Crested Butte and other Colorado mountain regions have long been known for their biking and hiking opportunities. Now, Crested Butte is also a hotspot on the Big Mountain Enduro Series race trail.
What makes a race a Big Mountain Enduro race?
Enduro racing is a popular international format of mountain bike racing that combines the high-speed, adrenaline-fueled action of cross country with downhill mountain biking. Enduro is about tackling any type of terrain and doing it fast. Enduro racing is an all day ride testing endurance, fitness and technical skills. A Big Mountain Enduro race features epic trail rides in epic locations. with timed race sections (or “specials”) on descents and the most fun parts of each trail system.
The Big Mountain Enduro Series is a multi-stage series spanning several days and locations. Crisscrossing throughout Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, the series will take on the most challenging top-ranked trails in the country, in the most picturesque destinations of the West. Races follow a mix of European formats; with both epic backcountry Enduros on big terrain and lift-accessed stages included along the way. The courses include downhill timed special stages combined with non-timed liaison climbing stages. The physical endurance of cross-country riding with the technical difficulty and excitement of downhill racing make Enduro racing an increasingly popular sport for riders of all skill levels. Many of the top all-around mountain bikers from across the globe will be riding in this series, bolstering an entertaining atmosphere for families and local communities.
Kicking off June 29, the 2013 Big Mountain Enduro Series consist of five events–
- Angel Fire/Taos,
- Crested Butte,
- Keystone,
- Durango and
- Moab.
A premier event for North America, the Big Mountain Enduro Series is one of the first in a never before seen enduro racing infrastructure brought to you by Big Mountain Enduro LLC. Two BME events are also included in the 2013 North American Enduro Tour (NAET), with the finals at Moab. Each BME event hosts five to eight timed stages over two days with each stage run as an individual time trial. Un-timed transition stages will require either pedaling to the next stage, riding a chair lift or shuttle. The winner of each event must have the overall fastest combined timed stages score. Each timed stage is worth 50 points towards the Series Overall Champinships awarded at the finals at BME #5, at Moab September 28-29. This point structure makes the shorter, technical stages equal to longer, more fitness-oriented stages. Riders’ three lowest scoring stages will be dropped for final series tallies.
Over the entire series, racers will face over 45,000 vertical feet of descending world-class single track. Each course is designed to provide a unique riding experience. High altitude trails and long descents will test athletes pure strength, endurance and bike handling skills. Winners in these races are truly the best of the best.
As mountain bike racing continues to evolve, the multi-day, multi-stage, Enduro format entices and challenges all riders – spandex, baggies and full-faced. The destination riding, breathtaking scenery and over-all adrenaline fueled excitement also appeals to the general public and the media. Crested Butte, Colorado is just the place to provide the necessary trail challenges and big descents you just won’t find anywhere else.
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With so much to do in Crested Butte you will not know where to start. Enjoy the outdoors with hiking, biking, golf, fishing, rafting and much more!! Crested Butte CO Real Estate offers a wide variety of properties including ski in/ski out single family homes, ski-in/ski-out condominiums, lake and river frontage properties, golf course property, and true luxury mountain homes on acreage. To see featured properties or search the MLS – visit chriskopf.com. Contact Crested Butte Realtor, Chris Kopf at: (970) 209-5405.