Ski-Slope DH Racing

“Looking for a challenge? How about downhill mountain biking on a black-diamond ski slope?

“Blue Mountain Ski Slope is readying for its annual Bikercross. This extreme sport, which combines bicycling with skiing, has competitors racing on a downhill black-diamond ski slope at speeds exceeding 50 mph.

“The snow-covered ski slope does offer advantages for the course can be sculpted to the desires of course designer Ed Preece. Each year, on the night before the race, Preece arrives from Connecticut with his team. They shape the 1,300-foot long Raceway slope into a steeplechase of rolling mounds, banked turns, table-top jumps and wedged gaps that add interest and challenge to the course. Although he doesn’t race, Preece enjoys a test run on his track just to make sure everything is right.

“The tires on my bike have 720 screws in each tire,” explained Nils Tribus. Tribus has been DMBing in snow for seven years and competing in the Blue Mountain race for five years. He was riding on his brother Las’ bike. Lars Tribus is the current world champion””he won the Masters World Championship Downhill Mountain Biking. “He’s ice climbing in Mexico. I stole his bike for the event.

“The screws bite into the snow and improve traction over the standard knobby tires. Nils creates his own studded tires by removing the sidewalls off a street bicycle tire and placing the tread inside the tire to prevent the screw heads from popping the inner tube. Although they help control the bike on the snow, the exposed screws pose a hazard.

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