It will be held over four days from May 25 to 28 and is considered Australia’s premium stage race for mountain bike riding.

The race was officially launched last week and event director Chris Heverin said it featured “show-stopping sections of the region”.

He said it also now commanded national and international recognition.

“We’ve been delighted and encouraged by the positive response from all those who have participated in the event over the past three years and we welcome all of our past riders back, alongside those taking on the challenge for the first time this year.,” Mr Heverin said.

“With exciting new course alignments highlighting show-stopping sections of the region, it’s a great way to challenge yourself and do some sight-seeing at the same time.”

The Port to Port MTB begins at Nelson Bay Marina then riders take on four days of sandy tracks,

fire trails, testing hill climbs and steep descents through the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Region.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said attracting visitors to rural and regional NSW is a key priority for the NSW Government.

“Supporting events like Port to Port MTB will help drive us towards our goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure in NSW by 2020,” Mr Marshall said.

“Last year Port to Port MTB delivered 550 overnight visitors to the region, a 145 per cent increase on the previous year, and together those visitors injected $400,000 into the local economy.

“Port to Port MTB is a highlight on mountain-biking community calendar in NSW, it’s also a great opportunity for visitors to make the most of their time in Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley, by exploring the region’s beautiful scenery, restaurants and accommodation,” Mr Marshall said.