Vittoria Mountain Bike Marathon coming to East Sussex

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Vittoria to sponsor English marathon event

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With the backing of Vittoria, a mountain bike marathon race is coming to East Sussex. The VIttoria Mountain Bike Marathon will bring long-distance XC racing to Pipingford Park on 11 July. 

Vittoria has sponsored the Southern XC MTB Series since 2016, which grew the brand's mountain bike range of tires in the UK. The brand has now partnered with Eventrex to create a marathon race, something that had been lacking in the region. 

The course will consist of an 18 kilometer-long lap featuring singletrack, woodland trails, heathland crossings, and gravel tracks. The course will pass through the central venue twice per lap, with riders crossing over and under a flyover bridge. 

Racers can choose to complete up to four laps, for a grand total of 72km/44 miles. There will also be a pairs category so each teammate alternates laps. 

Early bird pricing for the full four lap race starts at £35 for individuals and £50 for pairs up until 31 March. On the day registration will be available if the event has not sold out and will cost £50 for individuals and £65 for pairs. 

The race will be held at Pippingford Park, which is a 900-acre private estate in Ashdown Forest. A law bans mountain biking from pubic areas of the forest, so racers will get to ride trails that are largely untouched by mountain bikers. 

Ryan Simonovich
Ryan Simonovich

Ryan Simonovich has been riding and racing for nearly a decade. He got his start as a cross-country mountain bike racer in California, where he cultivated his love for riding all types of bikes. Ryan eventually gravitated toward enduro and downhill racing but has also been found in the occasional road and cyclo-cross events. Today, he regularly rides the trails of Durango, Colorado, and is aiming to make a career out of chronicling the sport of cycling. 

Rides: Santa Cruz Hightower, Specialized Tarmac SL4