Mountain Bike Nationals ready to roll at SolVista this weekend

In the pro cross-country events, two-time Olympian Mary McConneloug (Fairfax, Calif./Kenda-Seven-No Tubes) and 2008 Olympian Adam Craig (Bend, Ore./Giant Mountain Bike Team) will fight to defend their national titles from a year ago. They’ll be up against some tough competition though, like the husband and wife duo of Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher) and Heather Irmiger (Boulder, Colo./Subaru-Gary Fisher), who are both fresh off of wins at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon National Championships. In the women’s race, National Racing Calendar leader Alison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./Team Type 1), along with Willow Koerber (Ashville, N.C./Subaru-Gary Fisher), Georgia Gould (Fort Collins, Colo./Luna), and Katie Compton (Colorado Springs, Colo./Spike) will all be serious threats. On the men’s side, riders like Ryan Trebon (Bend, Ore./Kona), Barry Wicks (Corvallis, Ore./Kona), and Todd Wells (Durango, Colo./Specialized) will be on hand to heat up the competition.

Multi-time BMX and Mountain Bike World Championship medalist Eric Carter (Winchester, Calif./GT) will be a force to reckon with in the pro men’s  mountain cross and downhill events, as will pros like Cody Warren (Alpine, Calif./Specialized/Redline) and Duncan Riffle (Santa Barbara, Calif./Cannondale Factory Team). In the pro women’s gravity events, contenders will include riders like 2008 Olympic BMX bronze medalist Jill Kintner (Seattle, Wash.) and last year’s downhill national champ Melissa Buhl (Chandler, Ariz./KHS Bicycles).

Despite the rain that Colorado has been receiving this year, riders should expect dusty and rocky conditions on the trails at SolVista. There are a variety of courses designed to suit various skill levels and age groups.  Click here to read more about the courses or to take a video tour of the trails.

Competition is set to begin on Friday with cross-country and mountain cross events. The pro cross country contests will be the highlight of the day on Saturday while short-track cross country and downhill action will bring things to a close on Sunday. Click here for a complete schedule of events and visit solvistanationals.com for more information. Stay tuned to www.usacycling.org for race reports and photo galleries from each day of racing. 



About USA Cycling  
Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX, and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ licensees including 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 1,800 clubs and teams, 350 professional cyclists, 200 certified mechanics, and 34 local associations. The national governing body sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive events throughout the U.S. each year and is responsible for the identification, development, and support of American cyclists through various initiatives and programs. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts national championship events for all categories of amateur and professional cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org.