Road cyclists always get the multi-stage racing glory. The Tour, the Giro, the Vuelta, the Du Pont . . . all stage races in beautiful places, and all on 23c tires. Until now, that is.
The mountains of Pennsylvania are a stunning sight and are spiderwebbed by hundreds of miles of challenging single track. It’s the perfect home for a mountain biking stage race, and that’s exactly where the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic will be based. The newly formed event will begin on May 30, 2010, and include 7 days of stage racing through the Pennsylvania hills.
Director Ray Adams and Executive Director Mike Kuhn have created an ideal venue for a neophyte stage racer by basing each day’s events near a centralized campground outside of Spring Mills. The Seven Mountains Boy Scout Campground will be the hub of the racing activity, with all stages beginning and ending in or very near the camp. According to the race website, most of the off-site stages are within biking distance of the base, and transportation may be arranged for the one or two that are farther than you might want to pedal.
The seven stages will include a time trial on the first day, followed by 6 days of dedicated cross-country racing. The course routes, distances, and elevation changes are not yet available, but the event schedule is published.
Race categories include solo men, women, 40+ men, 50+ men, and singlespeed men. Paired categories include open men, open women, mixed pairs, 80+ men, 100+ men, 80+ mixed, and mixed singlespeed. There are also two, creative team categories, team open and team corporate, which will allow new or inexperienced riders to compete on a leveled playing field. In both team divisions, only the results from the top 3 riders in each stage will be counted, allowing the slower riders to enjoy the race experience without worrying about hurting the team’s performance. Similarly, injured, tired, or burned out riders may skip stages without punishing their team standings. Teams may have unlimited numbers of riders and corporate teammates must all work for the same company.
The organizers are also offering food, lodging, and transportation at very reasonable prices, greatly simplifying the logistics of participating in a 7-day stage race. While most stage races require a support crew to cook, maintain equipment, and support the racer, a crewless, solo rider could easily race the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic by taking advantage of the additional services and accommodations being offered. For more information on the amenities, fees, and categories, visit the race website.
Wake up, North America. Dust off the mountain bikes, outline your winter training schedule, and block off May 30th to June 5th, 2010, because you’re about to tackle an awesome mountain bike stage race. You can be assured that CogAndChain.com will be there, both to report on the event and do a bit of racing!
