The Venue

Never heard of Soldier Hollow? It's relatively new as an MTB venue, but has a rich history dating back to its opening in 2000, in preparation for when Utah hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, where it played host to the cross-country, biathlon and Nordic combined events.

The venue is tucked into Soldier Hollow—surprise, right?—a small valley in the Wasatch Mountain range to the southeast of Salt Lake City, and sits at over 5,800 feet. With the Salt Lake City Olympics well in the past, the venue has still remained as a destination for skiers, and more recently mountain bikers during the snow-free months.

One of the best features of this location was that spectators could see almost the entire course from the central pavilion, and the announcer's loudspeaker echoed to the far reaches of the canyon. On top of the already-stellar views, live coverage was streaming at multiple locations throughout the pavilion if fans there wanted to get a closer look at the race unfolding in the far-away sectors of the track.

During our trip, Soldier Hollow was characterized by foggy mornings, stunning sunsets, a prominent quarter moon, lush vegetation and crisp air.

The Races

Any moments of quietude found in the landscape were quickly offset when the racing began—thousands of ravenous fans lined the start chutes banging cowbells, broken bike frames and tambourines, screaming and holding signs, cardboard cutout heads, and chainsaws.

Over the course of the weekend there were 14 races across U23, Pro, and NICA categories.

Saturday short track was fast and furious, with lap times around the .75 mile/112 ft course clocking in at under 2:30. The course had a moderate amount of climbing and only featured two human-made rock gardens for tech. In other words: it was an all-out drag race. Martina Berta and Sam Gaze took the top steps in the pro field, but were only separated from the rest of the pack by a few scant seconds. A sudden rain at the end of the men's race did cause some drama, though, with a crash on the berms breaking apart the lead group.

For Sunday, the race took a turn from furious to relentless, with a 2.6-mile course tallying 584 ft of climbing. Lap times for the pro fields were between 11 and 12:30. The drag race from the day before was swapped for nearly 1.5 hours of attrition through vicious elevation, human-made and natural rock gardens, sheer drops, whoops, berms, and tabletops. Martina Berta earned a legendary double-up and confidently took the top step for the women, while Martin Vidaurre raged to an electric finish for the men.

NICA

The pros weren't the only showcase of the weekend, though. After Saturday's short track races concluded, the local groms took center stage with six NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association) races on the exact same course. These kids are the future of mountain biking in the US, and they put on an amazing show with hundreds of riders taking on the course. It was an absolute treat to be in the mix as they were roared on by parents and spectators alike.

32"

Soldier Hollow also saw some big—like thirty-two inches big—tech showcases. Trek and Scott both boasted riders on board new 32" rigs. The most notable takeaway from our viewpoint was that shorter riders like Evie Richards and Gwen Gibson were able to take advantage of the new wheel size, albeit with comically negative stem drop.

While it's always cool to see new tech in action, though, in this race the bigger wheels didn't seem to play an extraordinarily pivotal role. Gwen Gibson did have her best career World Cup result, but the way she was racing we're not sure that result would have been different on a 29er. We're eagerly awaiting the first BIG 32" XCO or XCC win.

The Vibes

What made this event especially special (or, double special) was the fans. There is such a strong MTB presence in this part of the US and the energy the over 12,000 attendees^* brought to the race was absolutely electric.

This also feels like a special moment for the XC scene in the United States, with young riders like Bjorn Riley and Riley Amos taking celebrity status with their own brand of super-fans to boot. It was incredible to witness this first-hand on American soil.

Next Year

With the good and the gooder covered, here's the goodest: this event is happening at least two more times. The race and venue are locked in for 2027 and 2028^*, which means you've got two years to get yourself to Utah for a World Cup-level race. Just don't forget your cowbell and your yellin' voice!