MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Now that the novelty is over, the e-MTB race at Sea Otter can focus on fun.
Organizers have expanded the course from last year's inaugural event, and racers this year will be riding the same course as the pro XC MTB riders. It's a short, spectator-friendly course that goes through a couple of rock gardens and features a lot of climbing.
"I know last year when we had the [inaugural] e-MTB race there were some eyebrows that were raised and more than a few comments about it," Sea Otter founder Frank Yohannan said.
"But we're into our second year now and the whole brouhaha about e-bikes and e-MTBs has died off. I haven't personally received any comments about it."
The four-lap race, sponsored by Haibike, kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Friday and is open to men and women. Staggered start times cover six age categories. The last start at 4:40 p.m. is the Industry Challenge, where bike industry employees face off for bragging rights.
The e-MTB race is not UCI-sanctioned, so no licenses are required. All categories are open and there is no "pro" category.
