Richard Rude Jr. of Santa Cruz – All Ride Academy rails a berm at an earlier Gravity East race (Highland MTB) (Image credit: Shanti Colangelo-Curran)
Sugarbush continues celebrating its return to mountain biking by hosting round seven of the Gravity East Downhill Series on August 1 and 2. The huge, two-mountain ski resort in Warren, Vermont, used to host regular mountain bike events before gradually fading from the scene.
When Summit Ventures purchased the resort, mountain biking again became a priority and the resort has spent six years restoring and constructing trails and park features. Today, Sugarbush has a freeride park and over 18 miles of lift-assisted cross country and downhill trails. Last year, Sugarbush hosted its first mountain bike race in nearly a decade as the Gravity East Series roared down the resort's Lincoln Peak.
The race track used at Sugarbush, and first unveiled last year, fittingly represents the history of downhill racing at "the 'Bush". The course starts with an old-school fire road section reminiscent of the type of downhill racing that was in vogue in Sugarbush's mountain bike halcyon days. The riders fast forward through the opening section and find themselves in a thoroughly modern downhill course with bermed corners, steep drops and difficult technical sections.
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As part of its efforts to return to its mountain bike roots, erlier this season, Sugarbush hosted an Xterra off-road duathlon and a Women's Wrench and Ride clinic. Lift-assisted riding will continue through October 11.
Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
