Granny Gear's American 24 hour racing series will kick off with the 24 hours of Vail Lake on April 26-27 in California. On hand to do battle in the men's race will be 2007 Series Champion Rob Lichtenwalner, Tom Mazaitis, Cyclingnews diarist Eddie O'Dea. In the women's solo division, Terri Wahlberg, last year's runner-up, will return to duke it out with Liz Baumgardt-Kays, Namrita O'Dea and ultra-endurance road rider Shanna Armstrong.
This year's 10.22 mile course, with 1,498 feet of vertical ascent, will feature the return of the Tunnel of Love singletrack. Racers will be treated to spectacular views from the course as well as other singletrack sections like the Funner Downhill and the Ambulance Road. Organizers reported that two hike-a-bike sections and a few ledgy drops have been removed. Lap times are expected to range between approximately one hour for advanced riders and nearly two hours for intermediate riders, with the majority of competitors somewhere in between.
