- For the mountain biker that likes to challenge themselves
I've made a list of what I think are the top five
bucket list events that everyone should consider trying.
One of the craziest races out there and something
I think you've got to try once is the Mega,
a mass start race high on the Pic Blanc glacier
above Alpe D'Huez in France at 3,300 meters in elevation.
The starts can be carnage.
Battling with hundreds of other racers
down a super fast start in the snow
before hitting the open rocks sections
and endless single track.
The atmosphere is electric with riders everywhere.
If you're into dance music pumping,
helicopters buzzing overhead, it feels like you're
racing from the top of the world to the bottom.
The top riders compete in the 30 kilometer long,
2,000 meter descent in about 38 minutes.
The snow conditions will change from year to year
but in good conditions the top riders can reach
over 70 miles per hour.
Riders reach the bottom completely spent
from exertion and adrenaline and spend
the next few hours retelling the crazy stories.
The Absa Cape Epic has been challenging riders since 2004
and has become a highlight of the race calendar
for many of the top riders and has even been
described as a Tour de France for mountain bikes.
Teams of two take on the prologue and seven days of racing
over around 700 kilometers and 30,000 meters of climbing
over the Western Cape of South Africa.
The course is redesigned each year.
Every year we see the amazing photos of helicopters
following a long trail of racers going hell-for-leather
through the incredible open African landscapes.
The results sheets have been filled by
cross-country legends like Nino Schurtur, Christoph Sauser,
Burry Stander, Ariane Lutee, and Annika Langvad.
But the race is made up of hundreds of
inspired amateurs who want to test themselves
against the best in the world in the rugged, mixed terrain.
Six hundred teams take part but you'll need to
take part in a lottery to get a place.
The Tour Divide for the for the ultra endurance athletes
this has to be the ultimate test.
A race with no entry fee, no registration,
and no prize for finishing is still one of the
most prestigious and hard-fought out there.
The Tour Divide is an ultra endurance event
raced in the Great Divide route from Canada to
the border of Mexico, or the other way around, you choose.
Most riders ride for about 16 hours or more a day
in bedrock by the side of the trail.
2,750 miles at 200,000 feet or 61,000 meters of climbing.
Grizzly bears, mountain lions, it truly is
an epic test for the self-supported rider.
The record is 13 days, 22 hours, and 51 minutes
held by the English endurance legend
and sadly passed away, Mike Hall.
Crankworx Whistler. Whistler really is Disneyland
for mountain bikers and for nine days in August
it hosts Crankworx.
The main event is a joyride slopestyle,
the most important event in the world
for slopestyle riders who push the limits
every year to try to take the title
in front of thousands of spectators.
For mere mortals there are plenty of events
if you want to get involved from Dual Slolem
to Enduro, Downhill, Air Downhill
on the classic A-Line trail with countless jumps,
or the Garbonzo Downhill with 3,400 feet of drop,
there's something for everyone.
But save your energy for the Dirt Diaries video night
and legendary parties that take place every night.
Fortunately the lifts run till 8 PM
if you don't get an early start.
Now finally I've lumped a few together here
but let's talk about enduro stage races,
something I think everyone's got to try once.
There's things like the Trans-Provence,
Andes Pacifico, all sorts of these races.
Trans meaning traveling-through races
have been around for a while.
The TransRockies race has been taking riders
through the epic North American single track
of the Rocky Mountains since 2002.
What better way to experience the trails
of a certain part of the world?
In more recent years the Trans-Provence
has shown some of the world's top endurance riders
the incredible terrain of the
south of France and the Alps Maritime.
There are plenty more of these races like the
Trans Maderia, Trans BC, Trans Vesuviana,
Trans-Nomad, or the Andes Pacifico
to go against the Trans naming.
Plenty to entice the cross-country
enduro riders that want to experience
these out-of-the-way trails.
And from my experience I've done the
Trans Savoie in France and the Andes Pacifico.
Normally six or seven really hard days
but really fulfilling days as a rider.
Right now that's my top five bucket list events.
I'd love to hear what yours are.
Let me know about some cool events that
I might not even know about.
But off the top of my head there's things like
Yak Attack, Mountain of Hell, or maybe one of those
urban downhills in Taxco, pretty cool things.
I'd love to maybe try one of those.
So let me know your ideas down below.
If you want to see some more videos
click over there for a video from Whistler with Blake.
And over there for adding to my numbers.
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