On Saturday, May 22, 34 teams of downhill and cross-country riders hit Mont Tremblant vying to become the winning pair of the sophomore run of Red Bull Monte Descend. In the end, it was Red Bull athlete - and World Cup hopeful - Stevie Smith (downhill) and his partner Raphael Gagne (cross-country) who raced through the station village to become the champions!
Starting at 8:30 pm, bikers made their way through the village and down the mountain in a 90-minute relay. Cross country riders started the challenge with a running sprint to collect their bikes for a first pedal push. As they made their way through the village and toward the forest, they found their partner waiting to be 'tagged-in' in order to begin the downhill portion of the race.
With little more than a headlamp to guide the way, downhill riders navigated the mostly steep and rocky terrain before arriving in the village to once again meet up with their cross-country partner who waited to begin the next lap.
Village. Forest. Repeat. 1.5 hours of non-stop action challenged the riders to complete as many laps as possible before time ran out. But it wasn't just the riders own physical limitations that stood in their way. 60+ other riders, jumps, stairs, ramps, trails and the lack of adequate light posed great challenges as well.
When all was said and done, the team that completed the most laps became the winner of Red Bull Monte Descend 2010. The winning pair took home the gold - and $10,000 in prize money - plus bragging rights leading in to Red Bull Monte Descend 2011.
Comments
Add a comment