Develop a wholistic approach to cross country racing and build the skills needed to maximise performance on race day by joining our Cross Country Junior Development Squad. Specifically designed to support young athletes competing in the Adelaide Mountain Bike Club events, the squad is delivered by highly experienced, professional coaches and provide a supportive, structured pathway in competitive racing.
Ability/Experience: Intermediate ‑ Advanced
Pathway Level: Excellence
Ages: 11 ‑ 18
Unfortunately, registrations for this program have closed.
Program Outcomes
Athletes will learn and develop skills related to competition, including:
- Bike handling and control on highly technical trails
- Building precision, stability and consistency across varied terrain
- Application of skills and techniques for competitive advantage
- Identifying opportunities to maintain flow, conserve energy and maximise race efficiency
- Risk management and decision-making
- Understanding risk versus reward, consequences and personal preferences in both racing and training contexts
- Racecraft and strategy development
- Learning to execute technical skills under pressure and plan effectively for different race scenarios
- Strength and conditioning foundations
- Developing physical resilience and capacity to handle the demands of cross country racing
- Performance factors beyond the bike
- Building mindset, organisation, preparation and self-management skills essential for long-term success in competition
Our coaches will tailor session plans to the specific needs of the squad, accounting for the group’s experience, goals and upcoming races to ensure every rider is challenged and supported appropriately.
Program Information
Designed by our Head Coach, with multiple years’ experience working with Australia’s top junior racers at World Championships, our development squads deliver a structured, proven pathway for young athletes to progress and succeed in racing.
The squad provides a supportive team environment for young riders competing at Adelaide Mountain Bike Club cross country mountain bike events. It provides guidance and support to riders competing in their first races as well as enables experienced riders to perform at their best.
The squad will also act as an important stepping stone for riders who wish to pursue cross country racing at the national level. It will help athletes prepare to take full advantage of high performance development programs offered by AusCycling.
Program Structure
Our Cross Country Junior Development Squad features a combination of pre-season and in-season sessions. We structure the program schedule around the racing calendar, aiming to avoid clashes with other disciplines to encourage and support athletes to participate across multiple cycling formats.
Please note:
The Cross Country Junior Development Squad is an Excellence Level program. If you are unsure whether it is right for you, we strongly encourage you to contact us before registering.
More Information
Required Equipment
Athletes must bring a mountain bike in good working order, suitable for cross country competition. Cross country specific bikes are ideal, however trail and enduro bikes as well as hardtail and dual suspension bikes are acceptable.
Bikes must be in good working order at the beginning of each session.
There is no mandatory protective equipment beyond a helmet for this program. We encourage riders to carefully consider their choice of protective equipment in relation to the level of risk they intend to take on. Riders who choose to wear less protective equipment should ride within their known level of ability, while additional protection may allow them to push themselves more without significantly increasing their risk of injury. This is a very personal decision and riders are ultimately responsible for managing their own safety. We strongly encourage all participants to take the time to properly consider what level of protection is most appropriate for them.
Some basic items we recommend are:
- Gloves
- Open-faced helmet (for low-risk training)
Other items for high-risk activities include:
- Knee Guards
- Elbow guards
- Full-Faced Helmet
- Back & Chest protector
Schedule
Pre-Season Skills
| Session 1 | February 6 | O’Halloran Hill RP |
| Session 2 | March 6 | Eagle MTB Park |
| Session 3 | April 3 | Craigburn Farm |
In-Season Skills
| Session 1 | March 19 | O’Halloran Hill RP |
| Session 2 | April 16 | Eagle MTB Park |
| Session 3 | May 21 | Prospect Hill |
| Session 4 | June 18 | Kinchina CP |
| Session 5 | July 23 | Craigburn Farm |
Register Now
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Sports Vouchers
All South Australian children from Reception to Year 9 are eligible to claim the Sports Voucher offered by the Office for Recreation and Sport. You can use your voucher to save on this program by completing our online form after you make your booking.
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Head for the Hills Off Road Cycling
72 Corconda Street
Clearview, South Australia
5085
| P: | 0402 697 398 |
|---|---|
| E: | info@headforthehills.net.au |
| W: | headforthehills.net.au |
Help
Head for the Hills offers many programs to riders with a wide range of interests and abilities. We categorise our programs using particular terms that are outlined below.
Interest - Why do you ride your bike?
| Recreation (Rec): | I ride for fun and/or fitness. |
|---|---|
| Competition (Comp): | I race, want to race or simply like to push myself on the bike. |
| High Performance (HP): | I want be the best racer I can be and will sacrifice nearly anything to achieve my goals. |
Ability - What do you know how to do?
| Basic: | I know nothing. I can ride confidently on two wheels but that is about it. |
|---|---|
| Beginner (Beg): | I have a little bit of experience riding off road, but not much. I can use my gears & brakes and ride on trails about 1 meter wide so long as they are relatively smooth. |
| Intermediate (Int): | I ride trails fairly regularly and feel confident at least some of the time. I can go a little bit fast, but usually only when the trail is fairly straight and smooth. I don't do jumps or drop-offs. |
| Advanced (Adv): | I am quite confident in my abilities and ride rough trails regularly. I can do (or nearly do) small jumps and drop-offs. |
| Expert (Exp): | I am very confident in my abilities and ride extremely rough & technical trails regularly. I can do large jumps and drop-offs safely. |
Discipline - What style of mountain biking does the program focus on?
| General: | General mountain biking skills that can be used in all disciplines. |
|---|---|
| Gravity: | Skills to help you descend hills with more control. |
| Trail: | Skills for riding up & down hills over longer distances. |
| Cyclocross (CX): | Skills for Cyclocross Competitions. |
| Cross Country (XC): | Skills for Cross Country Competitions. |
| Gravity Enduro (GE): | Skills for Gravity Enduro Competitions. |
| Dowhnill (DH): | Skills for Downhill Competitions. |
If you are still unsure if a program is right for you, feel free to contact us.
Head for the Hills Off Road Cycling
72 Corconda Street
Clearview, South Australia
5085
| P: | 0402 697 398 |
|---|---|
| E: | info@headforthehills.net.au |
| W: | headforthehills.net.au |
