The inaugural Crankworx Summer Series has kicked off today, with mountain bikers taking to Alexandra.

With its distinctive Central Otago landscape there is no doubt Matangi Station MTB has provided the most incredible opening scenes for the mountain bike series.

The series of events pits local riders against a world class international field, with the top riders on the day taking away what is important to them all, bragging rights.

Crankworx is the world’s biggest and most influential mountain bike festival, dubbed by Bike Magazine as “the Super Bowl of the mountain biking world.”

The Crankworx Summer Series is a multi-stop mountain bike festival that brings a taste of the Crankworx action to new riding destinations outside the Crankworx World Tour.

The series' next stop will be Queenstown (DH and Pump Track), followed by Cardrona (Air DH) and Wānaka (Dual Slalom).

Photos courtesy Clint Trahan.