Upshur County Uprising WVMBA #7

Race 7 out of 9, Upshur County-uprising, is the seventh event of the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association (WVMBA) Cross Country Mountain Bike Series. The thrilling Upshur County Trails (UTC) is Built by dedicated volunteers, and boasts predominantly hand-built single track filled with tight, twisty sections, steep uphill switchbacks, and quick turns. Get ready for an exhilarating race featuring rollers, table tops, and small jumps that promise excitement and challenge for all racers. We highly encourage participants to take advantage of a pre-ride to fully prepare for this unique course and fantastic event! 

The WVMBA series is recognized as one of the oldest mountain bike racing series in the nation, renowned for its challenging courses and the vibrant community of riders it attracts. Join us in celebrating the spirit of mountain biking and enhancing our trails by becoming a WVMBA member at: WVMBA_Memebrship_2025, Membership not only supports the promotion and development of mountain biking in the state but also provides benefits such as discounts on race entries.

This event is held under a USA Cycling event permit, ensuring that it meets the highest standards for competition and safety. If this race provides a day of registration this will be provided between the hours of 10 am-11:45 to ensure that race officials can have accurate participation lists. All participants must attend the pre-race meeting. All participants must have signed the USA Cycling waiver! Details below.

Race Categories:

Each WVMBA Series Race offers participants the opportunity to choose from three categories when selecting their race class. Your choice should be based on a combination of fitness level, skill, and the time you anticipate needing to complete the course.

Pro/Cat 1: includes 17.8 miles with 2,370 in elevation gain. This category is designed for experienced riders who are prepared for a challenging course.Cat 2: includes 12.5 miles with 1649 feet in elevation gain. This category is suitable for intermediate riders, offering a balanced challenge.Cat 3/Beginner: includes 7 miles with 910 feet of elevation gain. This category is perfect for those new to racing or looking for a less intense experience.

Licenses:

This race is officially sanctioned by both the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association (WVMBA) and USA Cycling (USAC), ensuring that it meets the highest standards for competition and safety. 

WVMBA-Annual members will receive a $5 discount code per race entries. If you are not a member, the cost of race entries is included with your event registration. WVMBA memberships can be purchased here: WVMBA_Memebrship_2025. You are encouraged to obtain an Annual WVMBA membership, before registering for the race, as we cannot provide refunds for licenses acquired after registration.

USA Cycling (USAC) licenses are explained as follows:

Competitive USA Cycling sanctioned events require a license to participate. Competitors who do not have an annual license can purchase a one-day license when registering for their event. Such riders do not become members and may not enter national championship events. Riders that purchase a one-day license are entitled to the USA Cycling accident medical coverage for the event day the license was purchased for and limited to only the cycling activity of the event. All medical coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy(ies).

 

Beginner One-Days: One-Day licenses for beginner categories are $15 and may be purchased on USA Cycling’s website, or on-site at the event.

 

Experienced One-Days: If your categories prohibit you from entering a race with a beginner one-day license, you can purchase the experienced one-day license for $35. The experienced one-day license is only available online.

 If you have never joined USA Cycling please use this code INTROMEMB25 to receive your membership for $50.

Please see this link for full details: USA Cycling membership

Please note all participants must have signed the USAC insurance waiver! Links to the documents can be found here: One Day License and rider Release waiver.

Rules:

As a USA Cycling sanctioned event please take some time to review the USACycling rule book. Please note all rules established by USA Cycling take precedence over any club-specific regulations. 

Please review the updated WVMBA Racing Rules and Regulations available on our website. This comprehensive guide outlines all the necessary information for participating in our series. 

Additionally, we are excited to offer E-Bike options for Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes. You can find the specific rules for E-Bike participation_2025 in the same section on our website. Explore the details today to ensure you’re fully prepared for the race!  

 Category pricing:

All Junior, Cat 3/ Beginner or Just for Fun categories are $30 (+online reg fees) 

Pro, Cat 1 and Cat 2 categories are $45 (+online reg fees) 

WVMBA Annual Members will be $25 and $40 respectively. 

Starting June 9th there will be a $10 increase in registration for all racers until registration closes at 5:00 p.m. on Friday June 13th, before the race to allow time to submit registrants to our timing company Miles of Smiles. 

Prizes:

Each category in the WVMBA Series is distance-based and offers unique prize opportunities:

Cat 1/Pro Categories: Competitors in this category will race for cash prizes awarded to the top three positions across all five subcategories. Notably, there is equal pay for both the men's open and women's open divisions, ensuring fairness and recognition for all athletes.

Cat 2, Cat 3, E-Bikes: Participants in these categories will compete for a prize table or special awards for the top three finishers in each subcategory. The specific prizes will be determined at the promoter's discretion. 

The Award Ceremony for Upshur County Uprising will take place after all racers have been accounted for on the course, and will take place at the Main Event Area at the Upshur County Park.

Course and Additional Information:

As Upshur County Trails is a new addition to the WVMBA circuit, we want to share some key details. This course benefits greatly from a pre-ride since it features tight, twisty sections, steep uphill switchbacks, and quick turns, without major rock gardens. You'll encounter optional features and B-lines, so it's crucial to familiarize yourself with these options beforehand. During the racer's meeting, we'll emphasize: if you haven't ridden an orange-X-marked feature before, do not attempt it on race day! These features require full commitment and carry higher risks; please choose the B-line if you couldn’t pre-ride.

About 90% of the course is hand-built single track, so expect to navigate through fellow racers. Be prepared to communicate and execute safe passing during the race. All categories will start with a prologue of approximately 1.5 miles, followed by a main lap that varies by category.

The race course features several short, punchy climbs rather than sustained ascents, with a mix of rocks, roots, rollers, table tops, and small jumps that add excitement and challenges. Each challenging feature includes a ride-around line marked in blue, differing from the orange markings for technical features. There's plenty of fun to be had, and we invite you to explore additional trails not included in this race course on a future visit!

For those eager to familiarize themselves with the trails, Upshur County Trails is offering a guided pre-ride (details to come). Join our group every Wednesday night at 6 PM, rain or shine, for a chance to ride together. We'll announce an extra guided pre-ride Wednesday soon, but any Wednesday is a great opportunity to explore! If these dates don’t fit your schedule, please contact [email protected] or [email protected], and we’ll arrange for someone to guide you. We look forward to seeing you on the trails!

Once the final course is finalized for the 2025 season it can be found here: Course 2025