Fall Tilt bike race in Mountain Village, 10/1/2011

25 Sep Fall Tilt bike race in Mountain Village, 10/1/2011

It’s like “Breaking Away” but with gravity to ramp up the action. Just ask Gary Dye, who helped design and build the bike trails  in Mountain Village.

In the early 1990s, Gary started biking in high school in Grand Junction. In 1997, he moved to the Telluride region, settling in Mountain Village, where he was mostly a cross-country rider and endurance race until he found downhill riding and racing in 2004ish. Rising to the top, so to speak, over the past  years, Gary became a competitive downhill and Super D racer, winning a state championship in the latter. (For the unitiated, Super D is a mass start downfall with longer and less technical descents than plain vanilla downhill.) For the past three years  – and here’s the punch line – Gary competed in Mountain Village’s Fall Tilt, finishing 2nd in the Solo Open category in last year’s race.

For those not quite ready to exchange bikes for skis, Mountain Village has your back. The third annual Fall Tilt returns to the San Juan Mountains Friday, September 30 (for training) and Saturday, October 1 (for the competition).

“We expect to see some of the region’s best and toughest riders participate in Fall Tilt, and showcase their endurance and strength,” said Mountain Village Community Relations Manager Nichole Zangara. “I can’t think of a better way to end one’s bike season than riding killer terrain while soaking in some of the most jaw-dropping scenery imaginable. We are expecting a solid turnout for this event, and some of the fastest speeds ever.”

Fall Tilt is capped at 40 on-course riders, which translates to over 60 competitors on race day. Prior to the start of the race, each rider must complete an on-course inspection. Winners of each category and class are determined by the total number of laps completed in a 12-hour period. CJ Sports guarantees no ties by timing every lap of every rider to determine the winners.

The Fall Tilt race course, contained within the Mountain Village Bike Park, is comprised of four adjacent downhill trails utilized simultaneously from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Terrain varies from rocky, technical riding on the World Cup course to flowing, slower riding on a “recovery” trail or two. It is up to the rider to choose the trail he plans to use for each lap. Classes and categories for Fall Tilt include open and amateur solo, duo and trio teams. Team class is based on best-rider-on-team skill level and only one rider per duo and trio team is allowed on the course at any given time.Winners of each class and category are determined by the total number of laps completed in a 12-hour period. There are no ties. Cash prizes are paid to top finishers in the Open division. Every rider, however, receives a killer gift at the Award Ceremony, courtesy of the event sponsors.

“We’ve been tweaking our trails all summer and will add some new options for the race,” explained Recreation Director Tony Forrest. “Fall Tilt is a great way to celebrate the Mountain Village Bike Park, whether you are riding or watching.”

To keep the course safe for the riders and spectators, the race course will be taped and marked, closed to the general public, and patrolled and marshaled. Tech support tents and support staff are available near the vicinity of the finish line. Riders are responsible for their own repair and equipment replacement.

For registration, go to BikeReg.com. (Until midnight Friday, September 30).

For the rules of the game, click the “play” and listen to Tony Forrest’s interview. For more on the race itself, Gary Dye joins Tony.