The first multi-day endurance mountain bike stage race to be held in the United States is also the first to fall by the wayside.Race Director Tom Spiegel announced the cancellation of the second year event today on Velonews.com. Spiegel credited low registration numbers as the reason for cancelling the 2009 event. The race was scheduled for August 20-24 in Brian Head, Utah.
The lead pack in the inaugural American Mountain Classic
The American Mountain Classic enjoyed great success in it’s inaugural season. The race hosted big-name riders like Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Jeremiah Bishop, and Pua Sawicki. The AMC succeeded in generating excitement as each stage of the Pro men’s race was determined by a sprint finish with Bishop taking the GC by a total of just 4 seconds, something rarely seen in endurance mountain bike racing.
Ultimately, the AMC may have wilted in the long shadow of similar multi-day events such as the Breck-Epic, Intermontane Challenge, and The BC Bike race, all of which offer a similar race format and have marketed heavily in 2009.
Fabled Brian Head singletrack
Promoters of the American Mountain Classic hope to bring the event back in the future. No specific plans have been announced at this time. MTBracenew.com covered the American Mountain Classic in 2008; with the vast majority of participants describing it as a well-run, enjoyable event featuring some of the country’s best high-mountain singletrack. Click here to view our 2008 AMC race coverage.
Photos be: Greg Gibson