Singletrack 6, a mountain bike event that runs over six days in various communities in Western Canada, is coming to some of our favourite towns this year: Rossland, Nelson and Kaslo.

The mountain bike race series called Singletrack 6 was created four years ago by the same people behind the popular TransRockies competition and is visiting the West Kootenays for the first time in its history. Beginning on Saturday, July 29, approximately 300 riders will take to the slopes of Red Mountain in Rossland and begin a six-day tour of that town (including the iconic seven summits trail), Nelson and Kaslo.

Catharine Pendrel wins Stage 1 during the ST6 event in Salmon Arm, B.C. All photos by John Gibson.

The race is unique in the mountain biking competition world because the format rewards both fitness and technical prowess on a bike. Within each stage, there is a separate ‘timed-descent’ section in the course. More cross-country-minded riders tend to go for the overall stage victory, or even overall race victory, while enduro and gravity-oriented riders compete for the timed descent section every day.

The first three days of the event will be in Rossland and then on the fourth riders will move on to Nelson, long known for its challenging freeride and downhill trails. Nelson’s inventory of cross-country riding has exploded in recent years, however, so racers will be offered a bit of everything. The stages will pass through old growth cedar forests high in the Selkirks and offer stunning views. For Stage 5 riders will again move north, this time to the town of Kaslo on the shores of Kootenay Lake. Then it’s back to Nelson for the final stage and banquet.

Here’s what the riders can expect during each day of the competition:

  • Stage 1: 41 km, 1600m of climbing
  • Stage 2: 31 km, 1500m of climbing
  • Stage 3: 36 km, 1200m of climbing
  • Stage 4: 45 km, 1700m of climbing
  • Stage 5: 41 km, 1600m of climbing
  • Stage 6: 42 km, 1600m of climbing

For more about the Singletrack 6, log on to singletrack6.com.