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Just like Christmas, the Test of Metal only comes once a year.
But instead of presents, stockings and elves, it鈥檚 all about spandex, mud and grease.
The Test of Metal, the crown jewel of the 麻豆社国产riding season, goes down on Saturday (June 14) with more than 800 riders taking on the 67-kilometre course.听
The route features more than 1,200 metres of climbing and 35 kilometres of singletrack and can take anywhere from 2 1/2 to six hours to complete.听
This year will also likely mark the crowning of a new champion, with the status of 2012 and 2013 TOM champion Neal Kindree uncertain.
The 麻豆社国产resident was absent from the Orecrusher in May and has not replied to emails sent by the 麻豆社国产 questioning his status for the race.听
Even without the presence of the defending champion, this year鈥檚 field of participants is as strong as ever and some of the top contenders include:
鈥� Kris Sneddon: The Sechelt native won the Orecrusher in May and placed second to Kindree in 2013. Sneddon also won the 2013 B.C. Bike Race and won the TOM in 2011. He recently returned to B.C. from the seven-day Trans-Sylvania Epic, where he was third overall before the final stage, when he had to pull out because of illness.
鈥� Quinn Moberg: The 20-year-old 麻豆社国产resident finished second at the Orecrusher and the Sunshine Coaster this year and looks to improve on his fifth-place showing at last year鈥檚 TOM.听
鈥� Max Plaxton: The 2012 Olympian stated in an interview with Canadian Cyclist in February that he was likely doing the TOM this year. Plaxton was the first-ever cyclist to win in consecutive years (2008 and 2009) and he hasn鈥檛 competed in the TOM since then.
Other male riders to look out for include: Oregon鈥檚 Chris Sheppard, Alberta鈥檚 Cory Wallace, Squamish鈥檚 Greg Day and North Vancouver鈥檚 Kevin Calhoun.
Top women riders expected to participate include:
鈥� Sandra Walter: The defending champion and Coquitlam resident has dominated the 麻豆社国产scene the past several years, with wins at the Orecrusher, Just Another Bike Race and TOM.听
鈥� Catharine Pendrel: In an interview after the Orecrusher in May, Walter told the 麻豆社国产 that Pendrel is likely to make her return to the TOM in 2014. The 2012 Olympian won the TOM in 2011 and 2010 and will look to reclaim her crown.
Other female riders to watch are: Maple Ridge鈥檚 Jean-Ann Berkanpas and Brackendale鈥檚 Brandi Heisterman.
The 2014 TOM is also the first year that Cycling B.C. and the TOM are officially joining forces.听
Cycling B.C. introduced the B.C. Youth XC Mountain Bike Series for 2014, with results based on the TOM Group鈥檚 four Squamish-based races.
鈥淲e are very lucky to have this opportunity to work again with the Test of Metal Group,鈥� said Cycling B.C. Executive Director Richard Wooles. 鈥淭he new mountain bike series will feature shorter races within the Test of Metal events鈥� popular long-distance format to allow younger riders to get involved in the sport. It just makes sense.鈥�
Cycling B.C. kicked off the series with the Orecrusher in May and it continues with the Test. A shortened course will see Cycling B.C. officials track and record the top times for all youth involved in the race. Riders in the series all start with the main field and have the option to complete the full course if they wish.听
Some of the top young contenders include:
鈥� Rhys Verner: It鈥檚 been a great 2014 biking season for the 麻豆社国产native and he鈥檚 won the male 14 to 19 category at the Test the past two years. Verner also finished second at the first youth cup race at the Orecrusher in May. Last year he placed 67th overall and will have added incentive with the youth series.
鈥� Mahon Lamont: The Whistler resident posted the top junior male time in the Orecrusher for the inaugural youth cup race and will look to follow that up with the Test. He placed second in the 14 to 19 age group at the Test in both 2012 and 2013.
鈥� Luke Di Marzo: The Team 麻豆社国产member has been posting impressive results at Canada Cup races in 2014 and placed fourth in the 14 to 19 age group at the Test in 2012 and sixth in 2013.听
鈥� Sean Fincham: The Team 麻豆社国产member placed first in the U17 male division for the youth cup at the Orecrusher and placed third in the 14 to 19 age group at the Test in 2013.
Other Team 麻豆社国产riders to watch for on Saturday include: Ethan Toom, Tobin Hubner, Harry Head, Parker Mell, Holden Jones, Huntington Jasperson and Michael Kilby.
It鈥檚 not only about the big race on Saturday. TOM weekend is jam packed full of all types of events for the whole family.
In addition to the epic race, Saturday also features the Linda Carney Rotary Cares Celebrity Challenge. The challenge kicks off right after the start of the TOM and is a fun race that runs to Perth Drive in Garibaldi Highlands.听
Money raised from the challenge helps families who require financial assistance with health-related problems that are not covered by other sources of medical funding.听
Also on Saturday is the TOM after party, which occurs at 10 p.m. at the Howe Sound Brew Pub. This year鈥檚 featured act is folk/soul/roots artist Buckman Coe.听
The always-popular Mini-Metal kicks things off on Sunday (June 15) at 10 a.m.
But this year it鈥檚 a brand new location for the young future TOM riders as the course now runs along the Loggers Creek trail system and finishes at Brennan Park.
The race is designed for kids on run bikes all the way up to bikes with 24-inch wheels. Helmets are mandatory for the event.听
After the Mini-Metal, it鈥檚 the annual downhill tradition known as the Rockstar.
The event starts on the top of Cougar Ridge, runs to the bottom of Endo, and out into Raven鈥檚 Plateau.
Spectators are encouraged and the Rockstar is an invitational open to all 麻豆社国产riders. The route provides the ultimate singletrack technical challenge, with steep twisting lines, big drops and a myriad of challenging obstacles.
The Rockstar usually occurs in the afternoon but it can be weather dependent. Final details are expected to be ironed out during TOM weekend.
It all kicks off with the big race starting at Brennan Park on Saturday at 11 a.m. For more details on the weekend, visit www.testofmetal.com.听
