The 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
Words and photos by Chris Lee

I’m not gonna lie, I’m not very well versed or informed about the mountain bike racing circuit. But I do know about the MTB World Cup and when the announcement that it was going to be making a stop in Windham again, I knew I had to make the trip up…

Saturday was arguably the most events packed day out of the entire week of the World Cup. Not only were the pro category final heats taking place all day but Red Bull hosted their second annual Berm Burners in the early evening.

My friend Tom and I made the drive up to Windham Friday night as soon as we both got off of work. Tom had arranged for us to meet up his old riding buddies from Philly and spend the night at their place. We slept in an unfinished house and made the short drive to the race, just in time for the downhill race to start.

I focused on the downhill category because for two reasons: its a world that I’m the least familiar but totally fascinated with because it is so akin to BMX, which is something I grew up with, and who doesn’t get stoked on watching people throw themselves down the side of a mountain at breakneck speeds?

Later in the day, the Red Bull Berm Burners kicked off. It was a great event that was inspired by the popular Mini Drome. The course was literally a pump track mini drome: berms on each end with a small rhythm section in the middle. Pro and amature bmx racers and mountain bikers alike came out and went head to head to put down the fastest times.

It was great and almost surreal to watch the best in the world compete against each other. To see world and national champions from all over the world pushing this sport to even greater limits was very humbling and it has me excited to experience a different world of cycling that I’ve missed until now.

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