About The Race

The Alpine Assault is a race through Victoria’s High Country taking in some of the most spectacular and challenging mountain biking terrain in the country. The course will test you phsically and mentally but also leave you with a smile on your face when you cross the finish line. The epic mountain climbs, fast descents and iconic singletrack of the Big Hill Mountain Bike Park in Mount Beauty will provide you with an unforgettable adventure.

The Alpine Assault course has been designed to include something for everyone from Australia’s elite through to the genuine weekend warrior who is out to challenge themselves. Finish Line Events has a reputation for delivering events that appeal to a broad range of riders and are characterized by the camaraderie and atmosphere amongst all of the riders. We believe that the Alpine Assault will evolve overtime, to be one of Australia’s premier mountain bike events.

Falls Creek, one of our major supporters has recently made a great commitment to the further development of Mountain Biking in Australia. They have recently secured funding to develop an amazing network of mountain bike trails that will set the benchmark for cycling in the alpine region.

We wish all riders good luck for the Alpine Assault and will see you at the start line.

About the Course

The Alpine Assault course can be best described in three parts. The first begins in the classically European ski village of Falls Creek and culminates 67Km later at the nationally famous Big Hill MTB Park in Mount Beauty. The second is a 20Km loop out of Mount Beauty and the third is another loop of 13Km out of Mount Beauty. Maps of the three sections and a course profile are included as PDF files below.

From the crack of the start gun riders will roll out of the Windy Corner car park and climb through the village getting the heart rate up nice and early in the ride. At the top of the village a gentle aqueduct track will link riders to the first climb of the day out towards Mount McKay on n evenly graded fire road maxing out at 1781mts ASL and 7.7Kms. There are great views of Rocky Valley Lake along the way. After the initial climb you are quickly rewarded with a 10Km descent to Howmans Gap and 550mts of elevation loss. With some rough and rocky sections, some smooth and fast sections and again more stunning views of the Kiewa Valley to the North you will already have a Cheshire cat grin on your face.

Scientists will tell you that what goes up must come down. At the Alpine Assault however, the opposite applies and what goes down must go up. So it’s back into climbing mode on the bitumen to Falls Creek. Passing by the base of the village riders then head out onto the Bogong High Plains via the Rocky Valley Dam wall and contouring around the spectacular Rocky Valley Lake. A left turn takes riders out of the Falls Creek resort boundary and into the stunning natural environment of the Alpine National Park. You are now heading towards Mount Nelse along a rarely used fire trail. In winter it’s a X/C Ski trail known as the “Paralyzer” but don’t let the name frighten you. Skirting just below the summit of Mount Nelse on your right you have reached the highest point on the ride at 1871 mts ASL and 33km covered. Once again the Alpine Vistas here are jaw dropping and you really should take a moment to enjoy the views before descending down Timms Spur into the Big River Valley, which separates Mount Bogong from the High Plains. Yet again another ripping descent which is rough and rocky. No time to get complacent here. Bottoming out at the Big River crossing you will get wet feet as you tackle the first river crossing. Cool down at the crossing because there is a short and punchy climb out of the valley floor before descending again and then some contouring trail for about 3.5Kms. Another sharp descent to the East Kiewa River crossing and a steep climb out will bring riders onto the Bogong High Plains Rd for a short trip along the black stuff to the first section of single track of the day. A 4+ KM section of sweat flowing singletrack will spit you out at Mount Beauty and the finish of the 67Km ride.

For the 100km riders business is not over yet but the good news is there is food and drink at the feed station so get those carbs into you for the next big climb ahead. A steady tempo climb out of Mount Beauty will take you to a clearing known to locals as Bench 5. This is the starting point of the famous Big Hill Down Hill course but don’t panic, you will be side stepping the insanely gnarly and technical sections via a fire road. Even without the technical sections it’s still a very fast, steep and rough descent until you hook into some cool x/c single track about halfway back down to the Mount Beauty staging area. There is still more to go as this is just the 87Km point but once again the feed station will still be open for business. Just one last climb to get over and your screaming legs can look forward to another of the famous Mount Beauty singletrack descents back to the finish line to wrap up proceedings for the day.

Congratulations, you have just completed what could arguably be the toughest MTB Marathon course in Australia and ridden you Mountain Bike through some amazing Alpine scenery along the way. Give yourself a pat on the back and go tell your mates who didn’t come how hardcore you are.

You can view the course profile and maps by downloading the PDF files below

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I enter on the day?

Yes, You can enter at the registration session on Saturday 11th December 2010. A $10.00 surcharge will apply to all entries at the event.  No entries will be accepted on the Saturday morning.

Where and when do I ‘check in’ and register for the Alpine Assault?

There are 2 registration sessions. Saturday 11th December from 4:00PM to 11:00PM and Sunday morning 12th December from 6:30AM to 7:30AM. If you are planning to register on the Saturday morning, please pre-arrange this with us by email.

Where should we stay?

Falls Creek and Mount Beauty both have a great selection of accommodation venues. Please go to the accommodation section on this website.

How do I get back from Mt Beauty to Falls Creek after the race?

A shuttle bus will be available for all competitors (and their bikes) from the finish line back to Falls Creek. The shuttle bus will begin running at 2:00PM and will run until the conclusion of the race. If you wish to use the shuttle bus to return to Falls Creek please inform us via email so we can ensure we have enough transport available to avoid long delays. While waiting for the bus or presentations head into town (500 metres away) and hit the local, award winning Mount Beauty Bakery for that post race feed.

Is there feed stations along the course?

Yes there will be two feed stations along the course where you will be able to refill your drink bottles, grab a bar from our nutrition sponsor TORQ or make yourself a PBJ sanga. Feed stations are located at the 23km, 67km and 87km points.

Will my mobile phone work?

There is limited Telstra Next G mobile reception on parts of the course in the Alpine National Park, other phone networks cannot be guaranteed. Falls Creek and Mount Beauty have good Mobile Phone coverage. All our emergency personell will have reliable communications via the statewide SMR emrgency radio network.

What is your cancellation/refund policy?

Teams must notify us by phone or email to claim a possible refund or credit.
CANCELLATION- before Saturday November 20th 2010| refund less $10 service fee
Sunday November 21st 2010 - Saturday December 4th | credit for next race or 50% refund

After Sunday December 5th 2010 | sorry no refund

I would like to volunteer or I have a friend or family member that can help out?

We can never have too many volunteers at an event  and we encourage anyone to help us where possible.  Please contact Iain Moore from Finish Line Events at iain@finishlineevents.com.au if you would like to volunteer.

Is my vehicle ok to drive to the Alpine Assault event site?

The road to the Alpine Assault start in Falls Creek is via the Bogong High Plains Rd.  This is a 30km Alpine road that can be subject to seasonal weather but is mostly very safe to drive in the warmer seasons. Please be prepared for the drive, take your time and drive carefully. Allow about 45 Minutes drive time from Mt Beauty to Falls Creek. There is no petrol at Falls Creek and there are no charges to get into the resort.