WILMINGTON, N.Y. --- Cyclists in the North Country have known for years that mountain biking in Wilmington, N.Y. is top notch. Now word is spreading to the rest of the country, thanks to National Geographic, which listed the area as one of only 20 in its list of America’s 20 Best Mountain Bike Towns. Heavily favoring western cycling destinations, Wilmington was one of only two northeastern U.S. communities to make the list.

“With so much terrain available, it’s not surprising that Wilmington made the list. Mountain biking is so popular here, said Whiteface Visitors Bureau operations manager Michelle Preston. “The region is a nirvana for mountain biking with endless trails and single track for cyclists of all abilities.”

 The article touts Upstate New York and the Adirondack Park as “One of the outdoor capitals of the east.”

It goes on to say that “Wilmington boasts a main street with ride-from access to the state trail systems, the region’s only dirt jump park, the Wilmington Whiteface 100-kilometer race, and the annual Bike Fest, which now draws more people to the town than any other single event. And Whiteface Mountain Bike Park offers 2,426-foot downhill runs, the longest vertical drop in the East, and some of the gnarliest, techiest, lift-accessed trails in the country.”

Next Saturday and Sunday, June 3-4, road and mountain bikers from the northeastern United States and Canada will descend upon the community to participate in the Tour of Wilmington Whiteface Bike races.

 The weekend is expected to bring almost a 1,000 cycling enthusiasts to the Wilmington region to race in the 7^th annual Wilmington Whiteface 100K mountain bike race (WW100) and the 16^th annual Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race.

The WW100 kicks the weekend off. The 69-mile mountain bike race, which begins and ends at Whiteface Mountain, pushes the more than 500 riders up, down, through and around twisting dirt, paved and gravel roads, back country trails and single track trails. 

As one of only eight Leadville qualifiers, the top finishers from the WW100 automatically qualify for the prestigious Leadville 100 MTB slated for Aug. 12, 2017.

More than 300 road cyclists and a handful of unicyclists will race in Sunday’s Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race. This 11-mile event also begins at the base of the Olympic mountain and proceeds to the Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway to climb 3,500-feet and finish 4,865 feet above sea level.

Those courageous enough to compete in both events will be eligible for cash prizes.

To sign up for both the events at www.BikeWilmingtonNY.com

For more information about both events, log onto http://www.whitefaceregion.com, or Facebook, @ WhitefaceNY. Follow all of the conversation and the action using the #BikeWilmingtonWhiteface.

Photos from the 2016 Wilmington Whiteface 100K are found HERE. Photos courtesy of ORDA/ Whiteface Lake Placid.

Media interested in covering the event, contact Jon Lundin, ORDA communications, Tel: 518-523-1655, email: JLundin@orda.org.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.