Cairns Events Let's Do This

For the 22nd time, cyclists from all over the world will compete in the International Crocodile Trophy in October this year. The legendary mountain bike stage race will once again take place in Tropical North Queensland: from the tropical rainforests in and around Cairns to the Atherton bushlands and via the remote Outback to Skybury Coffee Plantation and Wetherby Station, finishing eight days later on the breath-takingly beautiful Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas.

The Crocodile Trophy will start with a lap race on Saturday, 22 October at Smithfield MTB Park, which will be hosted by the Cairns MTB Club. Day two will see the racers ride out of Cairns, starting at the Esplanade and both venues are ideal vantage points to meet the riders from all over the world and to cheer them on.

We would like to invite all locals and visitors to come and join us for the official race starts in Smithfield and in Cairns! The Crocodile Trophy proudly calls Tropical North Queensland home and it would be great to see strong community support for the international event, with the highest status "S1" and accreditation by the International Cycling Federation (UC), it is the only one of its kind in Australia!

Stage Overview:

STAGE 1 PARADISE PALMS RESORT/SMITHFIELD MTB PARK (4 LAPS)
38 km/900 m
Start: Paradise Palms Resort
When: arrive at 11am for a 12pm race start
What can you see: great vantage points on the jungle race track, see the racers up close at the Paradise Palms Resort, where start and finish will be located! The riders will come through the event centre after every lap. Est. finish at 2pm; winner's celebration 2:30pm.
How to get there:
Paradise Palms Resort: Paradise Palms Drive, Kewara Beach, about 25 min north of Cairns City Centre.
Smithfield MTB Park: is just 13 km north from Cairns - turn into McGregor Road into James Cook University grounds and follow the event signage.

STAGE 2 CAIRNS – ATHERTON
99 (111) km/2300 (2500) vm
Start: The Esplanade near the Lagoon in Cairns
When: arrive at 8:45am for a 9am rider call-up and 9:30am race start
What can you see: rider presentation and mass race start through Cairns towards Copperlode Dam, where we will pass through from around 11am. Beautiful stage through the dense jungle towards Atherton.
Attention racers:
Loading luggage Paradise Palms 6:30-7:15am
Shuttle from Paradise Palms to Cairns at 7:45am
Loading luggage Cairns Lagoon from 8:00-9:00am. Details will be provided in the rider briefing on Friday, 21 October also.
Finish: Atherton Coombra Station
When: arrive at 12pm, first finishers est. to arrive at 12:30pm

STAGE 3 ATHERTON – ATHERTON
57 km/1600 m
Start: Atherton Dirt Park
When: 8am start, then two loops of Atherton MTB Park
What can you see: This stage is 2 loops of the Atherton Forest MTB Bike Park in an anti-clockwise direction. You will see the racers ride through Atherton towards the MTB Park and then see them in the park. Awesome bush trails in one of the most popular mountain bike parks in Australia!
Finish: Coombra Station, est. 11:30am-12pm

STAGE 4 ATHERTON – ATHERTON
72 / 2300 m
Start: Coombra Station near Atherton
When: 8am race start
What can you see: Stage 4 starts at the Coombra Station and ascends to the top of the Great Dividing Range where we will ride south through the Herberton Range State Forest and loop back to Atherton/Coombra Station.
Finish: Coombra Station, est. 12-1pm

STAGE 5 ATHERTON - SKYBURY
131 km/2900 m
Start: Coombra Station near Atherton
When: 8am race start
What can you see: For Stage 5 we race to Skybury Coffee Plantation - good vantage point to see the Croc racers at Mutchilba Walsh River crossing.
Finish: Skybury Coffee Plantation, est. 1:30-2pm

STAGE 6 SKYBURY - WETLANDS
53 km / 500 m
Start: Skybury
When: 8am race start
What can you see: Race through Wetland Nature Park. We ride on small tracks around numerous lakes with an incredible birdlife.
Finish: Skybury, est. 10:30am

STAGE 7 SKYBURY COFFEE PLANTATION - WETHERBY STATION
102 km/1200 m
Start: Skyury Coffee Plantation
When: 8am race start
What can you see: We can almost see the ocean from the deck at Skybury with its breath-taking views. So we'll race towards it and make a stop at Wetherby Station, one of the oldest cattle stations in Australia along the infamous Gold Mining Trail. See the racers at a Highway Crossing near Mitchell Lake from around 9am; they will then race towards Kuranda State Forest on Hodzic Road, north. Await them at Wetherby Station from around 11:30am.
Finish: Wetherby Station, est. 11:30am

STAGE 8 WETHERBY STATION - PORT DOUGLAS (TIME TRIAL)
30 km / 250 m
Start: Wetherby Station
Finish: Four Mile Beach, Surf Live Saving Club
When: arrive at 11am; first finishers est. to arrive at 11:30am
What can you see: fantastic surrounds to welcome the #crocfinishers after nine days of racing and to congratulate them on their achievements. This is a time-trial stage with a reverse starting order from 10am at Wetherby. Riders will arrive one by one along the beach and cross the finish line at the Surf Live Saving Club.

We looking forward to welcoming all 2016 #crocfinishers on Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas!