Already this year he’s put in six performances in the under 15 men’s National Cross Country Olympic mountain bike series, a competition that he now finds himself ranking fourth in.

The event itself kicked off in Orange on January 7, before moving to the Armidale tracks for rounds 3 and 4.

Bairnsdale, Victoria, then played host for the 5^th and 6^th rounds, and after the opening six races Burke has found himself just outside the podium positions for the season.

The young Mudgee speedster even finished third in the Bairnsdale leg of the competition, and the gap is certainly closing on the top three riders in a field that boasts 34 contestants.

Burke trains hard for the mountain and road bike events, practicing six days a week and travelling up to 200km in his gruelling regime.

Always training hard, Burke admitted that he does the events and pushes himself to the limits for the love of the race.

“I love the challenge and competition of the mountain bike,” he said.

“It’s also just great fun at the same time.”

The next hurdle for the biking hero is in Toowoomba, Queensland, where the final round of the National XCO series is to be held – the 7^th round gives Burke a chance at the top spots.

Then it’s onto the National Championships at Canungra on March 18, at a private bike park that will host the titles.