New York, NY - Mountain bike racers took Manhattan by storm this past Sunday, celebrating the grand opening of the first legal mountain bike trails in NYC with the inaugural NYCMTB All-City Cross-Country race. Ultra 100 series champ and NORBA Marathon racer Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) took the win in the pro class after setting a blistering 11 mph pace in his first lap of the grueling and technical 2.25 mile course.
Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications) rounds a tight switchback on "Hessian Hill." (photo © Jae Choi)
Situated in the northern tip of Manhattan, the Highbridge Park trails are the result of years of collaboration between NYCMTB (New York City Mountain Bike Association), IMBA, and New York City Parks. The trail system includes 3 miles of XC trails that range from rocky and technical to swoopy and fast, plus a double-black diamond "freeride" trail and a dirt jump park built by IMBA and pro riders Jeff Lenosky and Kyle Ebbett.
Sunday's race course incorporated the best of the trails, starting in the shadow of the elevated #1 train subway station, climbing up a paved park path above Harlem River Drive, descending then climbing the difficult "Rough Ryder" trail (named for the rollercoaster that occupied the same site at the turn of the century), looping around and down the flowy trails of Fort George Hill, and descending the wickedly fast "Hessian Hill" trail, named for the German mercenaries who captured the Revolutionary War fort on this site.
Beginner women stage for their start on a city sidewalk opposite a subway station. (photo © Jae Choi)
Price bested a pro/semipro/open field that included former U23 US National Cyclocross champ Troy Wells (Tokyo Joes/X-Fusion), and top regional pros Christian Favata (Verge/Overlook Mtn Bikes) and Ed Ceccolini (Campmor). He established a 2-minute lead in the first lap, and bumped the margin up to four minutes by the end of the 8th and final lap. On the women's side, pro Jane Pearson (Maverick) took home the victory over Connecticut pro Mary Lynn Wikar.
Jane Pearson lines up to descend a rock slab at the NYCMTB All-City Cross-Country race. (photo © Jae Choi)
Response to the course was overwhelmingly positive, despite the challenges posed by urban trails in NYC- volunteers had spent several days prior cleaning glass, trash, and other urban detritus from the trails, but still some remained. Despite this, in the words of Gary Fisher/Subaru regional pro Michael Patrick, the course was "Just like the old days- mostly technical, required both skill and strength to do well, true mountain biking in NYC. Well run, everyone having a good time, best race I've done in a while."
In a friendly tongue-in-cheek move, Maxxis provided free tubes to all racers who found themselves victims of the trail hazards. Racers were rewarded with excellent prizes from Eastern Mountain Sports, Maxxis, Vergesport, Vicious Cycles, and NYC Velo.
SELECT RESULTS:
Pro/Semi-Pro/Open Men
1. Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) 1:45:50
2. Christian Favata (Verge Sport / Overlook Mtn Bikes) 1:49:13
3. Troy Wells (Tokyo Joes / X-Fusion) 1:51:30
4. Ed Ceccolini (Campmor/Schwalbe/American Classic/No Tubes) 1:54:00
5. Maurice Gamanho (Cycle Craft / Yeti) 1:58:08
Pro/Semi-Pro/Open Women
1. Jane Pearson (Maverick) 2:29:50
2. Mary Lynn Wikar 2:35:50
Complete results here:
http://www.nycmtb.com/highbridge/NYCMTB-All-City-2007-results.pdf
Photo galleries are here:
http://www.nyvelocity.com/content.php?id=1397
http://jhchoi.com/nycmtb/nycrace_EXPERT_PRO/album/
http://jhchoi.com/nycmtb/nycrace_PRERACE_BEGINNERS/album/
http://www.anthonycollinsphoto.com/NYC/MTB07.html
For more info, visit http://www.nycmtb.com
Harlan Price (Independent Fabrications) rounds a tight switchback on "Hessian Hill." (photo © Jae Choi)
Situated in the northern tip of Manhattan, the Highbridge Park trails are the result of years of collaboration between NYCMTB (New York City Mountain Bike Association), IMBA, and New York City Parks. The trail system includes 3 miles of XC trails that range from rocky and technical to swoopy and fast, plus a double-black diamond "freeride" trail and a dirt jump park built by IMBA and pro riders Jeff Lenosky and Kyle Ebbett.
Sunday's race course incorporated the best of the trails, starting in the shadow of the elevated #1 train subway station, climbing up a paved park path above Harlem River Drive, descending then climbing the difficult "Rough Ryder" trail (named for the rollercoaster that occupied the same site at the turn of the century), looping around and down the flowy trails of Fort George Hill, and descending the wickedly fast "Hessian Hill" trail, named for the German mercenaries who captured the Revolutionary War fort on this site.
Beginner women stage for their start on a city sidewalk opposite a subway station. (photo © Jae Choi)
Price bested a pro/semipro/open field that included former U23 US National Cyclocross champ Troy Wells (Tokyo Joes/X-Fusion), and top regional pros Christian Favata (Verge/Overlook Mtn Bikes) and Ed Ceccolini (Campmor). He established a 2-minute lead in the first lap, and bumped the margin up to four minutes by the end of the 8th and final lap. On the women's side, pro Jane Pearson (Maverick) took home the victory over Connecticut pro Mary Lynn Wikar.
Jane Pearson lines up to descend a rock slab at the NYCMTB All-City Cross-Country race. (photo © Jae Choi)
Response to the course was overwhelmingly positive, despite the challenges posed by urban trails in NYC- volunteers had spent several days prior cleaning glass, trash, and other urban detritus from the trails, but still some remained. Despite this, in the words of Gary Fisher/Subaru regional pro Michael Patrick, the course was "Just like the old days- mostly technical, required both skill and strength to do well, true mountain biking in NYC. Well run, everyone having a good time, best race I've done in a while."
In a friendly tongue-in-cheek move, Maxxis provided free tubes to all racers who found themselves victims of the trail hazards. Racers were rewarded with excellent prizes from Eastern Mountain Sports, Maxxis, Vergesport, Vicious Cycles, and NYC Velo.
SELECT RESULTS:
Pro/Semi-Pro/Open Men
1. Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) 1:45:50
2. Christian Favata (Verge Sport / Overlook Mtn Bikes) 1:49:13
3. Troy Wells (Tokyo Joes / X-Fusion) 1:51:30
4. Ed Ceccolini (Campmor/Schwalbe/American Classic/No Tubes) 1:54:00
5. Maurice Gamanho (Cycle Craft / Yeti) 1:58:08
Pro/Semi-Pro/Open Women
1. Jane Pearson (Maverick) 2:29:50
2. Mary Lynn Wikar 2:35:50
Complete results here:
http://www.nycmtb.com/highbridge/NYCMTB-All-City-2007-results.pdf
Photo galleries are here:
http://www.nyvelocity.com/content.php?id=1397
http://jhchoi.com/nycmtb/nycrace_EXPERT_PRO/album/
http://jhchoi.com/nycmtb/nycrace_PRERACE_BEGINNERS/album/
http://www.anthonycollinsphoto.com/NYC/MTB07.html
For more info, visit http://www.nycmtb.com