USA Cycling announced today that it will hold the 2009 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championship at the 24-Hours of Moab in Moab, Utah on Oct. 10-11, 2009. The 2010 USA Cycling 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championship will then be held in conjunction with the 24-Hours of Big Bear in Hazelton, W.Va., June 12-13, 2010.
Originally slated to be held in Arizona, the USA Cycling 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championships were re-set due to schedule and location conflicts. Previously held in conjunction with the 24-Hours of 9 Mile in Wisconsin, the event will now be run through Granny Gear Productions for the next two years, coinciding with the 24-Hours of Moab event in 2009 and 24-Hours of Big Bear, in Hazelton, West Virginia, in 2010.
“Moab will be the perfect battle ground for a National Championship race. The course is a classic mix of high-speed double-track, technical sections and power-sucking sand-traps. Likewise, I’m very excited about Big Bear being the National Championships for 24-hour racing in 2010. Our West Virginia venue represents the roots of 24-hour racing and for the first time the USA Cycling 24-hour National Championships will be held at an East-coast venue. Just as the Moab course represents the quintessential western course, Big Bear represents the ultimate east-coast course with mile after mile of wooded single-track, moss-covered rock gardens, birch and hickory forests and beautiful mountain laurel just be coming into bloom,†said Laird Knight, President of Granny Gear Productions. “We’ve just recently purchased the 24 Hours of 9-Mile from Kevin Eccles and will be bidding for the Nationals to return to 9-mile in 2011.â€Â
The national championship competition in Moab will be open to American riders only. The 24-Hours of Moab event however will offer more than 20 divisions open to various age groups, skill, levels and team sizes.
Prior to the addition of an American-only national championship race, the 24-Hours of Moab has a fourteen year history as one of the most popular mountain bike races in North America. The annual event draws more than 4,000 racers, support members and spectators to a stunningly beautiful biking venue. The event also offers a $20,000 total cash purse and more than $30,000 in prizes.
