2008 Mountain States Cup schedule
It’s bigger and probably better too. Oh yeah, it’s gonna be on!
This just in from Mike McCormack at Bigfoot Production:
The Gravity Scoop
– Angel Fire, Snowmass and Keystone are UCI races (the only three in the United States). You can get points to qualify for World Cups and Worlds.
– Six gravity events are part of the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Racing Calendar. These races represent more than half of the domestic NRC.
– SolVista gets two events. This place is rad.
– We get a Vet Pro/Am 35+ category! I will be calling it Jedi Masters. Hmm … do I race Vet Pro or duke it out in Semipro?
– Junior Sport will be spit into two age groups.
– They might move Telluride up by a week in order to not conflict with the Colorado Crankworx. A while back Mike McCormack (the MSC promoter) asked the Crankworks/Winter Park guys to consider moving their date by a week and was told “no way.”
– The G3 format has been incorporated into the Keystone and the 2nd SolVista races. Mike says as a format G3 kicked a$$, but as a business venture it failed miserably. Bringing it into the MSC will give it the participation numbers it needs to stay alive.
– Two standalone (non-MSC) DH enduros at are in the works for Keystone and Snowmass. Depending on venue and budget approval.
The Endurance Scoop
– Three new venues: Breckenridge, SolVista and Fruita
– Stand-alone series finals in Breckenridge
– 5 NRC Endurance events
– New discipline: off-road time trial
– The Women’s Team competition will be tracked (huh? it wasn’t before?).
– The Colorado Epic MTB Stage Race (a non-MSC event) is still in development. Stay tuned for updates.
The Calendar
April 12-13
MSC #1, The Rabbit Valley Rampage, Fruita, CO
XC, STXC
– NRC (Endurance) event
– Venue pending BLM approval
May 2-4
MSC #2, The Chalk Creek Stampede, Nathrop, CO
XC, STXC, MX, DS
May 23-26
MSC #3, The Chile Challenge, Angel Fire, NM
DH, MX, SD, XC
– UCI LEVEL 1 DH/MX
– NMBS DH, SD, MX
– NRC – Endurance and Gravity
June 6-8
MSC #4, SolSurvivor, SolVista, CO
XC, DS, MX (final discipline selection TBD by snowmelt)
– NRC (Gravity) event
June 20-22
MSC #5, Wildflower Rush, Crested Butte, CO
XC, DH, SD
– In conjunction with CB Fat Tire Festival
July 11-13
MSC #6, Blast the Mass, Snowmass Village, CO
XC, SD, DH, MX
– UCI LEVEL 1 DH/MX
– NRC (Endurance and Gravity) event
– CO State Championships (MX)
August 1-3
MSC #7, Full Tilt in Telluride, Telluride, CO
XC, HC, DH, SD
– NRC – Endurance and Gravity
– CO State Championships (DH, SD, XC)
August 15-17
MSC #8, Keystone Climax, Keystone, CO
DH, DH, SD
– NRC Event (Gravity)
– G3 format (gravity stage race)
– UCI Level 2
August 23-24
MSC #9, Eldora Escape, Nederland, CO
XC, STXC
August 29-31
MSC #10, SolVista Squared, SolVista, CO
DH/SD/DH
– G3 format (gravity stage race)
– NRC (Gravity) event
– MSC Gravity Series Finals
September 6-7
MSC #11, The Fall Classic, Breckenridge, CO
XC, HC, STXC
– Endurance Series Finals
– Stage race
– NRC (Endurance) event
Questions: mikemac@bigfootproduction.com
More info: www.racemsc.com
Lee,
Why do you think the Second Sol Vista race was scheduled in direct conflict with the N.M.B.S. Finals in Tamarack, ID?
I dunno. I think Mike considers other events, but there are only so many weekends in the season, and I think too that MSC racers are largely a different market.
As for me, I see no reason to travel to a National outside the MSC.
As for this VetPro/Am 35+, is it two classes or one? I race Expert 30+ now.
It’s one class.
It’ll be great for guys who are moving up from Expert, and for guys like me who are too frail to compete in Semi or Pro.
I’m so there for the MSC! Thanks for helping me plot my season, Lee!