Mont Tremblant Ulimate XC 100km/50km Mtn Bike Races

A few local riders headed out to Mont Tremblant to compete in the 100km and 50km xc race held yesterday.  Alicia Berthiaume and Steve Bursery competed in the 50km event with Steve placing 1st in his age category.  Jeff Jackson and Cameron Dube raced the 100km event, finishing in 8hrs10min and 8hrs4min.

The 100km event had a 6am start some 25 kilometres West of Mont Tremblant ski resort.  Winding its way through tight singletrack for the first 20km it then opened up to dirt roads and snowmobile paths with long, low angle climbs and descents.  As riders made their way closer to the resort town, more singletrack and 'city path' style tracks were introduced.  The last 40km involved climbing 600m to the summit of Mont Tremblant, with a warning from the marshal to have enough water and energy to sustain a solid hour of uphill push.  Once at the top, it was quick to drop elevation in the tight and technical singletrack, followed by another 40 minutes of climbing back up the hill, only to descend again at breakneck speeds.  The remaining 13km were by far the most brutal.  It was an 8km loop of tight switchbacks, rocky outcrops and abrupt transitions followed by a long, loose gravel climb to the last marshal tent.  From the last tent, a 3km traverse along the base of the ski hill lead racers into the resort town, amidst the tight pedestrian walkways, the people cheering and the music blasting. Racing the last 2km through the streets of Tremblant was certainly a highlight of the race. Maybe it was the paved walkways that felt so nice under the bike or the people screaming and cheering you to the finish line.  Approaching the finish, you hear your name called out by the announcer over the loud speaker and once through, a volunteer takes your bike for you and places a finisher medal around your neck, leading you to the food and drinks.
Overall, very well organized event.  The brutal climbing and technical singletrack made for a demanding course, challenging our technical capabilities and pushing all limits.
For more info: www.ultimatexc.com

Calling all mountain bikers!

Nat & Kevin from Norco will be coming out to the Forest Lea Trails again with a trailer full of bikes and the Norco Factory pro XC team.

Come out and ride the NEW Full Suspension Bikes or ride with the Norco XC Team riders.

Even if you’re not planning on buying one, we encourage you to come out and ride and see the latest technologies.

See you on the trails!

Damien, Tammy & The GearHeads Staff