2018 DVO Winter Gravity Series - Photo Recap & Results

PRESS RELEASE: DVO Winter Gravity Series

With athletes gathered from around the world to compete in a variety of sports, this was an event of Olympic proportions. But we're not talking PyeongChang here. This is Bootleg Canyon, baby, and the second round of the 2018 DVO Winter Gravity Series, Enduro presented by GT Bicycles. Boulder City, Nevada, once again played host to the Mob n Mojave, featuring a three-stage Enduro and a Dual Slalom on Saturday, followed by Sunday's Downhill.

The venue once again lived up to its well-earned reputation, challenging riders with its highly technical, downright fearsome desert terrain. With its eye-opening exposures and loose, gravelly surface punctuated by fields of rocks sharper than a speed skater's blades, Bootleg Canyon MTB Park was a site for both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Both the Enduro and Downhill courses were particularly demanding. Stage 1 of the Enduro took place on the Snakeback trail, normally reserved for the Downhill gang. This was a new experience for many of the less experienced riders on their shorter-travel bikes, which led to a lot of puckered chamois. The Downhillers were faced with a test of endurance, as their courses (mostly separated between Juniors and Cat 2/3s and Pros/Cat 1s) proved to be longer than usual. Based on Pro finishing times, this was the longest course in the five-year history of the Winter Gravity Series. Curling this ain't.

The weather conditions were a bit more pleasant than last month's Nevada State Downhill Championships series opener, but high winds again came into play on Sunday. This can be a problem because much of the course, especially the second half, runs along tall ridge tops, where the risk of unintentional freestyle aerials adds yet another challenge for the competitors. With a forecast of gusty breezes picking up later in the day, the Sunday schedule was pushed to earlier in the morning, with the Pro classes dropping in much earlier than usual. It was a good call, as the weather did exactly as predicted.

This year's Mob n Mojave had a distinctly international flavor, with the promise of mild conditions and significant cash purses drawing top riders from overseas as well as from all over North America. The Pro Downhill Women's winner was Italian Veronika Widmann (FS Funn), a World Cup Series regular over the last couple of seasons as well as a two-time Italian National Champion. Third place in Pro Men Downhill was five-time Irish National Champion Jacob Dickson, riding for the Giant Factory Off-Road Team. Pro Men's DH winner Liam Smillie (Slag City/Novatec) is a native of British Columbia, Canada, who winters in nearby Las Vegas. And even with all this combined talent and experience, every one of them has stated that Bootleg Canyon is one of the most arduous races around.

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of DVO Suspension, GT Bicycles, Jenson USA, Kenda Tires, KHS Bicycles, All Mountain Cyclery, Brian Head Resort, TruckerCo, Kore North Bikes, Deity Components, PinkBike, Fly Racing, CushCore, Bike Flights, Flightlinez, Kali Protectives, Blue Dog RV, Box Components, ODI Grips, and ReBel Riders Clothing.


























Complete results from Mob n Mojave as well as information for the third and final event of the 2018 DVO Winter Gravity Series—Reaper Madness on March 16-18—can be found at http://downhillmike.com/index.html.