Breckenridge, CO - Crested Butte Mountain Resort has pulled out all stops to ensure that the Wildflower Rush will follow the same legendary courses racers have come to expect. The Mountain Operations Team has completely cleared the snow from all singletrack sections using snowcats and shovels. In addition to clearing the trails, extensive work has been done to create water diversions to keep those sections of the course dry.  The race features its traditional 10-mile cross-country course on Saturday, June 21 on the Butte's legendary web of winding singletrack, climbing 1800 feet per lap.
On Sunday, June 22, the Wildflower Rush is excited to welcome back the Crested Butte Downhill a nd the new Wildflower Super-D. Improvements to the Downhill course have been approved by the U.S. Forest Service and are under construction. Changes include a new section of trail which bypasses the previous segment that went directly underneath the lift and through the trees. Additionally planned for this year’s event is a road gap for the Pro-level riders. The Super-D will start off Lemans style and use a variety of challenging terrain to finish through the XC start. We’ve also added a ton more Super-D practice to the weekend’s schedule. 
Crested Butte is expecting warm temperatures through next weekend, so you can expect dry trails and sunny days for the race. Lodging is still available – please call Crested Butte Vacations at 1.800.544.8448. Discounts are available for racers. Camping is available all along the valley in Gunnison National Forest campsites. If you liked the monster raffle at Angel Fire, then get ready for more of the same at The Wildflower Rush. Starting at 4 p.m. we’ll be giving away thousands of dollars of merchandise which has been generously donated by series patrons. All racers are automatically entered into the raffle. At 4 p.m. we’ll also be running the Dale’s Pale Ale fat-tire criteriums. Entry is free and while townies are encouraged, we’ll run whatever categories make sense…DH bikes, XC bikes, Singlespeeds, Frankenbikes...if you can ride it we’ll put you in a category with likeminded miscreants. We’ll also run The Shimano Kid's Race at 4 p.m. It’s open to all kids 10 years old and under. And if you missed the incredible off-road test track that the Angel Fire folks built for the Toyota's FJ's, you're in luck! We're truckng in dirt for a brand new test drive course right in the main start/finish area of the event. Make sure that you make time to take one of the FJ's on an off-road cruise. It was, in one word . . . unfrigginbelievablesuperfantasticholycrapImightthrowupcool. What else? Fat Tire Week kicks off in Crested Butte on June 18 - June 22. Bring your townie and join the festivities all week long. COMIN' UP!
MSC No. 5 BLAST THE MASSThis year's Blast is a UCI level one inscripted race for DH and MX. Participants in the DH will be treated to 5,000 more feet of vertical and a select handful of rerouted sections that'll add more flavor to the course. On the XC side riders will be treated to some of the same Government Trail deliciousness as in year's past. Distances have been tweaked a bit and we've added another wave of XC starts to eliminate any crowding on course. MSC No. 6 THE SOL SURVIVORIt is the CO State Championships for DH, DS, XC, SD and Singlespeeders. We've adjusted our schedule a bit to accommodate those of you who'd like to participate in the Colorado Crankworks events. On Saturday we'll offer Super-D and a twilight Dual Slalom and Sunday we'll rock out the XC and DH crowning state champions in all categories. Wade Wilderman's been hard at work cranking out an unbelievable XC course and the Momentum Trail Concepts guys . . . . well you know what they're capable of. The DH and DS promise to be world class. | SUPPORT KAIN!a letter from Gene Hamilton Kain Leonard, 2007 MSC downhill champion has qualified to represent the U.S. at the UCI World Mountain Championships next week in Italy. Since downhill mountain biking is not an Olympic sport, USA Cycling provides little/no financial support to our racers. This really hurts the racers who are supporting themselves and do not have the sponsorship dollars to fund the $3500 it costs to go to Worlds. To help my long time friend, former teammate and training partner, I am pitching in $500 to help Kain go for the gold. Kain is a fierce competitor, but also one of the friendliest, most support racers on the circuit. He is always smiling and represents himself and the sport well and is giving back to the sport by starting and coaching a mountain bike team at the Crested Butte Academy. With my donation and the help of his parents, friends and relatives he is half way there, but we need to hurry as he leaves for Italy in just a few days. Kain has set up a paypal account where you can donate to his cause at
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. If you prefer cash or check you can email him to fund him that way. Thanks for reading and we thank you for our support. - Gene Hamilton IN MEMORIUM:
MIKE JANELLE
1967-2007If you've been racing XC in the Rockies over the past decade, chances are you have crossed paths with Mike Janelle at one time or another. For the past several years he had been a staple on the Tokyo Joes squad. Shortly after Thanksgiving last year Mike was taken from his wife Maribel and then unborn son, Lil' Mike. The folks at Tokyo Joes have set up a website where you can make a donation to help Mike's family get through the next few years. 
For your small donation you'll also get some great schwag to remind us how precious every day really is. Visit www.LIVEMIKEMIKE.org. SCHEDULE FOR WILDFLOWER RUSHFriday- Athlete Arrival, DH Practice
9 a.m - 8 p.m.: Registration and packet pickup at Event Headquarters
9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.: DH/SD/XC practice. Lift access via Red Lady Express lift Saturday- Cross Country Race
6 a.m. - 7 a.m.: Registration and packet pickup at Event Headquarters
8 a.m.: Wildflower Rush XC Race
DH and SD practice to immediately folow
10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.: Registration and packet pickup for DH and Super-D.
3 p.m.: Registration closes
Noon: Shimano Kid's Race
1 to 2 p.m.: XC Awards and BBQ
4ish: Shimano Kid's Race, Dale's Pale Ale Clunk Crits, Wildflower Rush super ragfle at CB base area Sunday- Downhill and Super-D
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.: Super-D Race
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.: DH practice
10:30 a.m.: DH Race
1 p.m. - 3 p.m.: DH awards/DH and Super D Pasta Feed |
