Adams State University’s Cycling Team hosted the second annual Grizzly Grind, a competition among riders from 12 schools in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference (RMCCC), Oct. 10-11 at Angel Fire Resort, New Mex.The event included cross-country, dual-slalom, short track cross-country, and downhill races.
The RMCCC is made up of 15 colleges and universities in Colorado and Wyoming. The Grizzly Grind doubled as the RMCCC’s Conference Championships and the final tune-up before USA Cycling’s Mountain Bike National Championships at Snowshoe Mountain West Virginia, Oct. 23.
"We are very grateful to have the opportunity to host The Grizzly Grind at a world class venue such as Angel Fire Bike Park," said Adams State Adventure Sports Coordinator Marshal Hartley. "All four of our events throughout the weekend were well executed and a great time for everyone involved."
The six-member Grizzly cycling team, in its fourth year as a program, enjoys hosting a race in Angel Fire because of its capacity for both cross-country races and gravity events, said Jerry Duran, who coaches the Adams State team with Hartley. Duran also designed Angel Fire’s cross-country and short track cross-country courses.
"The feedback that I’ve gotten from pretty much all the riders is that they really do love this venue," Duran said. "They also love these courses. They have a lot of nice flow. I wanted a course that is definitely going to select the strongest rider."
He noted a number of RMCCC riders have a chance at making a splash at the national championships. "I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of our teams standing at the podiums in West Virginia," he said.
