Race Face to sponsor TransGermany and TransAlp teams

Epic, multi-day mountain bike races are growing in popularity, and Race Face is again holding their Ultimate Cross Country (UXC) Challenge to help two lucky teams of racers, one each to tackle the TransGermany from June 9 to 16 and the TransAlp from June 14-21.

The TransAlp begins in Mittenwald, Germany and ends 600km later in Riva del Garda, Italy. The eight-day stage race routes through some of the mountain ranges in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Climbing totals 19,500 meters. The Trans Germany runs 800km and climbs 18,000m from Pfälzerwald to Erzgebirge.

Interested teams submitted video team profiles, and anyone can view the videos, read about the teams and vote for his favorites at www.raceface.com/uxc. Voting will be open for the TransGermany, with a winner announced Friday, May 18. Then voting commences for the TransAlp candidates, with a winner picked on June 1.

"We fly the winners there, give them all the components for their bikes, and support them," said Julian Coffey of Race Face. Winners also receive a paid entry fee. "Then we document their trials and tribulations throughout the race."

This year's candidates for the Trans Germany include Team Stick Together (Melina Ehrhardt and Karolina Albrecht, two best friends from Germany), Team Dirtbag (Brian Corff and Doug Schuler from Boulder, Colorado), and Team 283 (Bill Fehr and Rebecca Tomaszewski, two bike messengers from North Carolina who want to be the first co-ed, fully rigid, singlespeed freaks to race the Trans Germany).

The UXC is a spin-off of the company's popular Ultimate Free Ride (UFC) contest.