2010 Prairie City Race Series Dates

The dates for next Spring's Prairie City Race Series (PCRS) have been posted:

12 races Wednesday evenings from March 1st until June 23, 2010 (We will count your 10 best finishes toward your points total) NOTICE!!! There will NOT be a race on May 26 due to the Hang Town Motorcycle Races!

MARCH: 31
APRIL: 7, 14, 21*, 28
MAY: 5, 12,** 19 (NO RACE the 26th!)
JUNE: 2***, 9, 16, 23

This XC series runs weekly on Wednesday nights near Folsom, CA. Every race has a different course design, but all of them consist of several laps (depending on skill) of two to four miles in length. The races are held at Prairie City Off Highway Vehicle Park [ MAP ] near Folsom, CA (just east of Sacramento on Hwy 50). Prairie City OHV is a off-roads motorsports (i.e. Motocross) mecca where the annual Hang Town Motorcycle Races are held. You race over the same enduro style course, with numerous steep, short climbs and quick descents on the hardpack trail. Check out the race gallery photos for a better idea of the course conditions. Better yet, check out the previous several year's archives and see GPS maps of the actual courses.

CCCX DH Canceled!

Today's CCCX Downhill has been canceled due to the weather (thanks Julia).

CCCX DH #4 Preview

With all the rain over the last week or so, this could get muddy:

Recent rains will only make the race course better after a very dry year at Toro Park. The race will be taking place rain or shine with an excellent course planned for the proceedings. The course will feature portions of a new trail that was used for race #2 of the CCCX Series. The new trail features many aspects of DH and All Mountain trail riding. Many riders have contributed to the building of certain sections of this new trail. There were even work crews out this very week making new additions to the race route for Sunday's event. If it is moist a slippery from some rain on race day, the action will only be more EPIC! Hope to see you there! Please do not walk up the course backwards, and please have fun!

Via 2009 CCCX Downhill Race Series

NorCal High School League Looking for New Exec

The NorCal League is looking for a new Executive Director:

The Northern California High School Cycling League is looking for a new executive director to replace the founder and outgoing executive director, Matt Fritzinger, who is moving on to build the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

Having founded and built the NorCal League, Fritzinger is now finding all his time taken up by work at the national level. "I've been trying to manage the two, but we knew this wouldn't work, and it isn't working. The interest for building League's is ramping up faster than expected. Just in the last few days we've been having conversations with folks in Oregon, Wisconsin and Georgia and they don't want to wait."

The executive director's job has a broad scope that includes fund and sponsor development, risk management leadership, program planning and implementation, human resources management, operations planning and management, financial management, community relations and advocacy, and also board relations.

Candidates with experience in non-profit leadership, success in fundraising, and a passion for mountain biking are being sought. A job description can be downloaded from the homepage at www.norcalmtb.org and applications with a cover letter and resume should go to info@norcalmtb.org. No phone calls please.

Via NorCal HS League

USAC and MTB Cup Split Over ProXCT

Oh, the drama.

If you haven't been following the interwebs this week, here is what you've missed:

The people behind the US MTB Cup (and the ProXCT, which is US mountain biking's one year old Pro Tour) and the USAC (USA Cycling, which used to sponsor NORBA and is the Olympic governing representation for US Cycling) had a falling out over the cost/scheduling of UCI (i.e. World Championship Pro Tour) events. USA Cycling (which I will call USAC from now on) wants demands them, US MTB Cup people say they are too expensive and only benefits a small handful of riders (both probably true).

You can read the expert analysis of the donnybrook at Velonews and CyclingNews.

So what does this mean for NorCal racers ? Probably nada.

USAC will have an abbreviated ProXCT Series to keep their precious UCI points (and save face):

USA Cycling will continue the 2010 Pro XCT with the nation’s three remaining UCI inscripted events: the Bump ‘N Grind in Birmingham, Alabama on June 5; the Subaru Cup, slated for June 26 in Wautoma, Wisconsin; and the Carmichael Training Systems International Classic in Colorado Springs, Colorado on July 10.

The US MTB Cup people will press on with their series also:

“The US Cup is now working on the soon-to-be-released US Cup Mountain Bike Racing League (US Cup MBRL),” said Tedro. “We have over 20 events committed to being a part of the US Cup MBRL and we are very excited about that.”
Tedro said that the company plans to release details of the series later this week.

This will probably include the first three events (all SoCal-based) from the earlier announced ProXCT schedule.

For 99% of MTB racers (and maybe 100% in NorCal), this whole kerfuffle means nothing other than the name of the sponsors on the banners. However, it does continue to demonstrate that MTB racing has failed to gain a critical mass here in the US (which may be good or bad depending on your view). This is now the third major split/reorg/failure of Pro MTB racing series in the last five years (NORBA, NMBS, ProXCT) ...

2010 Skyline Park MTB Race

According to informed sources (thanx Scott!), this year's annual Skyline MTB Race has been scheduled for June 13th, 2010.

The website hasn't been update with all the details, but I would be that most of the major particulars haven't changed much. You can check out previous year's coverage in the archives.

Sea Otter Discount for December

If you can register this month, you can save a few bones:

To help us celebrate the holiday season, take $10 off your entry fee. Just use Coupon Code SOCHOLIDAY01 when you register for your favorite Sea Otter event. This offer is good through Dec 31, 2009.

Via Sea Otter Classic website.

2010 CCCX MTB XC Race Series

The 2010 CCCX Cross Country (XC) race schedule has been posted:

• Race #1: SUN February 14
• Race #2: SAT February 27
• Race #3: SUN March 14
• Race #4: SAT March 27
• Race #5: SAT April 3
• Race #6: SAT May 15
• Race #7: SAT June 12
• Race #8: SUN June 27

The locations are still TBD, but you can bet they will probably be similar to past years (maybe Fort Ord and Toro Park). I'll update this once we get the locations.

See the full details at 2010 CCCX Mountain-Bike Race Series or look at past year's race results in the archives.

Northstar/Giant Grassroots MTB Team

Another chance to get sponsored for next year's racing season:

Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort and Giant Bicycles are pleased to offer a special grassroots program that reaches out to competitive mountain bike athletes eager to promote the soul, passion and genuine love for the sport.

This program will provide a great box of tools to help recreational competitive athletes in California and neighboring states reach their full potential at local and regional mountain bike race events. Selected athletes will have the opportunity to purchase a Giant bicycle, Northstar-at-Tahoe Mountain Bike Park Season Pass, Team Jersey and other fine swag benefits at a preferred package price.

We are looking for humble athletes who will be great ambassadors, in the expert level categories with riding styles from downhill to endurance, for the Northstar-at-Tahoe and Giant Bicycle brands, who are approachable and knowledgeable, and who are passionate about converting all walks of life to the sport of mountain biking. We look to support athletes who are driven when it comes to achieving goals, helping the community, conquering obstacles, and relishing success.

To apply to the grassroots sponsorship program we would like to hear your definition of mountain biking and competing. What defines you as an athlete and a mountain biker? Submit a cover letter along with a resume to help us learn more about your passion and goals for the sport. In the resume, please outline races you have competed in along with your accomplished results. Email your resume and cover letter information to Justin Swett at justinswett@hotmail.com.

New USA Cycling Rules for 2010

USA Cycling, governing body behind many MTB races in the NorCal, has updated a few rules for the 2010 MTB racing season:

The 2010 rule book defines technical assistance zones for mountain bike races and specifies which races these zones are permitted in:

• 6D1. Feed/Technical Assistance Zones are permitted in the following events: Ultra-Endurance Events (Marathon, 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour events), UCI Cross Country (XCO) events (UCI classes only), Cross Country National Championships for the UCI classes (Pro men, Pro women, Junior 17-18 men, and Junior 17-18 women). Note that when the category 1 junior 15-16 year old juniors are on the course at the same time as the category 1 junior 17-18 riders, they will also have access to Technical Assistance Zones.
• 6D2. Authorised technical assistance during a race consists of repairs to or the replacement of any part of the bicycle other than the frame. Bike changes are not permitted and the rider must cross the finishing line with the same handlebar number plate that he had at the start.

It was also decided that Stars-and-Stripes jerseys will no longer be awarded in the “competition” classes at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. Competition class winners will, beginning in 2010, receive medals only.

Along with the aforementioned change came a restructure of the masters categories for Mountain Bike Nationals with the men’s 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+, and the women 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and 60+ fields being moved out of the “competition” class and into the “championship” class.

Other noteworthy results from the mountain bike trustee meeting include a single-speed class being added to the USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships; the junior 15-18 field being split in two (15-16 and 17-18) for national championship cross country and downhill contests; and non UCI-class competitions at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships being opened to permanent residents as well as U.S. citizens.

Via USA Cycling

2010 Downieville Classic Tentative Dates

It looks like there might be break in the impasse around the scheduling of this year's Downieville Classic:

DOWNIEVILLE CLASSIC MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE and FESTIVAL
Tentative Dates = July 9-11, 2010
If we are successful in our negotiations and are fortunate enough to receive a special-use permit for 2010, registration will open immediately. Fyi... this will be the last time the event occurs in the month of July

Via Downieville Classic

Coolest 24 Joins LIVESTRONG

Very cool to hear that one of our local races has hooked up with Lance Armstrong and his LIVESTRONG foundation:

The staff at Global Biorhythm events is proud to announce that the 2010 Coolest 24 Race Against Cancer will be part of the Lance Armstrong’s Foundation LIVESTRONG. We are very happy to join thousands of LAF supporters around the world in raising money to help fight cancer. The Coolest 24 has raised over $174,000 in the last 4 years. The Coolest 24 race against cancer has become the largest ultra endurance MTB fund-raising event in the country.

Via Global Biorhythm Events

CCCX DH #3 Results

This weekend's 2009 CCCX DH #3 Results have been posted. Congrats to Mark Weir (WTB/Santa Cruz/FoxShox) who edged out Jeff Kendall-Weed (bicycleweed.com) for the Men's Pro/Semi-Pro crown and Kelly Johnson (Chainsmoke) who beat Rosie Bernard (ABS) for the Women's Expert win.

Race photos by Nate Phillips have also been posted.

CCCX DH #3 Moved To Sunday!

A late change to this weekend's CCCX Downhill race near Monterey:

The race will be SUNDAY not Saturday, due some scheduling conflicts

Here's the course preview:

This Sunday's DH course will be approximately 3 miles long and descend 1100 vertical feet. The trail is nicknamed by the locals as "Rail Trail". Basically it is a railing, twisting & turning trail where holding your line at high speed is key to fast times. The Route starts on a very fast fire road, then drops into 2 miles of railing single track trails. The trail network features many tight turns, high speed turns, natural drops, berms, all on very fast single track. There is also some strength check sections where pedaling and fitness determine who can reach the highest speeds. This route has been a favorite during each of the previous CCCX DH Series and is used at least once each season. Please remember the race is on Sunday!

Again, the race is Sunday. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.

2010 US ProXCT Series

The dates for this year's Pro XC Tour have been announced, and not surprisely, NorCal has been excluded:

The American national cross country series, known in its current incarnation as the US ProXCT presented by US Cup, finalized its dates and venues for 2010. The series will visit six venues starting in March in California and ending in July in Colorado. Along the way, racers will also stop in Alabama and Wisconsin.

Three venues are not returning to the series. They include the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California, the Snow Shootout in Mount Snow, Vermont, and the Windham Cup in Windham, New York, which is hosting the 2010 World Cup final.

2010 USA Cycling's ProXCT presented by the US Cup

March 13-14: Bonelli Park, California (UCI 2 XCO)
March 27-28: Fontana, California (UCI 1 XCO)
May 16: Big Bear, California (UCI XCO 3)
June 5-6: Bump N Grind, Birmingham, Alabama (UCI 1 XCO)
June 26-27: WORS Subaru Cup, Mt. Morris, Wisconsin (UCI 2 XCO)
July 10-11: Finals - Carmichael Training Systems International Classic, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Via 2010 US ProXCT Series Dates Set.