For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

1. Northstar Super D Series (09/17/10): Northstar at Tahoe's gravity series continue with Friday night's Super D and Sunday's downhill.
2. Kirkwood 9 to 5 #2 (09/18/10): Another big race at Kirkwood, this time it is Team Bigfoot's 8 hour endurance race.
3. The Bidwell Bump™ Mountain Bike Race (09/18/10): Chico's lone entry on the calendar combines a XC race and a Pro/Expert Super D.
4. Kirkwood Six Hour SuperD (09/19/10): Probably the most unique race this season: "It's simple, the clock starts in the morning at 10:00 am and stops in the afternoon at 4:00 pm. The rider with the most COMPLETED runs by four wins." Learn more at the Team Bigfoot website.
5. Northstar DH Series (09/19/10): Last DH race before the Race 4 Tara III.
6. CCCX CX (09/19/10): First CX race of the season (I think ?).

Thanks to Rocky for the heads up on a new late season MTB race festival for those of you in far northern Cali (specifically Arcata/Eureka):

Mark your calendars for Halloween weekend, Oct. 30 and 31, 2010. The ghosts and goblins will spook us all for the Race for the Ridge Festival in the Arcata Community Forest.

Race for the Ridge Trail Festival is a two day fund raising event supporting new trails in Arcata Community Forest. The long range goal is to join Sunny Brae Forest to West End road through a series of connected trails. The festival will feature a cross country mountain bike race, short track mountain bike races, Super D mountain bike race, kids bike races, a 5k running race, family fun ride, tricks, treats, ghosts, goblins, food, music, entertainment, and maybe special guest appearances from Ichabod Crane and the Headless Bikeman.

Funds from the event will support the City of Arcata’s Ridge Trail Project, a hiking, biking and equestrian trail from Sunny Brea to West End Road.

Via Race for the Ridge Trail blog.

This week's Prairie City Race Series Fall FLASH will be moving (for one week only):

YIPPE!WOO HOO!HURRAH!
The 2010 Fall FLASH race #4 will be held at a different venue: Folsom Prison and Rodeo grounds!
The details of this event on Sept. 15, 2010 are still being worked out. Stay tuned to the website for more information.
http://www.racemtb.com/

This is the same venue as last weekend's Folsom Cyclebration XC.

It's a simply huge weekend for NorCal MTB racing: Four national quality races all up and down the I-80 corridor:

1. Folsom Cyclebration (09/10/10): four races over three days plus a whole lot of other bike festivities near Sacramento.
2. Tahoe-Sierra 50/100 (09/11/10): high country epic in it's third year.
3. Annadel XC Race (09/11/10): first time for racing in Annadel Park (Sonoma County).
4. The Great Tahoe Flume Race (09/12/10): last race in the Nevada Cup.

On the bright side, this is certainly closer than the East Coast:

USA Cycling is splitting the cross country and gravity portions of its mountain bike national championships into two separate events beginning in 2011. USA Cycling announced on Wednesday that Sun Valley, Idaho, will host the USA Cycling Cross Country Mountain Bike National Championships for the next two years on July 14-17, 2011 and July 12-15, 2012. A location for the downhill, four cross and dual slalom contests has yet to be determined.

USA Cycling said splitting the nationals for the disciplines would help it better meet the needs of endurance and gravity athletes alike.

In its first two years at its very own venue, the 2011 and 2012 cross country nationals will be organized by Breakaway Promotions and will include the Olympic-style cross country, short track cross country, and Super D competitions.

Via Cyclingnews.com.

Congrats to the BikeMonkey crew for pulling off the epic 2010 SoNoMas race:

Thank you for a successful 2010 event! Levi Leipheimer of Team Radioshack wins at 2 hours, 57 minutes, 48 seconds. He was closely marked by Christopher Jones of Team Type 1 who finished +6 minutes exactly. Results are posted. Photos are here.

Next up for North Bay racers: Annadel on September 11th & 12th, 2010.

Don't get too excited - it would be SoCal:

Interbike 2011 will be staged at the start of August 2011 in either Anaheim or Salt Lake City The 2010 Interbike will be the last to be staged in Las Vegas. The event will move to early August. Interbike has been staged in Las Vegas for 14 years, having previously being staged at the Anaheim showground, next to Disneyland. An announcement about a show date switch was expected two weeks ago but never came.

Via News by BikeBiz

The annual Bidwell Bump (which apparently has been trademarked this year :) is returning to the Chico, CA area for a full day of XC and SuperD racing:

The Bidwell Bump™ will be held on Saturday, September 18th in Upper Bidwell Park located in Chico, CA.  The event offers a four class Cross Country ("XC") race and a Super Downhill (Super D) event for Pro and Expert riders.
The race entry fee is $20 per race ($30 if you wish to enter both the XC and Super D events).  Because of the race location, we do not have the telecommunication services to support credit/debit card transactions.
Given the The Bidwell Bump™ is not currently a USA Cycling Race, no license is needed to enter and compete in the event.
Cross Country (XC) Race start is at 8:00am in Parking Lot B.  Participants are asked to use available parking lots in and around the race start area and over in 5 Mile recreation area. The XC event is broken out into four classes; Expert, Pro, Sport, and Beginner.  There will be a group start for each class.
The Super D (SD) Race is for Expert and Professional riders only.  The race start is located at "Green Gate" off of Hwy 32.  The race begins at 2:00PM with riders starting in 1 minute intervals.

Via The Bidwell Bump™ Mountain Bike Races in Chico, CA

 

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

• 1. Northstar XC Series (08/26/10): Final Northstar XC race
• 1. Northstar Super D Series (08/27/10)
• 3. Kirkwood 9 to 5 #1 (08/28/10): Continuation of the ten days of Kirkwood / Team Bigfoot MTBing
• 3. 24 Hours of Kirkwood (08/28/10)
• 1. Northstar DH Series (LiveWire Classic) (08/29/10)
• 6. SoNoMas 2010 (08/29/10): Epic North Bay race

This weekend is Bike Monkey'sSoNoMas but there are still a few spots open ...

I'll keep this short and sweet... as sweet as 35 miles of extremely challenging single-track can be.

SoNoMas is turning 2 on Sunday, the 29th of August, and you're presence is requested. We are throwing down in a big way to make this event the biggest, best, and most challenging single-day cross-country race we can concoct. How are we going to do that?  You be the judge.
Registration includes the afformentioned 35 miles--all of them, a couple of staffed rest stops with grub and joy, a solid EMT staff in case of any misshaps (you ride safe out there), a mass road start, camping, breakfast, lunch, beer, classy die-cast medals to the top 3 in each category, and a thick wad of cash for the top 10 professional athletes in both the mens and womens categories.

Pre-registration guarantees you that T-Shirt, otherwise your favorite volunteer gets it if you show up on race-day asking for a spot. If you're planning on coming, help us plan too and REGISTER TODAY

Via Bike Monkey.

rideSFO is bringing back the SF Bike Expo for the third year:

The 3rd annual San Francisco Bay Area Bicycle Expo returns on November 6th, 2010 at the Cow Palace (in SF). Last year, we turned the bicycle world upside down. We paired low rider bicycles with BMX bikes, showcased bike fashion, put on the first mountain bike dirt jump competition in San Francisco and ran a cyclocross race right next to those high flyers. This year, we bring it all back plus more!

The SF BIKE EXPO has 8 main events and features, keeping attendees in circulation around the two halls and outdoor facilities.

• Andrew Taylor’s Showdown: San Francisco’s Only Mountain Bike Dirt Jump Comp
• Pedal Savvy Fashion Show: A true bike fashion resource by Gwendolyn Lee Productions.
• The Cross Palace Cyclocross Race: A huge hit at the 2009 introduction! The race produced by Santa Rosa’s Bike Monkey actually goes in and back out of the Cow Palace.
• BMX Jam: Hosted by local apparel leaders Avant Garde.
• Low Rider Arcade: Art meets passion as the low rider community shows off their work.
• Behind Bars Inc. Custom and Vintage Bicycle Show: Classic metal and insane creations hosted by San Jose’s Behind Bars.
• Vendor Expo Area: The Industry Trade Show hall that allows vendors to show off the latest and greatest bikes, gear, apparel, parts, and offerings to a very eager public.
• Community Swap Meet: The swap hall is separated from the Vendor Expo area, and is the place to be for bargains and hard to find parts from independent sellers, bike shops looking to clear out older merchandise, and companies that recognize the need for an avenue to move discontinued products.

If you missed it last year, this is your opportunity to catch it again. Save the date November, 6th at the Cow Palace and look for more events and features to be added soon! Registration is open for Vendors, Bike Shops and Individuals. Please visit SF Bike Expo online TODAY!

Via 2010 San Francisco Bike Expo

I'm a little late on adding this, but the Caspar Classic is back for 2010:

Mendocino Coast Cyclists will once again host this year’s Caspar Classic Mountain Bike Race held on Sunday, September 5th. A new and exciting race course has been designed to challenge all participants. The official start of the race course will be in the same location as in the past on the Caspar Logging Rd (Road 500) and junction of Road 600. Registration will open at 9:00am with the race commencing at 10:30am. Come and enjoy a great day at the Mendocino coast while racing or just watching some of the best riders in Northern California when past winners Brain Astell and Mary Allen take to the trail. A great way to round out the Labor Day weekend!

Entry Fee: $25 $12.50 Juniors (17 and under with parental consent)

Directions: From Hwy 1 at Caspar go east on Fern Creek road ¼ of a mile to Caspar Orchard road turn right and proceed to dirt road (Road 500), continue on road 500 for one mile to junction of Road 600 and staging area. Be aware of large speed bumps on Road 500.

For further information please contact Stan Miklose at (707) 964-4661 or email miklose@mcn.org

Via 2010 Caspar Classic Mountain Bike Race.

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for Norcal:

1. Kirkwood CCCS Weekend (8/20 - 8/27): Tomorrow is the start of a full week of MTB activities up at Kirkwood. I was starting to list them out, but there are almost ten different rides or races (Super D Friday, XC on Saturday and Short Track on Sunday, etc.). Check out the full list of activities at the Team Bigfoot website.  They are already marking out the course ...
2. Northstar XC Series (08/19/10): Tonight is the second to last race in the XC series.
3. Women's Only Downhill Mountain Bike Clinic (08/21/10)
4. Locust Ride 3 (08/22/10): The third of the North Bay rides for MCBC.

NorCal Pro Levi Leipheimer wins at Leadville (full results):

A fast course, favorable weather conditions and a blistering pace helped Levi Leipheimer crush by 12 minutes the Leadville Trail 100 course record set by his Radio Shack teammate Lance Armstrong last year.
The fast tempo also saw second-place finisher Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Trek) top Armstrong’s time by 3 minutes 30 seconds. Leipheimer stopped the clock at 6:16:37 and JHK at 6:25:21. Armstrong’s time in 2009 was 6:28:50.“That was just ridiculous. I don’t know if I’ve suffered that much before,” Leipheimer said moments after crossing the line in downtown Leadville, Colorado, elevation 10,200 feet.
Third place was cross-country national champion Todd Wells (Specialized Factory Racing). Wells finished in 6:30:31, just under 14 minutes behind Leipheimer. Six-time Leadville 100 winner Dave Weins (Topeak-Ergon) came across the line in fourth with Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) immediately behind in fifth. Wiens and Bishop crossed at 6:33:54.

Via Singletrack.com

According to Murphy, another MCBC / Locust Ride has been scheduled for later this month:

This one is CX flavored.  Roads, fire roads, smooth dirt... only 200-300 yards of rough stuff.  Plan on about four hours.

As always, there'a a party at the end with lots of food and beer.  Only $15 and the money goes to MCBC.

As usual, I believe this ride starts at the Java Hut in Fairfax at 9:30am on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010.

Thanks for eagle-eyed readers Keith and Tim for the word that this year's Bogg Mountain Bash (scheduled for August 21sth) has been cancelled due to issues with the park.

The 2010 edition of the University of Nevada's Sky Tavern XC MTB race will be held this Saturday (August 14th, 2010) at the Sky Tavern Ski area near Mount Rose Ski Area (north of Incline Village, south of Reno).

The course has been described as "High in the Tahoe Sierras, this course is a technical 6 mile loop at the Sky Tavern ski area. The trail starts off with a steep fire road climb up to some tight, winding single track that finishes with a fast open descent. The trail will be the same as in years past."

As in past year's, the race will be the 3rd race in the Nevada State Championship Cross Country Series. Full details are available on the flier at Sky Tavern Nevada cup Race Info Flier (PDF).

Congrats to Menso De Jong, Paul Janney and Sarah Maile who won the Men's Open, Singlespeed and Women's Open categories at yesterday's Howell Mountain Challenge.

Full results are posted at http://web2.puc.edu/Pioneers/HMC/.

Joshua has sent in the details for this year's Parkfield Classic down in Los Olivos, CA:

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Wheelmen Present the 21st Parkfield Classic

September 25th and 26th

In its 21st annual running, the 2010 Parkfield Classic will be the best one yet. Great courses, awesome people, and fun times await those who make the journey to the “earthquake capital of the world” for this year's edition. The Wheelmen have been hard at work making sure the courses are groomed, the prized pint glasses (and maybe some new surprise glasses) are ready, and the barbecues fired up. As they say in Parkfield, “Be there when it happens!”. 

Who/What/When/Where: The Parkfield Classic is presented by the Cal Poly SLO Wheelmen and includes a weekend of XC, DS, ST, and DH racing as well as a brand new trials demo, along with camping and all around good time. This year's addition takes place on the weekend of Spetember 25th and 26th, with gates opening on Friday the 24th at 4pm. The event is held on the V6 Ranch in Parkfield, California, located roughly between Paso Robles and Kettlemen City. For additional information about the race check out http://www.cpslowheelmen.org/parkfield. For general Parkfield information on lodging and services please visit http://www.parkfield.com. All proceeds benefit the Cal Poly Wheelmen, a non-profit collegiate biking club. Questions and comments may be directed to Joshua and Patrick at parkfieldmtbrace (at) gmail (dot) com.

RAFFLE!
Have your chance at awesome prizes. Prizes this year will be epic as is par for our course ranging from free tubes thrown to the audience all the way up to a new Marzocchi Fork.

Cross Country - Saturday Morning
Parkfield has just the right brew for you. We are one of the last few races that won’t send you out for loop after loop of the same course. All courses come with our own flavor: flowy single track, big lung busting fire road climbs and long, screaming fast descents. ALL NORBA/USAC Racers get a BBQ ticket included with their race. 
Distances: Cat 3: 9 miles, Cat 2: 15 miles, Pro/Cat 1: 24 miles. 
Dual Slalom - Saturday Afternoon
The course you have grown to love with separate tracks for each racer makes for intense competition all the way down the hill. Built up rollers and additional berms make this year’s course the best one yet. One qualifying run. The 16 fastest qualifiers in each category will go head to head in single elimination rounds. Fastest qualifier in each race gets lane choice. 
Short Track – Sunday Morning
Fast paced and action packed XC racing that is as fun to watch as it is to race. Laps will be around the modified course from last year. Bring your lungs and your passing gears — we’re putting in more room for longer, harder drag races and including those technical sections to keep things exciting. NORBA/USAC racers will race with corresponding collegiate category due to time constraints. 
Downhill - Sunday Morning/Afternoon
When we brew downhill, we use nothing but heaps of fresh single-track. We enrich the flavor with flowing turns, high speed G-outs, and exciting drops. For those preferring something stouter, we’ve got some harder and bolder lines, but always allow the option for smoother ones for the first timers. 
Single Run format. Bypass options are given for most obstacles. Pro/Cat 1 course different than Cat 2/3 course. Riders are encouraged to wear protective gear as necessary. All riders must ride within safe limits! 

Race Fees
USAC categories: 30-40
Juniors: 20-30
Collegiate: 15

One day USA CYCLING licenses will be available for purchase by Cat2/3 riders

Parking/Camping is $10.00 per a vehicles plus $10 for trailers. 

All entrants, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, must sign guest waivers, or will be asked to leave the event. NO FIRES. 
Be smart and bring: Plenty of water, toilet paper, food, and camping equipment. Camping is primitive, but campgrounds have basic flush toilets and working showers. For the less adventuresome, lodging is available at the Parkfield Inn: (805) 463-2421. Be sure to call early because they will fill up fast!

If you are heading down to the Howell Mountain Challenge this weekend in Angwin, bring some extra money as Fork Catering will be providing healthy organic meals to athletes:

The menu we will have in addition to various beverages is:

• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Sourdough with avocado. sun dried tomato aioli  and thick cut potato chips $7
• Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu and Tempeh Salad: Rice Noodles, Asparagus, Napa and Purple Cabbage, Carrots, Sugar Snap    Peas, Lime and Ginger Soy Dressing $7
• Bowl of Organic Pinto Beans and Brown Rice with guac, salsa, sour cream and cheddar $5

Remember to bring cash for food.

Whew ... that was a good nap. Sorry for not posting something, but I've been on vacation. Expect a flurry of posts today but first, for those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

1. Howell Mountain Classic (08/08/10)
2. Northstar DH Series (08/08/10)

 

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

1. TBF Friday Night MTB Series (07/23/10)
2. Northstar Super D Series (07/23/10)
3. Lake Sonoma Series (07/24/10)
4. Northstar DH Series (07/25/10)

Also don't forget the North Bay for the Marin County Fun Ride this weekend.

If you are heading into the North Bay for the Marin County Fun Ride this weekend, you might want to check this out:

Gestalt Haus of Fairfax is a cafe/bar longtime overdue in Fairfax (28 Bolinas, Fairfax CA); a town at the heart of some amazing mountain biking and road cycling.  Gestalt is themed to celebrate the cycling community, serving a great post-ride meal of hot German Sausages, and quality Californian and European brews.  Dirty or sweaty, it doesn't matter, all are welcome.  There are hooks on the wall for hanging your bikes, old bike memorabilia (e.g. Gorgeous SyCip with bar levels as break shifters), and picnic benches for seating that resemble an indoor beer garden.  All ages are welcome, so whether it's a family ride or a night ride with the bro's, check them out at their website or on Facebook.

Gestalt Haus is open Monday 530pm-Midnight, Tuesday-Friday: 530pm- 2am, Saturday: 11am-2am, Sunday: 11am-Midnight.

Keith DeFiebre scanned through all results posted and came up with a list of NorCal riders who made the "Podium" at the USA MTB National Championships this past weekend in Colorado, held at the SolVista Bike Park on Granby Ranch.  Looks like 46 times a Northern California MTB racer was called up to the podium at the high altitude USA National Championships.  Colorado might have dominated the results pages, but NorCal made a giant impression on the racing and the riders listed below all deserve a huge round of applause!  Congratulations!

1st- Dario Fredrick            San Anselmo Men - CAT 1 - 40-44- XC
1st- Helene Drumm           San Anselmo Women - Open - 40-99- Super D
1st- Chris Thibodeau         Grass Valley Men - Open - 19-29- Super D
1st- Kate Courtney            Kentfield Women - CAT 1 - 15-16- XC
1st- Abbie Durkee             Inverness Women - CAT 1 - 35-39- XC
1st- Sven BeerFairfax Men - CAT 2 - 15-18- XC
1st- Ryan Stevens             Novato Men - CAT 2 - 15-18- DH
1st- Mark Ferry                 El Dorado Hills Men- CAT 2 - 40-44- XC
1st- Josie Nordrum           Corte madera Women CAT 3- 15-18- XC
5th- Bradley Benedict       Auburn Men - Pro DH
3rd- Christopher Ravina    Novato Men - Open - 1-18- Super D
4th- Mason Bond               Cedar Ridge Men - Open - 1-18- Super D
5th- Max Houtzager           Ross Men - Open - 1-18- Super D
3rd- Evan Ames                 Sutter Men - Open - 19-29- Super D
2nd- Chuck Ross               Grass Valley Men - Open - 40-49- Super D
4th- Victoria Yoham          San Raphael Women - Open - 15-18- Super D
5th- Kelsey Anderson        Novato Women - Open - 15-18- Super D
2nd- Michelle Monroe        Salinas Women - Open - 30-39- Super D
4th- Donald Myrah            San Jose Men - CAT 1 - 30-99- Short Track
2nd- Helene Drumm          San Anselmo Women - CAT 1- Short Track
4th- Donald Myrah            San Jose Men - CAT 1 - 30-99- XC
2nd- Helene Drumm          San Anselmo Women - CAT 1- XC
3rd- Christopher Ravina    Novato Men - CAT 1 - 15-16- DH
5th- Austin Benge             Angwin Men - CAT 1 - 15-16- DH
4th- Evan Geankoplis        Goldriver Men - CAT 1 - 19-24- DH
5th- Josh Brown                Kings Beach Men - CAT 1 - 19-24- DH
4th- Jeff Bowers                San Jose Men - CAT 1 - 25-29- DH
5th- Craig Anderson          Novato Men - CAT 1 - 45-49- DH
2nd- Kelsey Anderson       Novato Women - CAT 1 - 15-18- DH
3rd- Annemarie Hennes    Santa Cruz Women - CAT 1 - 30-39- DH
3rd- Thomas Ravina          Novato Men - CAT 1 - 15-18- MX
5th- Menso de Jong           Cupertino Men - Singlespeed- XC
5th- Patrick Charlton         Mill Valley Men - CAT 1 - 19-24- XC
3rd- Chuck Ross                Grass Valley Men - CAT 1 - 40-44- XC
5th- Dee Larsen                 Sacramento Women - Masters - 50-54- XC
2nd- Gary Bridges             San Carlos Men - Masters - 65-69- XC
2nd- Ronald Riley              Aptos Men - Masters - 70-99- XC
4th- Annemarie Hennes     Santa Cruz Women - CAT 1- MX
3rd- Tony Smith                San Rafael Men - CAT 1 - 17-18- XC
4th- William Curtis            San Rafael Men - CAT 1 - 17-18- XC
5th- Christopher Bennett  El Cerrito Men - CAT 1 - 17-18- XC
5th- Bryan Duke                Salinas Men - CAT 1 - 15-16- XC
2nd- Sofia Hamilton          San Anselmo Women - CAT 1 - 17-18- XC
2nd- Eliel Anttila               Mill Valley Men - CAT 2 - 15-18- XC
5th- Jacob Albrecht           Soquel Men - CAT 2 - 15-18- XC
2nd- Justin Abbott            Pleasant Hill Men - CAT 2 - 19-29- XC
3rd- Talbott Houk             Monte Sereno Men- CAT 2 - 50-45- XC
3rd- Richard Kirby            Santa Rosa Men CAT 3 - 30-39 - XC

 

According to this email from Murphy, there is another Two Wheel Locust / MCBC Fun Ride this weekend:

THIS course is RE-DONKLOUSLY FUN!!! More shade, less grind! See you there? 1/3 road, 1/3 rocks & 1/3 dirt.

Ride starts at 9:30 AM on Sunday (7/25/2010) at the Java Hut in Marin FAIRFAX and again benefits the Marin County Bike Coalition. Bring $15 to support the MCBC.

Race Special Interview: Keith DeFiebre goes behind the scenes with Mark Weir regarding his 8th victory in the 2010 Downieville DH race.

DeFiebre: Congratulations Mark on victory #8 at the Downieville DH race.  This victory must have been very special?

Weir: Thanks Keith. Each year the competition seems to get better and the race itself is more prestigious then ever before.  After two years of watching other riders claim high honors it is now great to be back on top.  The best riders in the USA come to Downieville each year, like my team mate Jason Moeschler(WTB), Nathan Riddle(SRAM), Adam Craig(Giant-Rabobank), and Ross Schnell(Trek).  It is survival of the fastest and most fit out there and I was determined to prove I am the champ!

DeFiebre: Tell me about your winning set up, what did you run on race day?

Weir: First I want to thank all my key sponsors- WTB, Shimano, Santa Cruz Bicycles, & Fox Racing Shox.  For race day I went with my Santa Cruz Nomad- equiped with a Coil Shock, and on the front I ran Fox Racing's awesome 36 Float front fork.  I had Shimano XTR for my controls, a 10 speed rear cog 11-36 and a 40 tooth chain ring on the front.  The 40 tooth chain ring was a little stiff on the uphill sections, but I knew it was key to fight through the pain and push a big gear on the climb.  I ran the WTB Stryker XC Wheels mounted with the heavy version of the Wolverine 2.2 All Mountain TCS tires and a WTB Valcon Carbon saddle.  I wanted to run the 900 gram dual compound tires that were more heavy, but also more resistant to flats.  I am super lucky that all of my sponsors make the best stuff on the market, and I get to race the very best equipment available.

DeFiebre: You started off 2010 with a few victories at the CCCX DH races in Monterey, then you ripped off wins at the Spring Thaw event and Ashland's 12 Mile Super D race.  You were on a winning streak heading into Downieville, did this give you a touch more confidence before the main event?

Weir:  In the past, when I am going good, I have posted some serious win streaks from event to event.  Of course this gives me confidence and shows me my training is right, my diet is right, and my power is in order.  I never get caught out thinking I can just show up and win.  You know better then anyone Keith, to win races there is no secret formula.  You have to work dam hard to succeed, train incredibly hard to be your best, then still come up with more desire and more focus to go fast when your on course.  At the top level we all have talent. It is things like family support, mental strength, and inner peace that can make the difference between being first place or being bitter your not first place at the end of the day.

DeFiebre: After 8 victories in the Downieville DH race, you will forever be linked to this event.  You must have mad respect for the trail systems there and how far MTB racing and riding has progressed over the years in Downieville.

Weir: Trail stewardship is the key to Downieville's successful future.  I respect those trails more then I can say.  Yuba Expeditions and the people of Downieville have a great thing going and I will always be a advocate of the trail systems and the super riding Downieville offers.  The Downieville Classic is now a huge event.  It is key for everyone to enjoy the trials properly and to show that MTB riding is positive for the community.  When I race there, I am having fun on every single switchback, not looking to cut corners or make some new race day portion of trail for a faster line.  If everyone respects the trails then the future of MTB riding in Downieville will be strong, and the racing will be fare.

DeFiebre: It must have been great to have your son Gus up on the podium with you!  You really looked like a proud dad?

Weir: Gus will be faster then me on a bike!  All he thinks about is riding, he really is amazing.  I can not do what I do without the support of my wife, my family, and my friends.  Being able to bring Gus up on the top step of the podium with me brings joy to my heart!

Thanks to Keith DeFiebre for this interview. Official results from the this year's race are available at Cross Country, Downhill and All-Mountain.

In case you forgot, TBF's July Friday Night Races start tonight:

Thanks for your support of our races. The TBF Friday Night MTB Series is back in July with three Friday Nights in a row on July 16th, 23rd, and 30th at Granite Bay, Folsom Lake. The roughly 7 mile loop course will travel the favorite trails around Folsom Lake, along with some high water adjustment trails and a road-start to accommodate all of the water still in Folsom Lake. The three-race Series awards Custom Apparel for the Champion of each age group/division, and the July Series will have a three-lap course of 21 miles for all Single Speed riders as well as Expert division riders. Pre-race cost is $20 with the race-day price being $5 more at the event. Included is a fun cross country mountain bike course with extremely well-marked courses, posted times on the TBF Racing website after the event, and post-race refreshments and recovery drinks to finish the fun. More information is available at www.tbfracing.com

Bend is not such a long roadtrip ...

USA Cycling is pleased to announce that Bend, Ore. will host the 2011 and 2012 Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships.

The annual event, which crowns 24 national champions in marathon mountain biking, has been held in conjunction with the Firecracker 50 in Breckenridge, Colo. for the past four years. Its move to Bend for 2011 and 2012 will mark the seventh and eighth USA Cycling National Championship events held in the cycling-friendly city in a four-year period.

With breathtaking beauty and a festival-like atmosphere as the backdrop, the 2011 and 2012 USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships will start and end in Bend’s historic Old Mill District.  The race course will provide a combination of technical sections and miles of highly acclaimed single track. Competitors will gradually climb for 25+ miles toward Mt. Bachelor before looping around and returning to town on a fast and fun descent.

Via USA Cycling.

Past Downieville Downhill winners Mark Weir (WTB) and Katerine Nash (Luna) win big in the DH, but can't secure the All-Mountain wins from Carl Decker (Giant Factory Racing) and Kelli Emmett (Giant Factory Racing).

The Pro Men’s (XC) race was a runaway victory for Decker (Giant Factory Racing) who led the field by a whopping five minutes at the top of the first race-separating climb. Decker held on to the margin and finished in a new course record of 1:50:50.

The story was similar in the Pro Women All-Mountain (XC) action as Kelli Emmett (Giant Factory Racing) got off to a fast start on the grueling climb and topped out several minutes ahead of last year’s champ, Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team). Emmett held on to the lead and finished in 2:08:56. Nash rolled in second at 2:11:42 while Lizzy English (Giant) rounded out the podium with a time of 2:31:46.

The 15th annual Downieville Classic All-Mountain World Championships wrapped up the weekend of racing with the downhill stage two on Sunday. Eight-time Downieville Downhill King Mark Weir (WTB) and Two-time Downhill Queen Katerine Nash (Luna) both added a jewel to their crowns taking the stage wins.

Via Singletrack.com coverage.

Pro Men All-Mountain

1. Carl Decker (Giant Factory racing)
2. Adam Craig (Giant-Rabobank)
3. Jason Moeschler (WTB)
4. Tim Olson (Trek)
5. Mark Weir (WTB)

Pro Women All-Mountain Overall

1. Kelli Emmett (Giant Factory Racing)
2. Katerina Nash (Luna Pro Team)
3. Lizzy English (Giant)
4. Sarah Maile (Ventana)
5. Karla Kingsley (Third Pillar)

Pictures are available here, here and here.

As reported earlier this summer, Squaw Valley is re-opening their MTB park this summer:

Squaw Valley’s renowned mountain bike park will reopen on July 16, 2010 for the first time in almost a decade. Lake Tahoe’s legendary mountain bike park is back in action, with over fifteen miles of dedicated downhill single track and mountaintop cross-country trails.

Formerly the site of the Mountain Bike World Cup, Fat Tire Festivals and Downhill Mania events, Squaw Valley’s bike park has been completely rebuilt to increase the flow of the trails and incorporate more freeride elements using the mountain’s natural terrain.

Squaw Valley is also opening three intermediate cross-country trails on top of the mountain. Bikers can enjoy scenic loops through fields of wildflowers with views overlooking Lake Tahoe and the Sierra peaks.

Click here for a map of the bike park

Click here for photos of Squaw Valley's bike park

Bike Park Ticket Pricing: Adults: $39 per day Kids (12 and under): $22 per day

Bike Park Hours: 10:40am - 7pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 16 - Aug. 21) 10:40am - 5pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Aug. 22 - Sept.6) 10:40am - 5pm Weekends Only (Sept. 7 - Sept. 19)

Via Mountain & Trail Biking | Squaw Valley

Following on the popular Spring/Summer race series, Bicycling Events / Prairie City Race Series has announced their Fall Flash series:

This Series came into being in 2003 because YOU all asked for it!  This Series is un-sponsored and supported entirely by your participation!  It is a "compact" version of our regular season...the "FLASH" courses are a little shorter, flatter and faster than our Spring season courses because of the limited sunlight hours... other than that, same great fun! These races are great for the first time racer or the Expert looking more training.

Online registration will be open Thursday through Monday during the Series. Registering online instead of waiting to register on race day will save you $10.

Dates:  August 25 and September 1,8,15

Full details at Prairie City Race Series Fall FLASH.

After seven races, starting in February and finishing at the end of June, the 2010 CCCX XC Series Champions were awarded last weekend in Monterey.  Over 525 different riders participated in the 2010 version of CCCX XC, demonstrating a healthy race scene in and around the Central Coast of NorCal. Twenty-seven division champions were crowned in Monterey and here is a list of the best & most consistent CCCX XC racers for 2010 - Congratulations all CCCX XC Division Champions!

• PRO/SEMI-PRO- Alex Work- HRS Rock Lobster
• PRO/EXPERT WOMEN- Jamie Stamps- Another Bike Shop
• EXPERT MEN under 18- Jacob Albrecht- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• PRO/EXPERT SINGLE SPEED- Steve Kelley- SB Racing
• EXPERT MEN 19-34- Brian Butler- SBC Racing
• EXPERT MEN 35-44- Alex Rouch- Joselyns/Palantir
• EXPERT MEN 45-54- Courtney Grossman- VOS Racing
• EXPERT 55+- Richard Latorraca- Santa Cruz Bicycles
• SPORT/JR MEN UNDER 18- Josh Krisman- Summit Bicycles
• SPORT MEN 19-34- Alex Kramer- South Bay Tools
• SPORT MEN 35-44- Stu Maclennan- San Jose
• SPORT MEN 45-54- Michael Urbina- TeamWrongWay
• SPORT MEN 55+- William Clevenger- Cupertino Bike Shop
• CLYDESDALE- Wade Hall- Los Gatos Bike Racing Club
• SPORT SINGLE SPEED- Vincent Brown- Bike Station Aptos
• SPORT WOMEN under 18- Rainee Chandler- DC 10
• SPORT WOMEN19-34- Brianne Spiersch- SB Racing
• SPORT WOMEN 35-44- Shiloh Ballard- San Jose
• SPORT WOMEN 45+- Becky Brain- Pleasant Hill Cyclery
• BEGINNING MEN 19-34- Ben Blakley- Pacific Grove
• BEGINNER MEN 35-44- Kris Cowdrey- Joselyns
• BEGINNER MEN 45-54- Daniel Russ- Aptos
• BEGINNG MEN 55+- Jim Claflin- Chico
• JR MEN under 13- Jacob Labosky- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• JR MEN 14-18- Chance Tiner- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• JR WOMEN- 18- Maddie Ortenblad- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• BEGINNG WOMEN 19+- Michele Wilcox- SB Racing

Full List Of 2010 CCCX XC Series Points Here

Aaron Bradford (Specialized/OnsiteUltraSound) and Michelle Monroe (SB Racing/Buycell.com) were the top male and female finishers at the always competitive CCCX XC Series final event this past Sunday in Monterey.  The National Super D Champion Bradford shared the podium with Junior sensation Bryan Duke(VOS Racing), who is just a sophomore in High School, and past USA National Cross Country Champion Don Myrah (Buy-Cell/Ibis).  The CCCX Series has always been a developmental race program which provides NorCal racers a chance to practice their craft.  The competition is always at an extremely high level and many NorCal riders have had their start at CCCX races.  Monterey County resident Bryan Duke is a rider who started out racing CCCX events, then the Nor-Cal High School league, and now has developed into quite the Junior sensation who can challenge some of the best riders in all of America.  Michelle Monroe was joined on the podium of the Pro/Expert Women's division by Beverly Chaney (Roaring Mouse) & Jamie Stamps (Another Bike Shop).

Here is a list of all the race day winners at CCCX XC #7- The Series Final:

• PRO/SEMI-PRO- Aaron Bradford- Specialized/OnsiteUltraSound
• PRO/EXPERT WOMEN-Michelle Monroe-SB Racing/Buycell.com
• EXPERT MEN 18 & under-Tobin Ortenblad- S.C. Chain Gang
• PRO/EXPERT SINGLE SPEED- Scott Stenmans- SLO
• EXPERT MEN 19-34- William Kemper- Tear'n It Up
• EXPERT MEN 35-44- Cesar Chavez- Buy-cell.com/Ibis
• EXPERT MEN 45-54- Courtney Grossman- VOS Racing
• EXPERT 55+- Richard Latorraca- Santa Cruz Bicycles
• EXPERT 60+- Ron Riley- Team Sauba
• SPORT/JR MEN 18 & UNDER- Steven Larson- Salinas High
• SPORT MEN 19-34- Christopher Kelly- Oakland
• SPORT MEN 35-44- Bill Dean- NPS
• SPORT MEN 45-54- Michael Urbina- TeamWrongWay
• SPORT MEN 55+- Jeff Townsend- Plus 3
• CLYDESDALE- Wade Hall- Los Gatos Bike Racing Club
• SPORT SINGLE SPEED-Vincent Kurtis Brown-Bike Station Aptos
• SPORT WOMEN -18- Sofia Gomez-Villafane- ODI/dirtball fashion
• SPORT WOMEN19-34- Brianne Spiersch- SBRacing
• SPORT WOMEN 35-44- Shiloh Ballard- San Jose
• SPORT WOMEN 45+- Janel Lodge- Blackmarket/Family Cycling
• BEGINNING MEN 19-34- Ben Blakley- P.G.
• BEGINNER MEN 35-44- Cam Primavera- OTR/SCCC
• BEGINNER MEN 45-54- Robert Tiner- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• JR MEN 13 & under- Jacob Labosky- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• JR MEN 14-18- Chance Tiner- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
• JR WOMEN -18- Quincee Chandler- Doug Chandler Performance
• BEGINNING WOMEN 19+- Michele Wilcox- SB Racing

Full results can be found here

Another race falls victim to our cool summer temperatures ...

We reget to announce that due to there still being up to five feet of snow on the course Hasta Be Shasta has been cancelled.

Shastarama on July 18 will still happen.

Via Team Bigfoot

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NoCal (Why is everything in Tahoe this weekend ?):

1. Reno Wheelmen Twilight MTB Series (06/24/10 - TONIGHT)
2. TBF Friday Night MTB Series (06/25/10 Friday Night)
3. So Cal Mtn. Stage Race (06/26/10): Although not in NorCal by any means, this seems like a cool race with only a bit of a roadtrip.
4. Northstar ProGRT (06/26/10): race with the Pros up in Tahoe
5. XTERRA Tahoe City (06/26/10)
6. CCCX XC (06/27/10): The series finale



 

Alex Work (Rock Lobster) set a blistering pace during CCCX XC Race #6 (The Father's Day Classic) on his way to dominating the proceedings in the Pro/Expert division this past Sunday in Monterey.  Work's time for 5 laps equaling 25 miles with 3335 feet of climbing was 1.40'22''.  Cesar Chavez (Buy-Cell.com-IBIS) posted the 2nd fastest time of the day at 1.40'35''.  Epicenter Cycling's Jordan Kestler just made it into the top 3 fastest riders on the day with a time of 1.44'09", barely edging Joselyn's Bicycle sponsored Alex Rousch who came in at 1.44'15".  Jamie Stamps (Another Bike Shop/Chain Gang Coach) was the top female racer on the day completing 5 laps in 2.04'40".  Congratulations also goes out to The Santa Cruz Chain Gang Race Team, who had 4 division winners overall, and to the Doug Chandler Performance Race Team, who had 3 division wins on the day!
The CCCX Series final will take place this coming Sunday, June 27th at Ft. Ord.  Full CCCX Race info can be found at www.cccxcycling.com.
Full Results Here: http://www.cccxcycling.com/2010xcrace6resultspage.html
Here is a list of all the division winners at the Father's Day Classic - CCCX XC #6
PRO/SEMI-PRO- Alex Work- HRS Rock Lobster
PRO/EXPERT WOMEN- Jamie Stamps- Another Bike Shop/Chain Gang Coach
EXPERT MEN 18 & under- Jacob Albrecht- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
PRO/EXPERT SINGLE SPEED - Michael Mann- SCCCC
EXPERT MEN 19-34- William Kemper- Cupertino
EXPERT MEN 35-44- Cesar Chavez- Buy-cell.com/Ibis
EXPERT MEN 45-54- Courtney Grossman- VOS Racing
SPORT/JR MEN 18 & UNDER- Josh Krisman- Summit Bicycles
SPORT MEN 19-34- Jett Chandler- Doug Chandler Performance
SPORT MEN 35-44- Josh Dorris- Team norcal Bike spt
SPORT MEN 45-54- Michael Urbina- TeamWrongWay
SPORT MEN 55+- William Clevenger- Cupertino Bike Shop
CLYDESDALE- Alf Ebberoth- Seaside
SPORT SINGLE SPEED- Vincent Kurtis Brown- Bike Station Aptos
SPORT WOMEN 18 & under- Rainee Chandler- Doug Chandler Performance
SPORT WOMEN19-34- Carolyn Thompson- Velo Girls
SPORT WOMEN 45+- Janel Lodge- Blackmarket/Family Cycling
BEGINNING MEN 19-34- Ben Blakley- Pacific Grove
BEGINNER MEN 35-44- Cam Primavera- OTR/SCCC
BEGINNER MEN 45-54- Paul Robins- One Team Racing
BEGINNG MEN 55+- Jim Claflin- Chico
JR MEN 13 & under- Jacob Labosky- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
JR MEN 14-18- Chance Tiner- Santa Cruz Chain Gang
JR WOMEN 18 & under- Quincee Chandler- Doug Chandler Performance
BEGINNG WOMEN 19+- Michele Wilcox- SB Racing

Bike Monkey Productions has announced another race on their North Bay racing schedule - the long rumored Annadel XC:

On September 11th, 2010 organized mountain biking will return to Annadel State Park after a 24 year hiatus. This will come along with a unique multi-user outreach component of the event offering recreational activities for all users. It’s aim will be to highlight the importance of supporting California State Park infrastructure through funding, volunteerism and stewardship.

Details are slim at the moment, but we do know that it will take place in Annadel State Park (South of Santa Rosa on Hwy 12) on September 11th and 12th.

More info at Bike Monkey Magazine.

Here is a satellite view of this Sunday's CCCX Race #6 course. The route is 5 miles in length and has 670 feet of climbing per lap. 3 laps: 9:00 am start, 4 laps: 11:00 am start, 5 laps: 1:00 pm start. The route is extremely fast, with most of the trails in Ft Ord hard packed and dry. The climbing is spread out evenly during the 5 mile route - you can see the elevation layout on the GARMIN totals below. There are some loose/sandy sections on few portions of trail, however most of the route is straight up fast and flowing. Happy Fathers Day!

GARMIN / GPS TOTALS HERE- http://connect.garmin.com/activity/37353208

For those of you making your weekend plans, here is quick rundown of this weekend's MTB racing schedule for NorCal:

1. TBF Friday Night MTB Series (Friday - TONIGHT): Second installment of Friday night racing at Folsom Lake.
2. Humbug Hurry-Up (Saturday): Technically part of the OBRA schedule, this is the northern most race on the calendar  (Yreka, CA).
3. CCCX XC (Sunday): Monterey/South Bay XC race. Course schedule and preview later tonight.
4. Northstar DH Series (Sunday): The first DH race in Northstar at Tahoe's summer series.
5. MCBC Fun Ride (Sunday): Fun ride (not race) to benefit the Marin County Bike Coalition.

Although this is not a race (REPEAT: not a race), you should still think about heading out to Marin and supporting the Marin County Bike Coalition:

"MCBC Fun ride... like the early Grasshoppers. It's not a Grasshopper... it's a two-wheeled-locust."

It's like the Enduro, only shorter.  It's like a Grasshopper ride, only in Marin County.

1/3 road, 1/3 rocks and 1/3 dirt.

IT'S THIS SUNDAY.

Self supported. 35-40 miles we're guessing. Bring sunscreen and a camera. Party at the finish.