Wilkinson posted a blistering time of 15.09.11 to win by more than eight seconds from his nearest rival, Baranduda’s Jackson White, who completed the course in 15.17.48.

Albury’s Neil van der Ploeg rounded out the top-three in a time of 15.48.08.

In the elite women, Ayla Armitage was a runaway winner, finishing in 19.00.49 ahead of Wodonga’s Julia Boer with a 19.13.04.

Ebony Tamzen got on the podium with a 19.15.71.

The expert category was taken out by Luke Smith in a time of 16.36.16.

Albury’s James Davis triumphed in the under-19s with a strong time of 16.34.00, Casper Linssen grabbed second in 16.51.52, with Mitch Kennedy third. 

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Thurgoona’s Justin Foots won the veteran’s race with a 16.06.74, Jonah Cosgriff was the under-17 men’s victor, while Patrick Lalor claimed the under-15 men’s event.

Event organiser Adam White was delighted with the response to the race.

“The event was sold out at 200 entries a day early and 40 per cent of the field was made up of under-17s and under-15s,” White said.

“The six-stage event included shuttled practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday, with entrants riding to all stages – approximately 23 kilometres in total, including liasons between eight kilometres of racing stages.”

Round two is at Mount Beauty on February 23 and 24, 2019.