Downtown race

Downtown racing is, in its formal structure, a relatively new variety of the form of mountain bike racing known as Downhill cycling (DH). Similarly to DH, the competitors race down slopes against the clock on courses that take two to five minutes to complete. Like the name suggests, downtown racing is distinct from its parent class because it is has lifted the race to an urban environment. Downtown takes place in an inner city setting and as such has a much-changed set of obstacles for the rider to face. Steps, cobbled alleys and car jumps have replaced the more customary countryside hurdles.It is still very much in it’s infancy and seen as a side-show to the main DH season. Lisboa Down Town race, the first event of this new variety of the down hill races, is laready in the schedules of the main Down Hill Teams, and it is C1 class in the [Union Cycliste Internationale] ranking. However, thanks to the popularity of the setting with racers and viewers, rapidly becoming an established mode of mountain bike racing.

Notable races

Probably the most famous of the annual Downtown races is the ‘Lisboa Downtown’ - [http://lisboadowntown.sapo.pt/] . Running since 2000, the event has become the standard for Downtown races. The city’s natural characteristics, the presence of big-name Downhill riders and the coverage offered by the organaizers, helped to push the event to the forefront of the sport’s consciousness. Steve Peat won the 2007 event, helping to continue his enviable record in the event. It was his sixth win in as many years, 2008 is in the UCI International calendar for Saturday 17th of May.Red Bull, the first sponsor of this race, continues to promote similar events in Mexico (Red Bull Down Metro - [http://www.redbulldownmetro.com/flash.php] ) and Puerto Rico (Red Bull Down Yauco - [http://www.redbullcaribe.com/#page=ArticlePage.1188419615926-228299415] ).The UK saw it’s first official race in 2006, the TwentyFourSeven Street Race saw 200 participants racing through the streets of Bridgnorth. Despite not being able to offer the same guarantee of good weather as Portugal, the event, was considered enough of a success to be followed on by two events in the following year. The next official UK Downtown is The Tredz Downtown Race - [http://www.downtownrace.co.uk/] , being held in Penarth on the 21st of October 2007.The first official event also spawned an event set to take place in Edinburgh on October the 6th 2007. The unofficial race’s unique selling point is that it will be the first Downtown Race to take place at night. It is part of Fat Face’s 2007 Night Series - [http://www.fatface.com/stry/the2007nightserieslineup] .

The Fat Face race was an official race with over 6000 people spectating during the night time race.

The race will return in 2008 and has been listed on the UCI International Calendar for 4 October 2008.