Video: Adam Craig Brings World Enduro Series Close to Home

Mar 21, 2023 at 14:15
by Giant Bicycles  

Adam Craig has always loved showing off his home trails in the northern reaches of New England. Following a successful career as an XC and enduro pro on the Giant Factory Off-Road Team, Adam returned home to Maine in 2020 to work at Sugarloaf Mountain, where he builds trails and manages events.

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bigquotesI think most places have trails before they agree to host international events. — Adam Craig

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When Sugarloaf got the opportunity to host an Enduro World Series event last year, Adam had his work cut out for him. So he dug in and directed an ambitious effort to build a world-class trail network in less than a year. With a small crew and local volunteers, they got it done. In September 2022, the enduro world came to Maine.

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The EWS event was a success. But even more importantly in Adam’s eyes, his local riding community now has something to be proud of. Right in their backyard.

Video: Josh Lawless
Photo: Katherine Donnelly

Giant Bicycles
#RideUnleashed

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Member since Aug 17, 2011
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47 Comments
  • 19 2
 Video private and unavailable for anyone else?
  • 3 1
 Yeah same for me.
  • 17 1
 Always nice to see the east coast getting some positive attention.
  • 11 0
 Adam's a righteous dude. I remember him doing a World Cup XC race @ Windham 10 or so years ago on a single speed hardtail. Think he finished top 20 or so? Was and is all about fun for him, carry on Adam.
  • 3 0
 was there. was awesome.
  • 13 1
 So how did EWS with Chris Ball decide that this area would be a good place to host an event then? Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Trust
  • 29 0
 They already had Burke lined up. They needed a second event to make the travel worthwhile. Sugarloaf stepped up and Adam has a very good reputation in the bike world. So they trusted it would work out.....turns out it did and Sugarloaf got rave reviews from riders.
  • 2 2
 Money.
  • 2 0
 @wilsonians: Unlike Burke... which is a great place to ride, but not a great place to race. It is very pedally and the runs are either super rough and long, or super short.

There really aren't many good places to host an EWS in Vermont. Killington would probably be the best option.
  • 1 0
 @ridedigrepeat: Killington definitively doesn't have the vert that sugarloaf have.
And if you think kilington have some rough trails... think again.

Sugarloaf is something else.
  • 1 0
 @becik: theoretically Killington has a 3,000ft vertical drop while Sugarloaf has 2,800 but you have to do a fair bit of work road at Killington to get down from the top (which sucks).

I've gotta get out to the loaf sometime!
  • 11 0
 Got to ride one of the stages last year, it was so sick and gnarly. We can't wait to go back to Sugarloaf.
  • 8 0
 Met Adam and went on a group ride with him at a race when he was at the top of his racing success and I was less than a zero (and still am). He was the nicest most genuine of all the people there - pros and amateurs - and an obvious talent on the bike. Sugarloaf is lucky to have him.
  • 11 0
 Hopefully this will get the rest of Maine to start building good trails.
  • 10 0
 Sugarloaf was probably my fav 2022 round. So much demanding technical riding. Trail crew did a hell of a job
  • 5 0
 Thank you Adam and the crew for building such amazing course for the EWS! They were exactly what I was hoping for from a EWS level event! Really hope that EDR comes back to Sugarloaf. I’ll definitely be making the 10hr drive for Eastern States Cups as the courses are that rad .
  • 9 0
 I stood next to Adam on a starting line once. He beat me.
  • 5 0
 Rode there a couple weeks before EWS and trails were phenomenal. NEMBA fest is going to be at Sugarloaf again this year, so will be cool to see how it's progressed even since last summer.
  • 3 0
 Adam Craig is a true MTB soul. Extremely nice human and a ripping rider obviously. I got to participate in an underground Enduro that he put on in Bend Oregon a number of years ago. Ridiculously fun non sanctioned event. The final stage was the pump track in his back yard. Good times. Thanks Adam!
  • 2 0
 Shame it only ran for a year. I can imagine that UCI will probably like to stack as many EDR events with the usual DH calendar like they're doing in Leogang and Les Portes this year. East Coast USA and Canada is full of so many talented enduro riders. Maybe there's some hope for an EDR event at MSA or Snowshoe, but sadly I'll bet that Sugarloaf and Burke might be off the calendar for good
  • 6 0
 Give it some time. Sugarloaf apparently got rave reviews from the riders. EWS tends to do their major areas like Canazei or Finale repeatedly and then have other less used areas on a cycle like US or NZL for a year and then a couple years off. Here's to hoping they utilize the east , both US and Canada, more in the future.
  • 2 0
 Even though the UCI are the governing body, it's ESO and Discovery who are running things now, they are the ones responsible for changing the formats and putting the race calendar together.
  • 2 0
 @wilsonians: aint nobody listening to the riders!
  • 3 0
 Sugarloaf was FRIGGIN HARD last year with it being so fresh, and so wet. I sucked, and I loved every second of it. Some of the best trails I've ever ridden.
  • 3 0
 On that note, I really hope Sugarloaf becomes a permanent location for EWS/Whatever it's called now. I've long said it could be the Whistler of the east (for biking), due to it's terrain and the fact that it's single peak makes for incredibly good access to the mountain (it's why I love it in skiing, as well). It's such a rad spot!
  • 2 0
 @Matturalistic: I really liked how Sugarloaf/Burke gave a few of my friends and fellow racers (like yourself) the opportunity to race an EWS event due to its close proximity. Even Whistler is damn far and its the closest to us easterners. Switching up to a format this year where the only way to qualify is through national champs in each respective country is kinda sad. I enjoyed racing Eastern States Cup and Wildside with the idea that maybe, one day, I would be quick enough to get a spot. Pretty low chance of that now
  • 3 0
 A story well told! So stoked to see all of the work going into trail development in the Maine region - keep it going Adam!
  • 2 0
 Awesome Adam! Thanks for all your work in backcountry hills of Oregon while here, much appreciated! Bet it feels good to be back on your home turf!
  • 2 0
 I know it's not EWS, but this is how BME Ironton, MO (Shepherd Mtn.) got scheduled and it was awesome.
  • 2 0
 Such an awesome event....awesome dude....awesome trails! It was definitely a bucket list race for me!
  • 2 0
 I would love to see ews go to bc, Quebec: sentiers du moulin (the French riders will feel at home!) and Maine: Sugarloaf.
  • 2 0
 looks like he's about to nut tap himself with that pulaski
  • 3 0
 SICK!!!
  • 7 1
 /sik/
adjective

affected by physical or mental illness.
  • 3 2
 Why is the video private?
  • 4 4
 Rake and ride. Not that difficult.
  • 1 0
 Hopefully they go back after racers beat the snot out of it and make it more sustainable.

I mean I'm 100% rooting for them, but as a trail builder it does kinda chap my a**. lol
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