2014 Singletrack 6 - Day 2 Recap

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.


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.


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.


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!


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.