Big Ride Manzaneda
The 7th edition of the avalanche Big Ride Manzaneda, organized by Sherpa Project, was held this past September in Manzaneda Bike Park, in northern Spain.
As many of you know, competitions like "avalanches" consist of a big downhill race with a massive start of all the bikers together. On this kind of track we can find long dh sections of more than twenty minutes, where you can also have to pedal and even do small uphills. Therefore, most of the bikes used there are "all mountain", "enduro" and "freeride" bikes. Still, it can be done with a DH bike too.
Check the video with the Bike Support team at the Big Ride Manzaneda:
The Big Ride Manzaneda takes place for a whole weekend, where on Friday the track can be walked and inspected, on Saturday is the qualifying round to set the starting order for the two races on Sunday. The winner is determined by the order of your finishing timel, adding both races together for an overall time on Sunday. This year José Antonio Diez Arriola was the clear winner of the whole weekend.
The Big Ride Manzaneda 2011 had more than 1000 meters of descent, starting from the top of the Bike Park at 1800 meters and reaching the main square of the City Council of Manzaneda to 800 meters.
The guys from Transition bikes, on their way back from Eurobike didn't want to miss the opportunity to participate in their first avalanche. They had a great time and have promised that next year they would return. I was there with Bike Support team and this is what we lived for the entire weekend with Fernando Marcos, Pablo Gonzalez Wittig, Gonzalo Corrales and Javier Guerrero.
We stop to eat a healthy meal before we go on the road.
Kevin Menard , Kyle Young and Sam Burkhardt with a natural posing after the race at Manzaneda Bike Park
Fernando Marcos couldn't even finish his first training run due to a silly but painfull crash
I had time to shoot and ride the new Bandit 29er. Javi Molina from XMS Imports on the photo.
Ask yourself twice before going on the road with these guys...
Arriola was the clear winner during all the weekend
Transition/XMS Imports and Bike Support team at the podium
Sam Burkhard and Kevin Menard shredding at Manzaneda Bike Park
Sam Burkhard testing the new 29er prototype
Happy faces at the finish line at Manzaneda village
Javier Guerrero broke his shoulder blade in the qualifying heats
The spanish "padron" peppers, they loved it
Hope you like the post, and we want you to be a "Big Rider" the next year!
Text, photos and video by Juan Angel Triguero - www.freedreams.net
More info: www.bigridechampionship.com
Author Info:
Rivas Vaciamadrid - Madrid, Spain
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18 Comments
- 80
TransitionBikeCompany
FL (Oct 22, 2011 at 7:53)
This has to be one of the best races we have ever done. Please US race promoters bring avalanche style racing to the US. Thanks for the story Juan, awesome photos, can't wait to come back and do it again.
- 20
HON82
(Oct 22, 2011 at 1:09)
we may not have a north shore style bike park but Galicia has gorgeous terrain just waiting to be exposed to bigger biking communities.
Besides, chicks are awesome and the food and drink is to die for.
- 20
scott-townes
FL (Oct 22, 2011 at 2:28)
Any chicks are at least 10x's better than American ones... scientific fact!
- 20
rffr
(Oct 22, 2011 at 23:15)
LOL Scott. Your in Morman-ville. Either religious fanatics, whores, or drug fiends. Go to so cal for a few and say American Chicks aren't hot.
- 10
scott-townes
FL (Oct 23, 2011 at 11:09)
Actually the Mormon chicks are some of the hottest I've seen but you're right about them being religious fanatics though... So. Cali isn't too far away... hmm... do I want to travel that far to get shot down?
- 10
mtz666
(Oct 22, 2011 at 12:16)
just fyi the manzaneda big ride is part of a cup, it's called "open ibérico DHM" and it's composed of two events, the manzaneda big ride and the avalanche serra da estrela, wich is in portugal, about 10 miles from where i live, every year i go to the avalanche serra da estrela and i always wanted to go the big ride but i never had the chance :S
- 10
HON82
(Oct 23, 2011 at 0:21)
eu tamen fun a' serra da estrela!!!! e muito bom
- 10
mtz666
(Oct 23, 2011 at 11:24)
pierde un poco en la organization, pero la prueba eres muy divertida ( peço desculpas por mi malo español xD )
- 20
DMdh
FL (Oct 22, 2011 at 5:58)
It´s sad that a month after the big ride, all that mountain burned for 15 days... 
- 10
HON82
(Oct 23, 2011 at 0:21)
que me estas contando???? me mata el vivir fuera tio, nunca me entero de na.
- 10
chochocat
(Oct 22, 2011 at 1:02)
Arriba esos de bikesupport! Que buen adelantamiento de wittig asi es que es, lastima el tortaso contra el arbol jejej
- 10
PauRexs
(Oct 24, 2011 at 3:46)
Well done mates! you keeping it even bigger! That´s the way of going! see you there next year!
- 20
drop20
(Oct 24, 2011 at 15:36)
gotta love the transition crew 
- 10
swearmouth
(Oct 22, 2011 at 0:05)
Awesome name haha, Big Ride. Very to the point.
- 20
breezy85
(Oct 23, 2011 at 18:32)
nice manual at 5:42
- 10
drop20
(Oct 24, 2011 at 15:35)
agreed!
- 10
SandroSzukat
(Oct 22, 2011 at 14:38)
Muy currado!
- 11
bagelsandstuff
(Oct 26, 2011 at 21:12)
what is it with Japan?i mean come on
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