Snow, downhill bikes, and people running with their bikes, on a drastically shortened race course… Those aren’t the typical words you hear to describe an enduro mountain bike race. Downhill bikes normally stick to a downhill course and a race that involves running with your bike normally only applies to cyclocross, but this race was far from normal. This was the reality though for the 2022 Tennessee National EWS Qualifier at Windrock Bike Park.
| The weather was already calling for snow and what not and we were just like there’s no way it’s gonna happen. Then we woke up and it was a disaster.—Damon Sedivy |
The amount of snow in the forecast was changing by the hour on Friday, many were optimistic that any snow would fall at all, but nobody was expecting what came next… Windrock experienced extremely high isolated winds overnight, turning what once was a thriving pit area into an absolute disaster. Couple that with about 4 inches of snow at the base and reports of around 9 inches at the downhill start gate, Sean Leader (Owner of Windrock Bike Park) had a nightmare to deal with.
Due to the unfortunate conditions, Sean made the call to cancel the Downhill race that was supposed to take place early that morning. One thing was for certain though, the enduro was going to happen the following day.
It was all hands on deck for the trail crew, which also happens to be a crew full of racers that were planning on competing that weekend, certainly not planning on improving their snow removal skills. The trail crew and many volunteers worked around the clock on Saturday clearing the trails with leaf blowers and rakes. They even called in some help from a couple of American Hard Enduro racers to ride the trails on their dirt bikes in order to help get them back down to dirt instead of snow. The hard work was worth it.
4 stages turned into 3 shortened stages, but the race was on. Race may be a pretty far fetched word to describe this day. Survival, frustration, and misery may be a more fitting description.
| That was the gnarliest mud I've ever ridden for sure. 100% glad I’m alive.—Max Beaupre |
| It’s some of the techiest stuff I've ever had to ride in some of the worst conditions. I don’t know, I guess it’s fun trying to challenge yourself.—Ethan Flanigan |
With the downhill race being canceled the day before, a handful of riders decided to race the enduro on their downhill bikes. Yes, you read that right… Nik Nestoroff, Seth Stevens, and Rachel Pageau raced their downhill bikes at an EWS qualifier. Crazy? Well, you might be right, but it paid off.
Rachel Pageau 1st place on a DH bike. Nik Nestoroff 4th place on a DH bike behind Kasper Woolley (3rd) Max Beaupre (2nd) and Richie Rude (1st) (Pictured above)
The 2022 Tennessee National surely wasn’t what everyone expected or hoped for, but this was the epitome of bike racing at Windrock Bike Park, a dedicated team of trail builders and riders making the best out of the worst conditions one could imagine.
Video & Photos by: Blake Cherubini & Chase Cherubini
Written by: Blake Cherubini
IG:
https://www.instagram.com/blake_cherubini/
And a fact bike princesses - no one gives a shit if you f*ck up bike park trails, but f*cking up public land makes you a dick.
aarongwinmerch.com
Also Seattle people.
m.pinkbike.com/photo/22230968