Jay Henry set a course record in 16 minutes, 46 seconds.
Gravity was not on your side.
Women's sport and vet riders battle up the first climb.
Yes, two pairs of tandem riders showed up to race.
Like most ski towns, Vail is home to its own mountain bike race series, frequented by the area's devout crew of fat-tire fanatics.The Vail Recreation District runs the series, and each course offers its own set of challenges. On June 27, riders competed in Davos Dash, a four-mile uphill haul from the pavement in West Vail up a jeep road to the radio tower overlooking Eagle-Vail. At 24 years, Davos is the oldest course in the series, and succeeds each year in humbling a new and returning pack of competitors into dust-hacking, lung-raking, thigh-burning submission.Local cycling pro Jay Henry broke the 13-year record when he grunted across the finish line in 16 minutes and 46 seconds. But these races aren't just for pros. A flock of children do every race, and the number of beginner men and women racers increases every season, ranging between 50 and 90 entrants per race.If you enjoy mountain biking, you should honestly try your hand at racing. Despite the obvious satisfaction of having a two-wheel race under your belt, here are some less recognized reasons as to why mountain bike-racing is one of the coolest forms of competition.Why You Feel Cool After a Mountain Bike Race:* Your legs throb with a satisfying sensation like having run on water ... for about 500 miles* You have the opportunity to enthusiastically discuss near crashes and technical maneuvers on-course with fellow racers* You end up wearing a mask of dirt not unlike Zorro's* You get to wipe little gobs of black dirt out of your eyes for about three days* You possess the tell-tale hack of someone who's seriously exerted themselves inside a dirt cloud* Your mountain biking skills, speed, technical prowess and nerve increase 10-foldTo learn more about the Vail-Beaver Creek race series, check out the upcoming races here.by Shauna Farnell
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Tim, you're my hero.
Tim, you're my hero.
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