Crank It at Winter Park

 As action sports go, downhill freeride mountain biking is about as gnarly as it gets. This weekend's Crankworx Freeride Mountain Bike Series will combine guts, glory, gravity, grime, and some good old-fashioned gruesomeness as riders from around the globe battle their way through slalom, slopestyle, cross-country and downhill competitions on...

By Colin Bane

July 29, 2010

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 As action sports go, downhill freeride mountain biking is about as gnarly as it gets. This weekend's Crankworx Freeride Mountain Bike Series will combine guts, glory, gravity, grime, and some good old-fashioned gruesomeness as riders from around the globe battle their way through slalom, slopestyle, cross-country and downhill competitions on the Trestles Bike Park, Sorenson Park and other Winter Park trails.

“This is the first year since the new Freeride Mountain Bike Association took charge, and all the riders have been rallying around the tour and making sure these are good, solid events with epic courses,” says Bob Holme, Winter Park’s program director and terrain park manager. “It seems like every year everything gets a little more difficult, a little more technical and a little more challenging. These guys are going to be going for it.”

The events get under way today with the dual slalom time trials at 9 a.m.; register for the head-to-head melee or just come for the (free) spectacle. Weekend highlights will include the dual slalom finals at 3:45, a Best Trick competition on Friday at 3:30, downhill and super downhill races all day on Friday and Saturday, and a pro and amateur downhill race sanctioned by the International Cycling Union on Sunday. Some trails will be open to the public all weekend, with bike demos and ride guides available to show you how it's done. For registration, lodging deals and more info, visit www.crankworxcolorado.com.
July 29-Aug. 1, 2010

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