DEFENDING Croc Trophy champion Urs Huber showed on Day 1 of the outback mountain bike classic yesterday that he will again be the man to beat for overall honours.

The Swiss rider claimed the 98km opening stage from Cairns to Lake Tinaroo in 3hrs 30min 11sec to finish four minutes clear of Dutch rival Bart Brentjens (3:24:43).

Huber, who is attempting to become the first man since Adam Hansen in
2004 and 2005 to win back-to-back Croc Trophies, said the first day tested the limits of his endurance.

"It was extremely difficult.

’’The terrain was very slippery and muddy and was constantly uphill," he said last night.

"It always felt like I was getting stuck.

"I’m very glad and happy about the time gap that I was able to gain today.’’

In the women’s section, Cairns native Abby McLennan looks on track to match her podium heroics of last year.

The Rattle ’N’ Hum rider finished third in 2009, but leads after Day 1 of the 2010 edition.

Ably supported by husband Scott and teammate Brendon Skerke, McLennan arrived at Lake Tinaroo in 4:29:15.

"It seems so much longer and harder than last year’s race," McLennan said after the stage.

"The climbs never seemed to end.

’’It was just up, up, up."

Lesley Sutton is second in the women’s section after clocking 5:29:35 for the first stage.

Stage 2 today sees competitors ride 71km from Lake Tinaroo to Granite Gorge.

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