The 24 Hours of Snowshoe mountain bike race kicked off Saturday, June 28 at noon. This page provides some photos from the first three hours of the race. Stay tuned to DCSki for additional coverage as the race continues and concludes.

The event kicks off with racers running uphill, LeMans style, without their bikes. After making a quick loop, racers grab their bike for the first lap of the race.

Several different classes are available in the race. Most teams race in a relay, with four members taking turns making laps. However, there is also a solo class, where individual riders spend an exhausting 24 hours making one lap after another. Amateurs and professionals alike participate in this race.

Due to muddy conditions on parts of the trail, several sections of trail were removed at the last minute, making the lap 7 miles long. The shortest time for completion of the first lap was 45 minutes. Later laps, which did not include the forced opening run, clocked times in the upper 30’s. Times are expected to vary throughout the race due to changing surface conditions, racers tiring, and night falling.

The North American Trials Series is also ongoing at Snowshoe this weekend, with participants attempting to traverse through inconveniently placed rocks on their mountain bikes.

View additional DCSki coverage of the 2003 24 Hours of Snowshoe and photos in the following sections: