Another classic Classicย goes down in MTB history

By Liam Ruff

Summiting the climb (Mike Oitzman).

Summiting the climb (Mike Oitzman).

The Downieville Classic is a mountain bike race unlike any other event on the planet. Itย combines rugged mountain singletrack, serious racing, and absolute anarchy in four wild days in the Lost Sierra.

The eventย is comprised of two separate days of racing and challenges riders’ mental and physical strength. Day 1 consists of a 29-mile point to point cross-country race with over 4,000 feet of climbing. The race starts with a climb known as the โ€œTrail of Tearsโ€ and is extremely challenging, leaving all competitors deep in the pain cave. After the Trail of Tears racers descend Sunrise Trail and then traverse a fire road to the top of the โ€œBaby Headsโ€ section โ€“ a high speed jeep road littered with loose rocks the size of baby heads. After a few miles of bone shaking downhill the course continues onward on the Pauley Creek, Butcher Ranch, and Third Divide trails which are all beautiful stretches of technical singletrack and some of the most popular trails in the Downieville region. After plunging down Third Divide riders mustย put the power down on a flat fire road section and the First Divide trail to the finish in Downieville.

Day 2 is the downhill race on the infamous Downieville Downhill course โ€“ a 15-mile technical yet physical descent with over 5,000 feet of drop and 1,000 feet of climbing. Racers can only compete in the Downieville Downhill if they completed the cross-country race the day before on the exact same bike.

The combination of both days is known as the All-Mountain World Championships, a title that accurately illustrates racing in Downieville. With shenanigans such as the river jump, log pull, live music, and hellbent hecklers, the Downieville Classic is an event that can be enjoyed by everyone โ€“ racers and revelers alike.

The Downieville Classic is round 2 of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship’s (SBTS) Lost Sierra Triple Crown, which also includes the Lost & Found Gravel Grinder which took place this past June and the Grinduro coming to Quincy in October. Learn more about the Downieville Classicย here. Learn more about the Lost Sierra Triple Crown in this ASJ article:ย Triple Crown Summer.

At the start (Hannah Oitzman).

At the start (Hannah Oitzman).

Enduro Banana cheers for riders at the start (Hannah Oitzman).

Enduro Banana cheers for riders at the start (Hannah Oitzman).

Mike Oitzman

A rider plunges down the amazing singletrack of Downieville (Mike Oitzman).

Larry Sussman smashes rocks during the DH race (Mike Oitzman).

Myles Lucas rips through the “waterfall” (Mike Oitzman).

Louisa Sussman finds a smooth line through the "waterfall" (Mike Oitzman).

Larry Sussman smashes rocks during the DH race (Mike Oitzman).

Louisa Sussman finds a smooth line through the "waterfall" (Mike Oitzman).

Louisa Sussman finds a smooth line through the “waterfall” (Mike Oitzman).

A rider receives a high five at the top of the climb (Mike Oitzman).

A rider receives a high five at the top of the climb (Mike Oitzman).

Good times surrounding the river in Downieville (Mike Oitzman).

Good times surrounding the river in Downieville (Mike Oitzman).

Clif Bar at the finish (Hannah Oitzman).

Clif Bar at the finish (Hannah Oitzman).

MTB Happy in the Lost Sierra (Hannah Oitzman).

MTB Happy in the Lost Sierra (Hannah Oitzman).


 

liam

Liam Ruff is a semi-pro enduro and cross-country mountain bike racer in Northern California who has a deep passion for bikes and the outdoors.