Name: Robert "COSI" Hofman
Age: 21
Local to: Wollongong
Bike: Giant Reign Advanced 0
Sponsors: Giant Wollongong and We the Riders
Getting to know Cosi.
WTR: How long have you been riding bikes for and What is your biggest achievement so far on two wheels?
Cosi: I started riding bikes when I got my first hardtail mountain bike (Giant Thermo) in 2008, my first race was CORC DH in 2011. My biggest achievement on two wheels would probably have to be the Charity Ridei organised and completed in 2013 riding from Canberra to Melbourne and raising over $6000 for the Sony Foundation to run camps for kids with disabilities. Other than this all the people I have met through riding and the places it has taken me.
WTR: Calling Wollongong home, you are pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to trails, is there anywhere that you think tops it in Australia? Where is your favourite place to ride in Aus?
Cosi: Yeah Wollongong has some insane riding so easily accessible, it will be unreal when we can finally legalise the network and can race here.
I recently rode Fox Creek in Adelaide for National Champs and it just made me want to ride all day and not race, so I would say this is my favourite spot so far.
WTR: Lets chat 2019, what are your plans for the year ahead?
Cosi: Name of the game for the 2019 season is to get enough points to race on the EWS in 2020, so all of the qualifier rounds as well as a few others. Starting the season with the EWS 100 in Rotorua and Derby.
WTR: Sounds good, will you try and squeeze a few ride trips in there somewhere?
Cosi: Unfortunately all my trips will be for racing this year as I m also completing my Mechanical Engineering degree and doing my thesis so time is not on my side.
WTR: What does a normal week look like in the Hofman household? How much time do you spend on the bike?
Cosi: A normal week for me consists of a few days of work at the local bike shop (Giant Woollongong) and Uni most other days. Around this I manage to get a ride in about every day. Lots of Km's on the cyclocross bike doing hill repeats and intervals, usually 2 or 3 rides on the trails with a big one most weekends. To change things up I try and surf once or twice a week and go rock climbing once a week for some extra strength training.
I ride because... I cant think of anything better than being on two wheels, whether its bombing down trails, doing shuttles with my mates, cruising up the coast on my roadie, or throwing down at the dirt jumps. The mountain biking community is unreal and always getting stronger as more and more people realise just how rad it is, so there are always good people to ride with.
Keep up with Cosi's season on the socials @cosihofman
Follow Cosi's attempt at EWS Qualification 2019/2020
WTR have teamed up with Robert (Cosi) for the 2019 season, Cosi has a stack of events lined up and is chasing the dream of Qualifying for the Enduro World Series.
