Peak mountain biking action, peak athletes, peak party vibes, and peak fall foliage combined for a peak experience atop the 4,848-foot peak of Cheat Mountain as the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Mountain Bike World Series returned to Snowshoe Mountain for the fourth time. Snowshoe, which is the only U.S. venue on the UCI circuit, quickly earned a reputation for hosting some of the most epic bike battles in UCI history since its inaugural entry in 2019. Thick mud, steep slopes, and those famous West Virginia rocks and roots push downhill and cross-country riders to their limits at speeds that make us mere mortals simultaneously shudder with fear and envy.
Highland Outdoors was fortunate to gain media access once again, and we always enjoy shooting photos alongside the mountain bike media bigwigs at this world-class event. Enjoy this sampling of our best shots from this magical event, and check out the UCI site for full race coverage and official results. Viva la bicicletta!
Elite Downhill Racing
Italian rider Veronika Widmann sprints off on the opening run of the women’s elite downhill battle. Photo by Dylan Jones
Italian rider Gloria Scarsi tucks into a berm before hitting the steeps. Scarsi scorched her way into fifth place. Photo by Nikki Forrester
Australian rider Sian A’hern sends it off the Cupcake Jump as spectators enjoy the action and fall foliage from the lift. Photo by Dylan Jones
U.S. rider Richie Rude threads the Country Roads tree gap. Photo by Dylan Jones
U.S. rider Dylan Maples kicks his tail out in a wicked-fast section of track. Photo by Dylan Jones
Kiwi crusher Tuhoto-Ariki Pene launches a rock drop with some downhill steez. Photo by Dylan Jones
Great Britain rider Matt Walker maintains control through a gnarly boulder garden. Photo by Nikki Forrester
French fastman Remi Thirion exits a deep berm with that signature downhill aggression. Photo by Nikki Forrester
Great Britain favorite Laurie Greenland teeters on the brink before entering the steepest section of track. Photo by Nikki Forrester
British biker Bernard Kerr keeps his head down through some of the chunkiest terrain on the UCI circuit. Photo by Nikki Forrester
U.S. rider and fan favorite Dakotah Norton sails over a double. Norton finished third and nabbed his first UCI podium on home soil. Photo by Dylan Jones
Irishman Oisin O’Callaghan furiously pedals on the final flat section of track to a stunning backdrop of fall foliage. O’Callaghan won the race with an equally stunning run, earning his first-ever elite downhill win. Photo by Dylan Jones
Irish sender Ronan Dunne sends it off the final jump before the finish line. Dunne landed a second-place spot on the podium. Photo by Nikki Forrester
French favorite Loris Vergier skids across the finish line into a forth-place spot on the podium. Photo by Dylan Jones
Presenting the top five of the women’s elite downhill finals! From left to right: British rider Tahnee Seagrave (fourth place), German rider Nina Hoffman (second place), French rider Marine Cabirou (first place), Austrian rider Valentina Hoell (third place), and Italian rider Gloria Scarsi (fifth place). Photo by Dylan Jones
The women’s elite downhill winners celebrate with an explosion of champagne. Photo by Dylan Jones
U.S. favorite Dakotah Norton greets a crowd of stoked fans. His third-place spot on the podium marked his first UCI win on home soil. Photo by Dylan Jones
Snowshoe is known for historic races, and this year’s downhill rendition saw yet another first: Irishmen securing the top two spots on the podium. Ronan Dunne (left) and Oisin O’Callaghan (right) celebrate their wins and Irish mountain biking history. Photo by Dylan Jones
Elite Olympic Cross-Country Racing
The mass start of the men’s elite Olympic cross-country race was a whooshy sea of speedy cyclists. Photo by Nikki Forrester
The gnarled roots and rocks of the cross-country race course took a brutal toll on riders and bikes alike. Photo by Dylan Jones
Cross-country riders had to negotiate gnarly lines between tight trees while avoiding contact with each other. Photo by Dylan Jones
Snowshoe’s notoriously rugged terrain pushed XC riders to their physical and mental limits. Photo by Nikki Forrester
U.S. team riders climb a steep slope against a backdrop of stunning foliage. Photo by Nikki Forrester
The riders’ faces showed what it feels like to be pushed to the brink. Photo by Nikki Forrester
The winning riders of the women’s Olympic cross-country race celebrate while a team manager takes a goopy sip of bubbly. Photo by Nikki Forrester
Peak Vibes
The peak fall foliage impressed spectators as much as the peak mountain bike racing. Photo by Nikki Forrester
A team mechanic preps a downhill race bike down to the finest level of detail. Photo by Dylan Jones
A patriotic Bigfoot returned to Snowshoe yet again, marking a third sighting of the normally illusive hominid. Photo by Dylan Jones
Cheat Mountain, known for legendary sunsets, did not disappoint. Photo by Dylan Jones
