The 2017 Pioneer Mountain Bike Stage Race got underway in spectacular fashion at Christchurch Adventure Park today, with the 338 riders enjoying the thrill of single track riding in the event’s opening stage prologue in perfect weather conditions. At just 20.5km and featuring 1,260m of climbing, today’s stage was but a teaser of what is to come, with a further 525km of riding across stunning landscapes on the way to the finish line in Queenstown on Saturday.