24 hour mountain bike races
24 Hour Mountain Bike Races are a form of Endurance mountain bike racing where solo competitors or teams race for a period of 24 hours. The 24 Hours of Canaan (July 13-14, 1992) is accepted as the first sanctioned 24 hour mountain bike event 24 Hour of Canaan - History. At the 24 Hours of Indiglo (later renamed 24 Hours of Adrenalin) 17-year-old Ed Hunt became the first solo competitor at a 24 hour mountain bike event 24 Hours of Adrenalin Hall of Fame.
These races attract a wide variety of riders from elite professional racers, experienced non-professional racers to amateurs. Because the races are held off road, most locations are rather from towns, so it is typical for racers to camp out near the start/finish line. Sometimes racers may arrive several days ahead of time, to claim a good camping spot, preview the course or acclimate to altitude. As a result many of them also have a festival component to them including kid's races, bands, beer tents and an expo area.
Solo Categories
Many different categories can exist, depending on what the race director chooses to offer. Typical categories are:
- Elite Male
- Elite Female
- Single Speed
- Age Group
Team Categories
24 hour racing was originally conceived as a team sport. Teams consisting of Male, Female or Mixed rider numbering 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 - 10 race in a relay, taking turns to complete lap/s of the course. During the night racers use lighting systems to negotiate the course, however a few events now offer "No Night" Categories.
Scoring
There are two alternative methods of determining the winner.
The usual winner is the team or rider that completes the most laps with the first lap after the clock has ticked over 24 hours counting to the result, i.e.
- Team A covers 23 laps in 24:03:06
- Team B covers 24 laps in 24:12:09
- Team C covers 24 laps in 24:45:23
The ranking would be:
- 1st: Team B
- 2nd: Team C
- 3rd: Team A
Some races end the race at 24 hours and it is the team with the most laps in the 24 hours that wins, i.e.
- Team A covers 23 laps in 23:50:55
- Team B covers 23 laps in 23:58:12
The ranking would be:
- 1st: Team A
- 2nd: Team B
See also
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