Riders cut through the fog at Grizzly Downhill race

The calendar said it was August, but the thermometer read more like November — and that pesky Big Mountain fog machine was making a rare summer appearance, soaking the ground with dew.

It was a perfect day for racing bikes at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

According to cyclists bombing down the Runaway Train freeride trail on Saturday during the inaugural Grizzly Downhill bike race, the cool weather had created a tacky dirt surface that was ideal for aggressive riding,

Stephen McCullough, of Whitefish, took advantage of the conditions — finishing first overall and completing the course in five minutes and two seconds, just ahead of trail designer Pete Costain and Jeff Rees.

Costain was satisfied with how the trail he helped build last summer held up to its first real test of perseverance, saying there was only one section that had rutted out over the two days of racing and trial runs.

Nearly 40 riders partici-pated in the event which took cyclists down the North Bowl Face, onto MoeMentum and ended on Russ's Street. The time trial race challenged riders with an onslaught of banked turns, steep rock drops and jumps.

Costain said the trail was designed so riders of all abilities could enjoy it — but when used in situations like the Grizzly Downhill, "More advanced riders can go full tilt and catch up to 30 feet of air."

Spectators lined the course, cheering riders on as they descended through the fog and charged into hairpin corners with little regard for the repercussions of a miscalculated turn.

Josh Knight, events department manager at the resort, said the Grizzly Downhill marked the long awaited return of gravity fed bike racing to the mountain. The resort held downhill races six or seven years ago, but nothing of this caliber, according to Knight.

A downhill bike race is different from a traditional cross-country mountain bike race in that riders are focused only on one direction — down. Their bikes are built with heavy full-suspension frames and they wear body armor, gloves and full-face helmets for protection. Falls happen regularly and aggressive riding is paramount for those competing to win.

Women sport

1. Edna White 0:07:15

2. Kelly Shea 0:08:10

3. Courtney Smith 0:09:00

Men sport

1. Brittan Ellingson 0:05:33

2. Cameron Poncelet 0:05:35

3. Craig Thorsteinson 0:05:40

4. Jared Trenerry 05:43.2

5. Travis Feller 05:43.3

Men pro

1. Steven McCullough 0:05:02

T2. 2 Jeff Rees 0:05:13

T2. Pete Costain 0:05:13

3. Jason Hanchett 0:05:16

4. Alex Adams 0:05:17

5. Tyler Tourville 0:05:29