Blue Ridge Adventures will host the inaugural Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race, October 15-18, 2009 in Brevard, North Carolina. With over $15,000 of prize money, the event will feature a prologue time trial followed by three days of racing on the renowned single track of Pisgah National Forest.
The race will play host to elite athletes, amateur teams and enthusiasts alike. In four days of racing, participants will be treated to 145 miles, 38,000 feet of climbing and legendary single track in Pisgah National Forest. All stages will start and finish at the event headquarters within the town of Brevard, just minutes away from the area’s best lodging and accessible by the town’s new bicycle path.
Riders can expect some fun and challenging trails
With entries limited to 150 racers, some of the best riders in the U.S. are already lining up. Jeremiah Bishop, the U.S. National Champion of marathon and short track mountain biking, is one professional rider who looks forward to competing in the event. “When I dream of an awesome mountain bike adventure, I think of trails like those being used in the Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race. I can’t wait to get down there and ride,” he says. “It’s going to be great to have such a good course. No matter how your race is going, you’ll still have a fun time riding. It’s spectacular, rugged backcountry mountain biking at it’s best.”
In contrast to the ride-all-day and try to survive format of some stage races, Race Director Todd Branham is proud that his event will be “a true mountain bike race” loaded with single track. For riders who are not familiar with Pisgah, the gnarly trails are sure to be an eye opener, though Branham notes “it’s a course made for everybody. We’re not out to demoralize people.” Of the fire road that is included, “it comes when you want it. We’ve had a lot of feedback. It’s laid out well - an exciting course!”
The leaf blanket will be in full effect by October 15th
To ensure that each rider has a great race, the event offers comprehensive support. Each stage will include three fully stocked aid stations with food, water, mechanical and medical assistance. Other benefits include custom event jerseys for every rider, massage, bike wash, closing awards ceremony dinner and cash prizes available to racers in every category. The event will kick off with an Industry Expo.
If Branham’s other events, the Off Road Assault on Mount Mitchell and the Swank 65, are any indication, Bishop predicts “the Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race will serve up some classic southern-style hospitality and a memorable race experience.”
For more information and to register for the 2009 Pisgah Mountain Bike Stage Race, visit www.BlueRidgeAdventures.net.
Racers can expect some tight singletrack riding
