After opening on October 1, registration for the 20th annual ‘24 Hours in the Old Pueblo’ presented by Tucson Medical Center reached capacity in only 2 hours and 52 minutes, selling all 1,850 spots and filling faster than last year’s time of 7:20 hours.
The 24 hour mountain bike event’s organising team, Epic Rides, noted that the registration platform was pushed to its limit, causing a few issues during the first half-hour of registration for those who were prepared ahead of time and ready to process their race entries.
Dubbed ‘The Burning Man of Bike Races’, the 24HOP celebrates 20 years in 2019 and is one of few remaining 24 hour mountain bike events in the United States. Each edition has been held at the Willow Springs Ranch in the Sonoran Desert outside Tucson. The two-decade 24HOP milestone will be held on President’s Day Weekend, on February 16-17, 2019.
The typically warm and sunny weather of the Sonoran Desert in February attracts more than 3,500 MTB fans looking to escape the winter blues. Evidence of the 24HOP’s growing popularity is reflected in the speed at which the event reaches capacity each year. In 2013 it took 83 days to fill; 2014 took 46 days; 2015 took 21 days; 2016 took 5 days; 2017 took just over 7 hours; and 2018 was below the 3 hour mark.
“We’re really excited to celebrate 20 years of round-the-clock mountain biking in a beautiful corner of Arizona,” said Todd Sadow, Epic Rides President and Co-Founder. “Those who’ve attended the 24HOP in the past know that it’s far more than just a mountain bike event, it’s a celebration of family and friends in our own little community we call 24-Hour Town.”
Founded in 1999, Epic Rides has built a reputation for producing events that celebrate the many positive aspects of mountain biking. Events such as the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo presented by Tucson Medical Center, Tour of the White Mountains, Grand Junction Off-Road, Whiskey Off-Road, Carson City Off-Road and the new-for-2018 Oz Trails Off-Road are popular with participants ‘because they offer challenging, fun riding and emphasize the joy and camaraderie inherent in the sport.’
