After a relaxing night in Canmore the riders loaded up for a short transfer through the Banff National and Kootenay Parks. This part of the world is far from short on natural beauty. The highway winds it way through valleys, along rivers and below towering mountains. The
Scat Belt Stage 2 would take place at Nipika Mountain Resort in the Cross River Canyon Recreation area.
Ten Up Time Trial Start
Nipika, the creation of Lyle and Dianne Wilson, is an eco-resort that generates all its electricity utilizing green technologies and caters to the outdoor enthusiast by offering up 100+ km of trails for both winter and summer use. Stage 2 featured a unique time trial where riders were sent off in groups of 10 based on the previous days results. At 10:30 AM the gun went off and the top 10 left the resort for a spin on the North Loop of the Cross River Canyon trails.
Crossing Over the Cross River on the North Loop
There are many ways to describe Nipika and its surrounding areas. Scenic, beautiful and peaceful immediately come to mind. When it comes to mountain biking the North Loop the words tough and punishing seem appropriate. Rocks, roots, quad busting power climbs and short technical descents kept heart rates high and attention focused.
Going for the Pass Above the Kootenay River
With roughly 23km of the 40km ride complete, the route wound back to the Resort and the aid station for the day. The South Loop awaited while the temperatures began to climb to the upper 20s. Adding heat to the mix made a challenging day even more taxing. Fortunately, the singletrack south of the resort was of the 'flowy' variety allowing for the occasional moment to spin out the legs and ward off impending muscle cramps. After a rip high above the Kootenay River, the trail zigzagged back to the finish line where the
Columbia Valley Cycling Society had burgers on the BBQ and beer on ice!
Burgers Hot Off the Grill!
Full results
HERE. More images
HERE.
The Winners of Stage 2 and Leaders through Stage 2:
Team Category
Stage Winners
Overall Leaders
Open Men
Jon Firth & Dax Massey
Jon Firth & Dax Massey
Open Women
Karen Tremaine & Mindy Mullikan
Karen Tremaine & Mindy Mullikan
Open Mixed
Anja McDonald & Tristan Rawlence
Anja McDonald & Tristan Rawlence
80+ Men
Kris Henderieckx & Kris Hertsens
Kris Henderieckx & Kris Hertsens
80+ Mixed
Alana Heise & Jeff Neilsen
Alana Heise & Jeff Neilsen
100+ Open
Henric Meldgard & Keith Simmonds
Henric Meldgard & Keith Simmonds
Solo
Stage Winner
Overall Leader
Open Men
Kris Sneddon
Kris Sneddon
Open Women
Kate Aardal
Kate Aardal
40+ Men
Filip Meirhaeghe
Filip Meirhaeghe
50+ Men
Rich Marshal
Rich Marshal
Next up? Radium Hot Springs will host the riders for the next two nights with the Santa Cruz Stage 3 taking place just west of the town of Invermere. 47km and 1300 metres of elevation gain awaits and one lucky rider will walk away with a brand new bike courtesy of Santa Cruz!
Be sure to visit
singletrack6.com daily for reports, results, photos and video from the race.