American riders react to Lake Placid course

Course is fast, physical, and less technical

Mt Van Hoevenberg, New York - It’s the first time the Adironaks have hosted a mountain bike World Cup. Unlike the recent American venue of Snowshoe, West Virginia, the circuit has come to a ski area of the Nordic variety. There’s no chairlift for downhill skiing here, but there is a bobsled track, and miles of Nordic ski trails weave through the hills and hollers. 

The track here is brand new, built specifically for the World Cup. Beside the lodge building, the track winds around the mountain's lower slope before jetting uphill, mostly on double track. There are a few rock gardens with a handful of distinct lines, then at the top, riders plunge into the loamy soil of the woods to begin the descent. After another circuit, the track descends to a hip jump before circling the paddock, through the tech/feed zone, and back to the start/finish. 

The track is clearly man-made and designed for tight, TV-friendly racing. This track style has been common in recent years—the Paris Olympics course is another example—but it stands in contrast to more technical courses like Mont-Sainte-Anne or Snowshoe. 

Riders had diplomatic reactions during a pre-race press conference, noting that while the track is unlike others on the circuit, it will create an exciting racing dynamic for fans.