Singletrack 6 2018. Day 5.

It was a hot Stage 5 and we're still alive! The Planet Foods/Honey Stinger sponsor day was the perfect fit for the stage as it was a stinger and we needed a lot of gels. Flat tires, cow dogging, rattlesnakes and a grizzly?

Questionable according to local rider, great dude and Silverstar bike park coordinator Jason Martin. Jason was so close to the podium in the timed descent today but couldn't budge "All around" Evan Guthrie. Kalamalka Park has an epic network of trails and I'm pretty sure we just had a huge helping of the main course with dessert down at the lake, cooling off the legs at the beautiful beach.

The day started out with yet another massive climb, 20 some kilometres to be exact. I think climbing is fun and can be zen like once you get in a groove. If riders haven't felt that groove before I'm sure this years ST6 has helped them find it. Once we got up to the top we were thrown down an old school downhill called Big Ed. The trail started out with jagged rock rolls and then spit us into surfy dry chutes almost right into John Gibson's camera lens. This was not the timed descent as Big Ed went on for at least 20 minutes. Twisted Sister fit the bill for the timed segment on the day. This trail allowed us to get off the brakes for a bit and rail corners and flow sweet singletrack almost all the way down to the park entrance. The slog in the heat through the picturesque grasslands rewarded us with the finish line.

All and all a wicked day on two wheels! Thanks Kal Park, Planet Foods and good job to all of the riders. Evan Guthrie took the overall win today with Justin Lindine right behind him. Evan said he kept it cool on Big Ed but let it go down Twisted Sister which got him another win on the timed descent for the day. Jena Greaser is keeping it consistent with another stage win but Rebecca Beaumont steps up on the podium tonight for the timed descent. Sir Peter Findlay is the top dude in the 50+, Carey Mark won't give up even one gold ST6 medal to the other 40+ ladies. You guessed it, my new best buddy Tomi Misser is the 40+ champ once again today. No shake ups in the teams today so they might start celebrating tonight.

I'm sitting in the Bulldog Pub up at Silver Star resort writing this. They've got all of the windows wide opens and cool mountain air is making me a very happy camper. Day 6 starts up here and I know that every rider is so stoked to wake up and roll out of bed to the start arch. The race will be on the newest and coolest xc trail up here called Beowulf. Stage 6 will be the first time it will be raced on in its entirety and it's going to be exciting to see how the day and overall times play out.