The event. now in its ninth year, attracts about 1400 competitors each year, making the Cape to Cape Australia’s largest mountain bike race of its kind. 

Riders race four stages ranging in difficulty from 40km to 65km, traversing along the coast from Cape Luewin to Dunsborough.

Nankervis, racing for the Torq Merida team, overcame many of Australia’s top elite riders to become one of the events youngest winners to date among a list of many winners, including Olympic representatives Dan McConnell and Rebecca Henderson.     

It’s been a big year for Nankervis, who represented Australia at the 2016 World Mountain Bike Championships in the Czech Republic in September.

Bendigo was well represented with Peta Mullens finishing second overall in the women’s after winning three stages of the event, while Chris Hamilton finished third overall and Russell Nankervis -Tasman’s brother - finished seventh overall.

Mullens' second placing came a week after she signed a deal to race with United States-based professional women's road team Hagens Berman Supermint.

The national road and mountain bike champion said she had an amazing week at Cape to Cape, both on and off the bike.

"With three stage wins and the closest women's race in history I'm excited about the months ahead to bring myself up to form come January," Mullens said.

The Cape to Cape ran from October 20-23.