Full Menu of Gravity Events at Cougar Mountain Classic

Contact: John Cardinale
707-933-3907
 
 

COUGAR MOUNTAIN CLASSIC PLANS FULL MENU OF 

GRAVITY EVENTS FOR U.S. MTB NATIONALS

 

Downhill, Super D and Mountain Cross Promise Fun for Athletes and
Spectators

 

SONOMA, Calif. (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) - The Infineon Cougar Mountain
Classic will host the world's leading gravity powered mountain bike
racers during an action-packed weekend of downhill mountain bike racing
around the USA Cycling MTB National Championships brought to you by
X-Fusion at the Infineon Raceway July 13-16.  

 

The US MTB Nationals are a stand-alone, American-only event for all
levels and professional mountain-bike disciplines, and all races will
also include amateur age and class categories. 

 

This is the first time that the Mountain Bike National Championships
have come to the Bay Area - where the sport was spawned. This event is
normally held at a ski area (Mammoth Mountain).

 

 "Although we've had to change the venue for the U.S. Nationals due to
unexpected lingering snow in the Sierras this year, we're extremely
excited and happy to host this event at the Infineon Raceway.  People
who have been to the past two large scale cycling events held here, or
who are familiar with their auto racing events know that Infineon
Raceway is a world-class venue, and the sport of cycling is truly
blessed that a facility of this quality and resources is showing a
long-term interest in two-wheeled, engineless racing," says the event
director Jeff Frost.  

 

The first of the weekend's pro national championship events is the Super
D. Unlike a traditional downhill race that requires large, heavy bikes
weighing 40+ lbs, Super D is more of an all-mountain mix of downhill
(great vertical descents) and cross-country (longer trails and no major
drops) where racers with outstanding handling skills, and superior
endurance fitness come together for what some describe as the most fun
race in mountain biking.

 

In the absence of specialists in this three-year-old discipline, cross
country riders have a stronger grip on this title than their downhill
counterparts: Team Giant's Adam Craig, of Bend, Ore., who is better
known as a cross-country superstar, wears the stars and stripes in the
Super D and will be present at Infineon to defend his title.

 

Women's Super D defending champion Kelli Emmett of Plymouth, Mich., is
slated to defend her national title as well.  

 

The gravity events continue on Saturday with the Mountain Cross National
Championship - an event in which four riders at a time line up at the
top of the hill to battle head to head to the finish line below.  

 

Look for cycling legends Eric Carter of Temecula and Brian Lopes of
Trabuco Canyon  to lead the Mountain Cross men's field while 2005 UCI
Four-Cross World Champion Jill Kintner of Seattle, Wash., and Melissa
Buhl of Chandler, Ariz., will be the ones to watch on the women's side.


 

Sunday's Downhill course could be one of the best city-based downhill
courses in the world.

 

Perched high atop Cougar Mountain, nearly 400 feet above the raceway,
this course will be 90-percent visible from the finish line, and should
offer spectacular, fast, world-class downhill racing. 

 

On a clear day, from the start house, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge
and the San Francisco skyline. 

 

Runs will span approximately three minutes with plenty of natural jumps,
and banked and off-camber turns.

 

The Downhill course will showcase young, up-and-coming riders like
Duncan Riffle of Team Honda Ironhorse, Cody Warren of Team C-Dub Racing,
Chris Del Basco of Team Go-ride.com and Rich Houseman of Team Yeti/Fox.

 

Adding to the high stakes of the event, the Downhill race will also
count towards the National Mountain Bike Series points standings.

 

"The raceway staff has gone to huge lengths in acquiring a raft of
permits and completing course work to make sure that our gravity events
are second to none and we're sure the competitors will be rewarded and
thrilled by their efforts," says Frost.   

 

 

Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic

WHAT: 2006 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships brought to
you by X Fusion, as part of the Infineon Cougar Mountain Classic.

WHEN: July 13-16.

WHERE: Infineon Raceway

MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Cross Country, Short Track, Downhill,
SuperD, Marathon and Mountain Cross

ROAD CYCLING: Road Circuit Race and Road Criterium (United States
Cycling Federation sanctioned)

EXPO:  Trade team trailers, cycling vendors, family activities and
vintage bicycles

PARTICIPANTS: On-site registration is available for a full slate of
racing classes, with entry fees ranging from $30 to $80. Non-competitive
events for mountain bikers and road cyclists are $10 each. 

SPECTATORS: $10 per car per day or a three-day pass for $20           

CONTACT: For more information call (707) 933-3556, email
info@cmclassic.com  , or visit
www.cmclassic.com <http://www.cmclassic.com/> 

 

 

---------------------------
John Cardinale
VP of Media/Community Relations
Infineon Raceway
Highways 37 &121, Sonoma, CA 95476
wk: 707-933-3907
cell: 707-334-9805