Plans afoot for TransWales
Organizers have announced plans for MTB TransWales 2008, a seven-day stage race across 344 miles of Welsh countryside. The route includes 50,840 of climbing and will run August 17-23.

Unlike other stage races, however, The TransWales is based on a combination of un-timed linking stages and timed special stages, similar to a rally car event. There will be seven linkage stages and four timed stages, including one night race. Riders will not be under the stress of time during the longer linkage stages, and will be able to enjoy the scenery and riding.

The MTB TransWales will cap its entry at 300 riders, and will boast competition for both teams and categories. A total of six categories will feature awards at the conclusion of the race.

For more information on the MTB TransWales, visit www.mtbtransuk.co.uk/wales.

TransAndes shoots for 2009
The Chilean Santiagos Productions Company has announced plans for the TransAndes, a six-day epic mountain-bike stage race through Patagonia. The race will run February 3-8, 2009, starts and finishes in the Chilean city of Pucon, and take riders through parts of southern Argentina and Chile.

In the tradition of the TransAlp, Trans Rockies Challenge and Absa Cape Epic, the TransAndes will include competition between two-person teams. Organizers hope to cap registration at 400 teams, and riders will compete in eight categories: Open men, women, mixed, (combined age) 60 + men and mixed, 80+ men and mixed, and 100+ mixed.

Like the Cape Epic and TransRockies races, the TransAndes will boast a tent village style of living. Each stage will range in 60-90 kilometers in length, and the race race will traverse six volcanoes.

Registration for the race begins June 1, 2008. For more information visit www.transandeschallenge.com.

Bigfoot Productions halts on Colorado Epic
Colorado-based Bigfoot Productions, organizers of the successful Mountain States Cup www.racemsc.com has announced it is shelving plans to hold the Colorado Epic, a five-day epic mountain-bike race slated to roll through the Colorado Rocky Mountains in July.

“It needs to be done right and we don’t feel as if we have the resources in place to guarantee a superior product,” wrote Bigfoot’s chief Mike McCormack in a press release. “We’ve still got a fair bit of dialogue in front of us with land managers and it’s critical that those conversations and the fruit that they bear aren’t rushed and are allowed to unfold organically.”

McCormack said the company has committed itself to having the race fully ready by 2009.

Trans Germany shoots for 1100
The Craft Bike Trans Germany stage race is hoping for 550 two-person teams to register for the 2008 event, which crosses Germany from west to east May 31-June 7. The route leads riders through six German states and across Germany’s Central Uplands.

The 2008 route returns relative unchanged from 2007, the Trans Germany’s inaugural year. The route boats 806.75 kilometers of riding with 17,893 meters of total climbing. The race kicks off in St. Wendel, in western Germany, and finishes in Oberwiesenthal, on the Czech border. Reigning champions Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm of the Bulls squad will return to defend their title.

The Trans Germany is organized into five competition categories: Men, Women, Mixed, Masters (combined 80+) and Senior Master (combined 100+). For more information visit www.biketransgermany.de.

24-Hours of Adrenaline Series kicks off in April
The 24-Hours of Adrenaline mountain-bike racing company will host four events in 2008. The first event is April 26 Hurkey Creek Park Spring event in Idylwild, California. Monterey, California wil host the second race of the year at Laguna Seca Speedway on April 4.
The 24-Hours of Adrenaline world solo championships will be held July 26 in Canmore, Alberta, site of the 1999 race. Defending champion Tinker Juarez announced he will be on hand to defend his title from 2007, which he won at the Laguna Seca venue.
The final race of the year will be held September 19 back at Hurkey Creep Park in Idylwild.

For more information, visit www.24hoursofadrenaline.com.

24 Hours in the Old Pueblo hits Tucson Feb 16-17
In its ninth year, the Kona 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo is anticipating 1650 riders when the event kicks off north of Tucson, Arizona at the Willow Springs Ranch. That is a steep increase from the race’s first year — in 2000 only 176 riders showed up.

“We put on a high-quality, well-organized race,” said Todd Sadow, the event’s race director. “But it’s within the greater context of connecting people across the spectrum of the bicycling community, bringing them together in a positive environment to celebrate the many benefits we enjoy.”

The race is dedicated to Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member Richard Cunningham, the founder of Mantis Bicycles, whose contributions to the sport include covering mountain bicycling as editor of Mountain Bike Action magazine, for being a long-time advocate for mountain bike access, and for his many innovations and contributions to mountain bike design.

For more information about the event go online to
www.epicrides.com/twofour/24.htm.

Hall of Fame Accepting Applications
The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum is seeking nominations for the 2008 induction ballot. Nominees can be individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to the sport of mountain biking on a national or international level. Nominations must be a minimum of 250 words, and should include the nominee's current addresses, snail and e-mail, as well as a phone number so the Hall can obtain complete biographical information about the candidate.

The six nomination categories are; Advocacy, Industry, Journalism, Pioneers, Promotion, and Racing History. The Hall of Fame asks that a nominee have substantial a history of 10 plus years as an active mountain biker. The Deadline for nominations is April 15th, 2008.

Most nominees from the 2007 ballot will automatically be placed on the 2008 ballot. For more information visit www.mtnbikehalloffame.com.