Start of the 2009 Bonelli US Cup cross country event this season will include a short track and Super-D
The US Cup staff has been putting in the final touches on what has been hundred of man hours of re designing the Bonelli Park course.
Sunny skies and mild temps are on tap for the weekend, as the snow-capped San Gabriel’s set a perfect back drop to the Southern California venue.
Pro XC Course: The H2O Overdrive Pro cross country course features a four mile loop, with six hundred plus feet of climbing per lap. There will be the addition of a special start loop used on the first lap only, to let the pack sort itself out, and hopefully help alleviate the all too often bottle neck, and subsequent hike-a-bike that follows.
New singletrack, bridge crossings, steep punchy climbs and shaded switchbacks should be a welcomed site for riders and spectators, a far cry from the normal dusty fire roads that most people associate with a Southern California urban venue.
Rocky climb with dual racing lines
Pro men will do six laps, and women are slated for 5. The course is expected to get faster over the weekend, as the course packs down and dry’s out from the recent rains. Lap times look to be in the 15-17 minute range, making for a very spectator and media friendly course.
The players: In only its first year, the H2O Overdrive Triple Crown is drawing some of the world’s top tier talent, with riders like World Cup winner Geoff Kabush and Silver World Medalist Lene Byberg slated to attend. Both Kabush and Byberg will have heavy competition, as the men and women both go for a potential $20,000 dollar combined pro purse.
Other notables include Sho-Air/Specialized riders Sid Taberlay, Max Plaxton, Tad Elliot and Manny Prado. Gary Fisher/Subaru sends out Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, Sam Schultz and Heather Irmiger, who were voted North American team of the year for 2009. The Kona team sends out Ryan Trebon and Barry Wicks, and Specialized Factory rider Todd Wells is expected to be in the mix all weekend as well. Canada’s Adam Morka makes the trip down to test his early season form, as well as a host of the nation’s fastest men and women racers. The 2009 Bonelli event was won by Krista Park (Incycle/Cannondale) and Sid Taberlay.
The format: Saturday will be the H2O Overdrive XC race, while Sunday the riders will complete the Triple Crown event with a Short Track race and a Super D TT that will crown the first winner of the season.
Singletrack on the backside of the course. The San Gabriel mountains can be seen in the background