Details Announced for 2022 Sea Otter Classic

PRESS RELEASE: Sea Otter Classic

Get ready, all you cycling enthusiasts — Sea Otter is back in its regular time slot this April! The start of the North American cycling season is only three months away. Registration is NOW OPEN for the 32nd Annual Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental, April 7-10, 2022, in Monterey, California.

In less than 90 days, riders from around the globe will gather along California’s beautiful coastline for a sprawling and energetic celebration of cycling — four full days of festival fun, demos, and action-packed racing. Road, gravel, mountain bikers, and fans of all ages will have no trouble finding their place at this spring’s season opener.

Come for the Expo. The hub of the event, the Sea Otter Expo, brings pros, amateurs, and fans together to try new products (from more than 900 brands), demo new bikes, and watch gnarly stunt shows. Stay fueled at the international food court and Sierra Nevada beer garden before you hop into a pro autograph session or let the youngsters run wild in the Kids’ Zone. Make the pilgrimage to Monterey, and on Day One, you’ll already be glad you did.


Stay for the racing. The Expo’s only the tip of the iceberg at the world’s premier cycling festival. With more than 300 different road, gravel and mtb events for every variety of rider, age, and skill level, odds are, you’ll find a race to suit your individual cycling interests at Sea Otter. Here’s a taste of what’s coming in April:

Enduro. Enduro racing combines descending skills and overall fitness over four unique stages. Start with an epic downhill through the Laguna Seca Recreation Area and carry your momentum through the trails of the Fort Ord National Monument.

Fuego. The newly dubbed Fuego, Sea Otter’s XC racing event, tests racers by the fire of Fort Ord’s rolling hills and gravel trails as they tackle three unique cross-country distances: Short, 40k, and the new 100k.

Downhill. At the Sea Otter Downhill presented by Pinkbike, individual riders race against the clock with gravity at their backs, grabbing big air and carving technical turns along the way. The high-intensity event follows the flowing contours of the area to an exciting sprint finish.

Dual Slalom. A fan favorite at Sea Otter, the Dual Slalom presented by BETA is a heads-up race as two riders battle it out side by side on identical tracks. The course starts at the top of Laguna Seca swale and uses the hillside to negotiate berms, rollers, and rhythm sections on the race to the finish.

eMTB. Get charged for the Bulls eMTB Race presented by Bosch. This super fast event offers 60 minutes of top speed racing on 2-mile circuits over Fort Ord National Monument.


This year, Sea Otter will also kick off the newest event in North American competitive cycling: the inaugural Life Time Grand Prix. This six-event, off-road series, spanning the whole of 2022, begins with the BRAND NEW Sea Otter Fuego MTB 100k. Turn the burners on high and test yourself against 60 of the nation’s top cyclists on the toughest of the Sea Otter XC courses — or just sit back and enjoy the show as the best of the best compete for a $250,000 prize.


Beyond mountain biking, gravel grinding, and road racing, Sea Otter offers an equally expansive array of options for recreational riders. Test your grit on the Gran Fondo (“great endurance”) courses — Pacifico presented by Cycling Tips (50 miles) or Carmelo presented by Cycling Tips (92 miles) — or dip your toes in the brand new waters of the Robles Off-Road Tour presented by Hydro Flask: 20 miles on a variety of terrain designed for both MTB and gravel enthusiasts. Take in the scenic vistas at a comfortable pace or crank the heat and push yourself to the limit on any of these untimed recreational rides.

From long-time MTB racers to first-time riders, the Sea Otter Classic has a race, course, demo, event, and snack for everyone. Invite your friends. Invite your family. Invite anyone you see on a bike, looking at a bike, or thinking about a bike. Gather your crew and make the pilgrimage down to Monterey this spring.

And in case you can’t already visualize it, here’s a video recap of last year’s event to give you just a small taste of the energy, exuberance, frivolity, and fun:



Today’s the day you say “yay” to this great foray. We’ll (Sea) you in Monterey.

LEARN MORE at seaotterclassic.com

REGISTER HERE

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Racing and Events Sea Otter Classic