2009 Event Photos and Ride Summary

The first Devils Backbone Mountain Cross in the beautiful Blue Mountains of Virginia brought out almost 150 riders of all types. Among those riders was the local pro mountain biker Jeremiah Bishop and also a local recreational rider on his 35 pound hybrid with fenders! Both types of riders found a challenge at this unique 63 mile event with 6400 ft of elevation gain. There where climbs steep enough to force dismounts for some riders! Mother Nature was kind to promoters Tony Bilotta and Richard Pence of the Van Dessel Factory Team. The dust on dirt roads was held at bay by light morning showers which gave way to cool temperatures for the grueling ride through the mountains. Many riders used words like “awesome”, “beautiful”, “spectacular” to describe the scenery on the remote mountain roads.

This “non-competitive” USA Cycling sanctioned event was led early by a very “competitive” Jeremiah Bishop who would set a pace that only a few riders could match. The remainder of the field approached the event from a non-competitive point of view. They finished the event in the 5 to 6 hour range that included ample time to enjoy the bountiful rest stop fare. A notable exception was local cyclocrosser Dee Dee Winfield of team C3 Sollay who set a pace that would put her only 16 minutes behind Bishop after just under 4 hours of riding. After the ride most gathered at the host venue of the Devils Backbone Brewing Company for food, music and “recovery drinks.”
Bilotta and Pence labeled their first attempt at an event of this type a great success and plan to be back next year. The event was a great way to knick off the cross season, bring together folks who wanted to do a hard ride in the mountains, and finish it off with a beer!