ROANOKE, Va. – The best mountain bikers in the United States will be coming to Virginia’s Blue Ridge next week for the U.S. Endurance Mountain Bike Championships. And the region is getting ready to roll out the trails that make Virginia’s Blue Ridge a cycling destination.
For the second year in a row, the world’s best are coming to test themselves against the competition and the trails here in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
"We’re on track or on schedule. We’re getting really excited," Gordon Wadsworth, the race technical director said.
Last year’s races held at Carvins Cove (Hollins), Explore Park and Elmwood Park in downtown generated 2.6 million dollars in Economic Impact and drew participants from 44 states. The races also drew an average of 15,000 spectators.
Organizers say this year’s registrations suggest a similar event for this year.
"Yeah, I mean, from a participant perspective, we have we’re on track to sort of match last year’s numbers, which blew it out of the park. It was one of the most successful mountain bike nationals on record from the community. We’re really excited to see more partners, more sponsors, more engagement. We’re we’re really exciting about the show of both athletes, community sponsors, anything that draws attention to our region," Wadsworth said.
But the racing can’t happen without community support. It will take 400 to 700 volunteers to assist the paid staff.
“We still could use at least 100 more. I would love to have 200 or 300 more volunteers. Because the more people we have, the easier it makes on everybody,” said volunteer coordinator Molly Bullington.
Bullington says that non-profits will be compensated for their efforts if they bring enough volunteers, and that every volunteer gets a bit of SWAG.
"All volunteers get a t-shirt yes that’s important it’s very important of course yeah and if you’re a course marshal here at elmwood park you get a whistle," she said. She explained that the whistle will be used to get riders’ attention in the closely packed area of Elmwood Park.
The races start on Sunday, July 12 and run through July 19.
Go to Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge Website to sign up to be a volunteer. And to see times dates and locations for the races.