The Union Cycliste Internationale Mountain Bike World Cup Finals took over Snowshoe Mountain Resort this past weekend, and we were there with press passes ’round our necks to savor all the high-speed, bone-jarring, blood-pumping, gravity-and-death-defying, two-wheeled action of the spectacle that was the men’s and women’s elite downhill finals.
I’m going to be honest right out of the gate and proclaim the event was far more incredible than we expected. With perfect weather, energetic fans, and a world-class hosting performance by every employee at Snowshoe, this weekend was a huge win for the state of West Virginia. It made our hearts warmer than the moonshine going around the crowds to hear nothing but positive news about the Mountain State.
Various foreign TV hosts, fans, and riders stated on several occasions that the fan base, the event venue, and the course design were some of the best they’ve experienced in World Cup history. We highly encourage UCI to bring the event back to Snowshoe next season, and hope it becomes a regular stop on the annual tour.
And so I present to you the race in photos. The pro MTB news outlets on hand were able to give proper coverage of the riders, results, and track conditions far better than I ever could, so check out the following resources if you’d like to delve into the intense competition that was the final stop on this year’s tour:
Downhill Results | Women’s and Men’s Winning Downhill Runs | Downhill Track Look
Dylan Jones is publisher and editor of Highland Outdoors. He is still amazed that a small-time, no-name schmuck like him was able to weasel his way into a press pass for a high profile, global event like this.
