Gerhard Schonbacher
Organisator: Graz, Austria

Start: Mareeba, 21 October 2003
Finish: Kuranda, 2 November 2003

Distance: 1550 km
Stages: 13 stages
Stages: average 125 km/day
Altitude meters: 20.000 hm

Participants: individual or teams of 4-5 riders
Accommodation: (wild) camping with tent

Website: www.crocodile-trophy.com

Route: Flat and sandy stages are alternated with stages through the tropical rainforest, with very steep climbs, technical downhills and wild river crossings.

Crocodile Trophy 2003 Stage plan