The Golden Tour

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Pro triple crown set to showcase top talent and most challenging venues

Returning for 2018, the CES Golden Tour will showcase the three most aggressive stops on this season’s schedule: China Peak Enduro, Northstar Enduro, and Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro.

The tour is a triple crown series within a series intended to spotlight top talent and events. This elite series will serve as a stepping stone to international competition for new riders and help established riders maintain a high average level of competition throughout the year. Boasting a  $24,000 overall prize list for the three events, each race is awarded a $4,000 cash purse to the top ten for both Pro Men and Pro Women categories.

Golden Tour points will be awarded in each of the three rounds according to the established CES points table, and will be scored as a series within CES for Pro Men and Pro Women categories only. The Golden Tour represents an excellent opportunity for CES up and comers to test themselves on international level courses against some of the best in North America.

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The Northstar Enduro is also part of the new EWS North American Continental Series.    More details about the EWS Continental Series can be found on the EWS website.  You need to be an EMBA Membership to win the EWS North American Series Overall.

 

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The China Peak Enduro and Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro events are also Enduro World Series Qualifier Events.   More details about the EWS Qualifier can be found on the EWS website.  You need to be an EMBA Membership to earn EWS Qualifier points.

 

 

 

The 2016 CES Golden Tour will demand high speed, high skill in alpine terrain, and endurance. Photo: Called To Creation
The 2016 CES Golden Tour will demand high speed, high skill in alpine terrain, and endurance. Photo: Called To Creation

 

The Venues

China Peak Enduro

Flyin’ Brian Lopes (Intense) plans to live up to his name in the CES Golden Tour Photo: Called To Creation
Flyin’ Brian Lopes (Intense) plans to live up to his name in the CES Golden Tour Photo: Called To Creation

China Peak Enduro will kick off the Golden Tour with a real test of skill and endurance. The event is well known as one tough test of endurance and technical skill with race times coming in at around four hours, and nearly 6,000 feet of climbing. The dusty, loose course features some of the fastest and rockiest racing the Sierra has to offer on hand-dug rustic trails. EnduroFest Race Director Erik Saunders says, “We are happy to again put on a race that has become a rider’s favorite.” Saunders adds, “The riders who are on the EWS all give us high marks for technically challenging and physically demanding courses on par with what they expect for a top level race.”

Northstar Enduro

Kathy Pruitt (Juliana Bicycles) goes over the top in last year’s Northstar CES stop. Photo: Called To Creation
Kathy Pruitt (Juliana Bicycles) goes over the top in last year’s Northstar CES stop. Photo: Called To Creation

The Northstar Enduro offers a memorable two-day race on tough courses featuring meticulously carved berms, steep rocky sections, huge jumps, and plenty of off-camber challenges. CES Director Steve Gemelos says, “Northstar’s mountain bike park is ranked as one of the best in the world and we’re thrilled to include it in our Golden Tour line up.”

Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro

Ryan Gardner (Kona) hopes to use his EWS experience to repeat in Mammoth. Photo: Called To Creation
Ryan Gardner (Kona) hopes to use his EWS experience to repeat in Mammoth. Photo: Called To Creation

The Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro will cap off both the Golden Tour and the series overall. Mammoth Mountain’s legendary “kitty litter” terrain and technical courses will challenge the best of the best, pushing top athletes to the limit in their push to the podium. “In the whole evolution of Enduro racing we are very excited to be a part of the Golden Tour to help bring races like this to riders,” says Kamikaze Bike Games Director Bill Cockroft. He adds, “While Enduro racing is not new by any means, it is still evolving, both riders and events, and we are excited to participate in that evolution.”