USAC releases the 2018 Pro GRT race calendar which features some new race venues. #USDH
We've heard rumors of the 2018 Pro GRT race calendar for the last couple weeks and breathed a sigh of relief when an official link to the list of races popped up on USACycling.org. The confirmation of the series lets us exhale as we'd caught rumblings of the struggling national downhill series nearing extinction. Extinct the Pro GRT is not. In fact, there are some new and exciting venues on the list to back up some quality existing venues.
The races generally cover every major DH region of the United States, but geography is ultimately the biggest hurdle for those wanting to compete in the full series. The U.S. is a large piece of land without much in the middle and the series ping-pongs back and forth across the country. The good news is that in 2018 there are month-long gaps between races on each side of America and we won't have to wait long to see the dirt fly because the first race is in early March.
March 8-11 - Windrock, Tennessee
Hell yeah! Neko Mulally and crew (and all those riders who have left shovel marks or tire tracks at Windrock centuries prior to Neko's birth) have done a great job prepping the venue and working within the system to create a high-quality event that now, in 2018 will grant World Cup points. That's right, Windrock is a UCI Category 1-classified event. All you hopefuls better get your training on because this race is over a month before the World Cup opener in Croatia. #noexcuses
See Vital's 2017 Windrock Pro GRT Feature (looks like more fun than one of them there rock crawlery type thingies)
April 14-15 - Port Angeles, Washington
PNW pride persists with another polished Pro GRT in Port Angeles in 2018. It's no surprise to see that the fast, potentially grease venue has hit the calendar again because the race hosts of NW Cup know how to put on a DH race. The squishy bike riders flock like the local salmon through a fish ladder to get stuffed in box trucks as they shuttle to the top, and they couldn't be happier about it. With Evil, Kona and Transition all in the local vicinity, not to mention nearby Canadian talent, it's a race for bragging rights and something actually fun to do for those planning on Sea Otter the following weekend. Those seriously prepping for a World Cup bid may find this race attendance tough with round one in Croatia (aka halfway across the globe) also just a few days later.
Get Greasy - Vital's 2017 Pro GRT Race Day Feature from Port Angeles
May 25-27 - Mountain Creek, New Jersey
The Mountain Creek Memorial Day DH torch has been passed from the U.S. Open to the Pro GRT. The U.S. Open (not affiliated with USAC or the Pro GRT) moves to Killington, Vermont, in August with the Pro GRT finding a new home in Jersey on America's official start of summer. We all know Mountain Creek can deliver the terrain and there's a gaggle of regional race talent, so success seems a given. Schedule-wise, the World Cup hasn't raced for a month and the following weekend is Fort William, so here's to hoping some Elite riders show up for some #USDH, hot dogs and dirty Jersey good times.
July 27-29 - Tamarack, Idaho
Tamarack, Idaho is a new venue for the Pro GRT. Aside from some kick-ass footage of Voreis shredding Tamarack in NWD 5 or 8 or something, we don't know a whole lot about the venue as it correlates to mountain bike racing. The relatively remote Idaho destination a few hours from Boise or Spokane, has been host to NW Cup downhill races, so we ain't scared. Deity and Fly Racing aren't too far away and our memories of Schweitzer national races from a decade ago give us warm, fuzzy feelings about what the terrain can deliver (dust, rocks and a beating to bike and body).
September 1-3 - Durango, Colorado
The ski resort outside of Durango, Colorado, was called Purgatory for years. Then the name was changed to Durango Mountain Resort and recently it's been changed back to Purgatory...or something like that. No matter what you call the place, you should call it FUN because the mountain has some really fun, diverse terrain and we're thrilled to see the venue back on the DH calendar. The resort (not to mention the town) has a great history of MTB racing. World Cup in 2001, Norba Nationals for a couple years and now an expanding bike park. Unless you're from the Four Corners region, you're going to pay a hefty pricetag in travel time to get there, but it'll be worth it, especially given the time of year. With World Champs hot on this event's heels in Lenzerheide, we won't be reliving the glory days of 2001, but maybe Wentz will show up to huck again. We're also thinking of starting a petition to get Myles, Herbold, O.D. and Tomac to drop in on race day too.
September 15-16 - Mammoth, California
The 2018 Pro GRT wraps up as it has the last few years in dry, sunny Mammoth, California. The tracks are proven, the drama with USAC seems to be nicely sorted and autumn on the eastern slope of the Sierra is as nice a place as any. Part of the Kamikaze Bike Games, the Pro GRT is just one of a host of cycling-related events at the resort that weekend and with Interbike in Reno next year, just a few hours away a few days later, there's plenty of reasons for anyone not from the region to make their way out west.
Props to everyone involved in keeping National level DH racing alive in the U.S. The schedule and venues look fun this coming year! #USDH
BetterRide.net
11/29/2017 12:38 PM
Durango was one of the most fun tracks ever! So glad they are finally opening up that track again! Wentz out bucked everybody off that drop, was the sickest thing I had ever seen done on a mtb at the time!
26griz
11/29/2017 10:02 AM
Big party in Boise for the Tamarack round!!!
Scott_Tucker
11/29/2017 6:52 AM
Tamarack should be July 27-29 FYI. Still working on it.
sspomer
11/29/2017 7:18 AM
updating post now (just saw your email)
kwapik
11/28/2017 10:42 PM
I thinks it's great there's a new destination for 2018. And I like potato vodka from Idaho
dstucki
11/28/2017 8:23 PM
D U R A N G O ! fuckyes
Daniel_Goss
11/28/2017 11:25 AM
That Durango shot was '04, that drop wasn't in the '01 WC. Wentz was nailing the 'Pink Panties' drop as big as anyone...
sspomer
11/29/2017 7:19 AM
i didn't mean to imply the wentz shot was 01. the glory days of world cup talent was 01. i was there to see wentz chuck his meat in 04. voreis too!
nh dude
11/28/2017 10:54 AM
Donde esta date para Windham?
sideshow
11/28/2017 8:20 PM
No está en el calendario probablemente debido a los mismos problemas que años atrás con la administración chocando con los promotores.
nh dude
11/29/2017 7:18 AM
donde esta bullshit
sideshow
11/29/2017 8:00 AM
No se, porque yo no tengo una mapa por la bullshit.
nug12182
11/28/2017 10:30 AM
Yup!!!That's Windrock.
Jason_Schroeder
11/28/2017 9:54 AM
Are the dates for Durango correct? September 1-3 would be Saturday- Monday
bturman
11/28/2017 10:26 AM
Believe so. That's Labor Day weekend. Most have Monday off.