World's best mountain bikers to compete in Deer Valley event

Deer Valley's ski slopes will open up for mountain bikers this weekend competing in the National Mountain Bike Series.

It is an event some hope will lead to the eventual arrival of a World Cup mountain bike race at the Utah resort.

Deer Valley has proved to be a popular mountain bike venue. It held a number of national races prior to the 2002 Olympics. Riders called it one of the best biking events of the year.

It gave up the event to prepare for the Games.

Mountain bike racing returned to the resort in 2005.

The resort was being looked at as a possible site for a World Cup event this year, but time didn't allow the resort staff to properly prepare or seek out needed sponsors.

This year's event will open on Friday with practices and qualifying races.

The main events will begin on Saturday with the men's and women's cross country and dual slalom. It will end on Sunday with the popular downhill and short track.

The field of competitors will include many of the world's top riders.

Considered the most grueling event is the cross country, which involved upward of 2 1/2 hours of all-out riding over rugged, rocky, hilly terrain.

The downhill course, which will be more than a mile and a half long, is a favorite among spectators.

The test of a good rider, the saying goes, is to have the courage to pedal downhill to gain even more speed than gravity dictates. The top downhill riders will, indeed, be pedaling the steep and narrow runs as fast as the gears and courage will allow.

This event, as one rider quipped, "Is not for the weak of heart."

The course is made even more challenging by ruts and loose rocks left on the course during practice runs.

Another of the favorite races with spectators is the dual slalom. Here two riders race side by side around gates similar to those used in ski racing. This event produces lots of spills and scraped-up knees.

The first event on Saturday will be the women's cross country at 11 a.m. The first event on Sunday is the women's downhill at 12:15 p.m.

There is no charge for those wishing to watch the events.

The center of racing will be at the lower Snow Park Lodge.

Schedule

Friday: Practices begin at 8 a.m. Super D finals at 6 p.m.

Saturday: Downhill practices begin at 7:30 a.m. Pro women's cross country at 11 a.m.; pro men's cross country at 2 p.m.; and dual slalom finals at 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: Downhill practices start at 7:30 a.m. Pro women's downhill at 12:15 p.m.; pro men's downhill at 1 p.m.; women's pro short track at 3:15 p.m.; and pro men's short track at 4 p.m.