Over the weekend, the fifth race of the collegiate series took place up in Granby Ranch, Colorado. Western State’s bike team had a snowy and wet drive up Friday night, but hopes were high for an awesome weekend.
Granby Ranch Colorado
Cross Country riders raced on Sunday, but due to the rain and snow, the race was postponed. Once resumed, the riders hit the track, but after just one lap, riders came back with bikes caked with mud and mechanical issues all over the place. The course then started to dry out and became tacky. It featured multiple laps, around two to four of them, that wrapped up and around the mountain and then back down. The downhill section of the cross country track challenged riders with rock sections and steep slopes that made them push for the win. Riders seemed very happy with the course this week!
Peter looking ahead to the next corner!
Ellie Atkins getting some passing action!
As for the Endero race, the majority of the riders were on their downhill bikes. This became a bit of a struggle for some of the riders due to the uphill sections where the all-mountain and cross country riders had the advantage.
The Short Track race was Sunday morning, which was one of the coldest mornings that racers had faced all season. Riders had to warm up extra hard in order to be ready for the race. This week, the track was the shortest out of them all this season. It was mainly all single track, fast and technical bank turns on the way down, and a meandering slippery uphill.
Western rider pinning it.
For the DH racers, the weekend was definitely a good one. Practice on Saturday started really wet due to the snow but riders reported that it dried up and became a lot more manageable. The water did burn in some ruts and loosened some rocks. The track featured wide open rock gardens, rock drops, fast sections, and some big jumps that got the riders pumped! The crowds congregated at the jumps to see how much style the riders could kick out. Fast, jumpy, and gnarly; thats what the gravity riders love!
Nick showing some style on the step down.
Western rider Banks showing a bit of his goon side.
Jimmy going bigger than anyone else on the step down.
After full days of wet and cold riding, a fire seemed just about right for the riders. Everyone came and relaxed around a bonfire to finish the night, along with a few riders jumping the flames on their bikes!
Yet another good weekend for the WSCU Mountain Bike Team!
Results at https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2013-3199
Photo Credit – Colby Blackledge
