MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Spring 2020

17 UPFRONT Not long after the Uxbridge pump track was complete, the rumours started: The Pump Track World Championships were coming. The track itself, built by Switzerland’s Velosolutions, is incredible; molded from tarmac, there are multiple loops, and the place is an absolute hit. The company has built tracks around the world. The reason for their success? They simply make the best pump tracks there are. And if you’ve ever watched a Union Cycliste International (UCI) World Cup Downhill race, then you already know the name Claudio Caluori as the charismatic and enthusiastic announcer. He’s one of the owners of Velosolutions. “Velosolutions began in the nineties when I started building trails for myself and my friends in Switzerland and in San Diego, training to become a mountain bike downhill pro,” he says. “We believe in what we do, we love what we do, for ourselves and even more so for others. We learn from every track that we build and improve on the next one. We build our tracks for both the beginner and the pro rider, and both of them love the tracks. A smooth surface with well-thought-out shapes has been refined in over 200 projects, none of them look the same.” With tracks in more than 30 countries, the Red Bull Pump Track World Championships has grown out of these projects. Launched in 2018, the event is a UCI sanctioned event, meaning if you win at the finals you get one of the coveted rainbow jerseys. There are 30 qualifying events in 2020 from New Zealand to Chile, from Norway to—you guessed it—Uxbridge, Ontario. Taking place on July 18 and 19, the Uxbridge qualifier will have practice on Friday, timed laps on Saturday and knock-out heats Saturday afternoon. “Expect a lot of surprisingly fast riders giving it all for their spot at the finals in Austria later in the year,” says Caluori. “Everybody has a chance to qualify. There are four spots for the men and four spots for the women; the first of both will get a free trip to the final. These are the fully official UCI Pump Track World Championships. The winner of the final in Austria will receive the gold medal and the rainbow jersey. It doesn’t go higher than that in pump track racing yet! Because who knows if it will become an Olympic sport one day?” The finals take place in Leogang, Austria, on September 5. Whether or not you’re up for racing in the Red Bull event, the Uxbridge pump track is open to all. If the weather is good, the track is rideable. The free-to-use facility is ideal for all skill levels and ages, and is a blast for just about anybody. The fact that the world championships are coming to town is simply a bonus. “This event will get more people on bikes,” states Caluori. “It will show people what’s possible on the pump track, it will bring people together, and I’m sure there will be more people giving it a try after the event.” And more people on bikes is always a good thing. Registration for the event is open: redbullpumptrackworldchampionship.com –Colin Field One of the over 200 Velosolutions pump tracks. COURTESY VELOSOLUTIONS 2020 PUMP TRACK WORLDS HIT ONTARIO “We learn from every track that we build and improve on the next one. We build our tracks for both the beginner and the pro rider…”