US Cup: Bonelli - Final Race(All info here)

I just noticed on the US Cup website they've once again changed some things. The final race is no longer at Bootleg Canyon. They've moved the date back a week to Sep 20 and are having the race at Bonelli Park. It's also no longer part of the Pro XCT so most of the big names won't be there.

http://www.mtb-uscup.com/

 

Yep - full article on www.cyclingnews.com at the followin link. The ProXCT finals are moved toWindham on the East Coast and the Unification Race (finals for us amatures) is to be at Bonelli Park on Sept 20.

Here is the link to the article

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/us-cup-alters-proxct-finale-venue-and-date

The US Cup, which runs a separate east and west coast series, will hold its unification round at Bonelli Park in San Dimas, California, on September 20 where, according to organizers, the facility and schedule are more suitable to host the finale.

 

Lame. Was really looking forward to Bootleg Canyon. I doubt the East guys are really going to make the haul out to CA for the amateur unification race. It also falls on the same weekend as the 24 hours of adrenaline at hurkey creek. This will certainly cause a conflict with scheduling.

 

it is interesting, the relatively last minute changes. i really hope that the series continues. i keep trying to coax people to come out and race no matter their age or fitness. i have had a great time racing the US Cup this year!!!!!!

it started out so strong at Bonelli, was good at Fontana, kinda weak at Sage Brush (one of the best courses of the year), Sea Otter is an animal unto itself, but unfortunately Santa Ynez was practically a ghost town. had the priviledge of traveling to Colorado Springs and they had what seemed like a really good turnout, MTB racing is alive and well in CO despite the fact that the race itself was kindof a cluster eff (needed to go full distance and have wave starts).

i too was looking forward to racing at bootleg, it seems that the cross race holds more cred than mtb. bummer deal. having the race at the same time as Interbike seems the perfect way to bring the entire MTB nation together! i personally say screw conflicts. people can choose what they want to compete in, cross or mtb, or whatever other activities vegas has to offer (brothels)!

i agree that there are probably not going to be any east coasters that make it to bonelli. good thing i am going back east to see what they are all about!

do your part and come out and race! the more people we have racing the better off we will be. maybe with lots of people racing we will get to race at Interbike next year!

 

And it's opening weekend (two days of racing) of cyclocross in SoCal and I know a BUNCH of guys who will be racing cross instead of MTB's that weekend, me included, what a shame.

 

It looks like it may be a disappointing end to a mostly great series. There were problems in Colorado, but the first 5 races seemed to be just about everything you could want. The first Bonelli in March had a great turnout. Everyone seemed to come out for it, cx racers and endurance racers. Unfortunately they'll be doing their own thing and this looks like it could be a small Socal race.

It does seem things have gone well overall though and I hope they build off of this year for next year. I would think if things were real bad they would have just cancelled the race. The fact that they're still holding it shows they're committed.

I was planning on giving the 8 hour race at Hurkey Creek a try. Now I'll have to make a decision of what race to do.

 

what happened to mountain bike racing...?:-k

 

a few years ago i quickly realized mountain bikes were glorified road races, for the most part.

 

only in the us it seems

 

did you race at Sage Brush? awesome course!

i think Rim Nordic would be a better locale for the race than Bonelli, but that is only because i feel that the course is better.

i personally don't want to race on open (read motos and cars) fire roads in Big Bear and i understand there is no way to close it.

if there is enough participation maybe someone can secure a better course/location. i am doing my part! :beer:

 

It's easy to complain about what others do when you just sit back and wait for them to do it.

If you want mtn bike racing to succeed, you have to support it, become involved, if by no other way than doing the race, then do it.

 

Is this race for everyone or pros?

 

what's gunna change? anyone who has any say (pros) like it just how it is. granted since they dumped semi pro i guess i'd be pro too, but i'm one of the few that doesnt train on the road.

i dont really have any problems with how the races are run as i think team big bear does an awesome job as an organizer, i just have a problem with the choice of trails where they are 90% fireroad with one techy section that half the people walk anyways, like bonelli or elings park for example. and it's that way for a reason, not because they need more support.
I think xc mountain bike racing should be as much about technical ability as it is about physical fitness, and i'm kinda odd man out on that when it comes down to it.

there are several good races left, sagebrush and the idylwild spring challenge being 2 of them, but not enough to keep me interested in competing in a series.

 

the unification race was supposed to be for all racers (east and west coast).

the only chance that some east coasters would make it is if it was piggy backed with interbike.

i agree that there are good races! (and there are several not on that list like Keyesville and others)

having a national series certainly isn't for everyone. i just think it would suck to not have the option! not everyone can live in CO and race the MSC (which seems to be the best thing MTB in the US has going on right now)

IMO races aren't just about the venue. a race isn't great without the competitors. if you (or anyone for that matter) doesn't show up then the race CAN'T be great.

 

like i said, i only have a problem with the courses, not the venue, coordinators, racers, ect..
Showing up is not going to change that. If anything, it shows that people are ok with a roadish mtb course, because if they werent, why would they go?
I will show up to and support worthwhile races like the Idylwild Spring Challenge, but i am done with the state series or nationals. I dont think i'd even do Sagebrush because i'd hate to screw up the points for guys who are actually competing for the state title when i know that's the only series race i'd do.

 

i understand your perspective and respect your position. i loved racing D-ville AM WC. that was a real MTB course!!!! (DH was so rough I got arm pump and had to slow down for fear of crashing)

i like the regular competition that a series provides.

i don't think that the level of competition would be the same if there wasn't a regular race series where people were able to compete and push each other. at the same time, if people don't show up then a series is not worth it.

1 race a year (even one as great as ISC) wouldn't be enough to keep the motivation to train at my current level. especially if it goes anything like some of my races this year (sick and couldn't race ISC, horrible cramping at Sea Otter and D-ville, mechanical and helped an injured rider at Sage Brush).

(haha!!!!... after typing that i think maybe i should just stick to local races as it seems those are the only ones i can do any good at!)

having a real national series where you can throw down against riders from all over the place is maybe a pipe dream at this point, but i think that is Scott Tedro's vision and i for one am on board! :bang:

 

Thats how I feel, a good serries for the most part and then to have it end this way. Racing at Bonelli?????? Big Bear for the State Champ???????. These really are the 2 worst courses we real XC racers have to race on. Now having said that, I will still be there because I do want to support XC racing. I am not supporting the bad choice of courses, but if I show up regularly as well as other racers who are "regulars" in the series and we voice our opinions then maybe someone will listen one of these days and make the change. It is frustrating though to have trained for your peak to be at a certain race and time and then they change it on you. Thankfully I did not book a hotel for the race that is not going to happen!!

 

MTB racing in the US has always ridden a fine line between satisfying the racers and satisfying the business of mountain biking. We all want more challenging courses in more exotic locations but then wonder why Santa Ynez draws less people than the first Bonelli. The reason is that Bonelli is smack dab in the middle of 10 million people and Santa Ynez isn't. I spent all of $8 to get to Bonelli. I spent a couple hundred for hotel, gas and food in Santa Ynez (don't get me wrong Santa Ynez is personally my most favorite location/race - I can afford it, but not sure how many others can)

Yes Bootleg would have been great, but probably half of the 700plus racers that attended the first Bonelli can't afford the $100-$200 in gas, food and lodging that would be needed to get them to Vegas. Most non-family spectators will not even make the trip to Rim Nordic (also one of my favorites).

Put a race in the middle of Central Park in New York or in Griffith Park in LA and you'll see thousands of spectators come to watch. And then the big non-bike industry companies will come and throw big sponsorship bucks$$ into the races. Yes, the racers might not be challenged, but it will be the most popular MTB race in the US ever, and will make sponsors happy. Look at the last UCI race in Madrid and all the spectators it attracted.

The financial condition of MTB racing in the US was pretty bad early this year and the US Cup is finally putting it back on track. The fact that they got Windham NY next year in as a host of a UCI World Cup race is the best thing that came out of the US Cup and Shoair.

Between making the races more fun for me or making the race promoters more profitable by attracting the sponsorship dollars, I'd rather see the race promoters make more money at this time. Its better for the industry and will eventually will be better for us. Once we have Nissan, Coke and Nike pouring millions of $$$ into MTB racing and ESPN covering them on prime time, and Absalon, Sauser and the rest of the big guns desperate to fly to LA to participate in the "big event", forgoing the European season fo the better American season, then we'll be back on track. In the meantime we'll always have our Rim Nordics and Fontana Winter series to challenge our local abilities.

So my message to the folks at US CUP - great job for now, and do whatever it takes to move the sport forward!

Just my 2 cents.

 

There are many different types of bike racing and new or newer ones are emerging all the time (4-cross and Super-D for example). Most Dirt based racing is predominantly skills based. Short Track and XC racing are the only predominantly fittness based types, unless include the almost extict Hill Climb. If you want skill weighted racing do DH, 4-Cross, or Super-D. XC racing should be mostly about having the muscular endurance to go hard for 2hr, then the anaerobic fittness to attack or respond to attacks, and finally the skill necessary to negotiate a wide varriety of terrain.

There are many different types of bike racing and new or newer ones are emerging all the time (4-cross and Super-D for example). Most Dirt based racing is predominantly skills based. Short Track and XC racing are the only predominantly fitness based types, unless include the almost extinct Hill Climb. If you want skill weighted racing do DH, 4-Cross, or Super-D. XC racing should be mostly about having the muscular endurance to go hard for 2hr, then the anaerobic fitness to attack or respond to attacks, and finally the skill necessary to negotiate a wide variety of terrain.

In my opinion the perfect XC course would include a comprehensive mix of all types of riding: long and short climbs, blazing fire road and technical descents, small drops, sand, water, and even pavement and run ups. Not many courses can offer all these elements, so the next best thing is a series on different courses which offer a varying mix them.

Every time I race in an alpine setting, I always get the feeling like that’s “real MTB racing”. But races at altitude are a real disadvantage to a flat lander like me. Most of us in So Cal train on low altitude, suburban trails, so what’s so wrong racing at places like Bonelli and Fontana.

 

yep, great job u.s. cup/sho-air. i'm stoked to have any racing at all, and i think that considering our location, we're very fortunate to have racing virtually every other weekend (or sooner in the spring).

i dont understand with the hang up of having a series. i really dont care how i finish in an overall series. it's sort of interesting, but i care much about each race, not a series final position.

as for bonelli... its just a different type of course. the tour has different stages that cater to different riders with different strengths. this isnt really that different. its a course that is more power/fitness/speed based, rather then a technical skills based.

i like the different course venues we have... gives each event one its own character. makes you think about different training tactics, equipment set up, race strategies.

unfortunately, this race is the same weekend as the 24hr of adrenaline, otherwise i would be at bonelli for sure.