US mountain bike season kicks off at 24 Hours of Old Pueblo

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Hundreds of racers run to their bikes in the Le Mans start at the 24 hours of Old Pueblo.(Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net)

Mountain bikers from around the world are arriving in Tucson, Arizona, to participate in the 13th annual Kona Bikes 24 Hours of Old Pueblo being held at Willow Springs Ranch. The organizer claims it is the largest 24-hour mountain biking event in the United States. Todd Sadow, president of Epic Rides, describes it as the "mountain bikers' Burning Man".

With 1,800 participants and up to 3,000 supporters and spectators, Old Pueblo will turn into a living 24-hour town, a makeshift city filled with tents, campers, and RVs. The city will be buzzing with activity including round-the-clock barbecue, music, and spectators watching the race perched on top of the giant rock formations and in the comfort of their lounge chairs. There is a festival atmosphere as everyone seems to be celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of another season of riding.

Riders will enjoy a fast 16.1-mile Sonoran Desert course with spectacular views of Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Mountains. The terrain is rolling with a combination of hard pack, sand, and rock surfaces. The weather forecast is optimal, complete with a big full moon to aid with night-time visibility. The course has a few technical sections that should give the more experienced riders a chance for some thrills. But of course there are usually longer go-around options for the less adventurous.

The weather has played a major role in past 24 Hours of Old Pueblo races. There is has been snow, mud, freezing temperatures, and high heat. During last year's event, severe dust storms blew through the desert and the riders faced sub-freezing temperatures all through the night. Wind gusts hit 40 miles per hour. The forecast for this year's event is for daytime temperatures in the high 60s and lows down to 37 degrees (Fahrenheit) at night.

Kona Team Manager and veteran racer Barry Wicks is bringing a four-man team that includes himself and World Cup racers Spencer Paxson and Kris Sneddon. While on paper it may appear that they should sail to victory, a few years ago they were pushed to the limit by a previously unknown team from Mexico. In order to secure victory that year, Wicks (who had been turning the fastest lap times) had to go out and ride two consecutive laps for a come-from-behind win.

Wicks commented on this year's event, "We are really looking forward to this race. 24-hour races, especially the team format, offer up new challenges that we don't face during the course of a two-hour, cross country race. From running into huge cactus, to having your lights or body fail at 3:00 am, we really have to be prepared for anything. 24-hour racing hearkens back to the original ethos of mountain bike racing, which is to be self sufficient, self reliant, and ready for whatever happens out on the trail."

"The team aspect is also very cool. Normally having a teammate in a race is nice, but not necessarily the deciding factor," said Wicks. "Depending on your teammates to put in consistently fast laps and keep their bikes together creates a great bonding experience and collective sense of trust that is life long. 24hr racing kinda of sucks, but it is through the suffering and pain that you gain the most."

Haywood told Cyclingnews, "I last did 24 Hours of Old Pueblo in 2005 as a duo with my friend Spring Clegg. Where did seven years go? Old Pueblo is a classic early season party race. It's one of those races that you can take seriously and crank out some fast laps or take it mellow and hang with your buddies. Mine is the later option. The first effort of the year will burn the lungs and legs bad, but I'll be in great company."

Last year, Anthony White won the solo men's race with a remarkable 18 laps completed. He rode laps as fast as one hour and four minutes. Jonathan Davis was second with 16 laps, and Kip Biese was third with 15 laps. Each is expected to be on hand this weekend to resume their battle. Nina Baum (NoTubes) turned in the fastest women's lap last year: one hour 11 minutes. The women's solo field this year includes 40 racers - nearly double any previous year.