Looking down the ski hill at Mont du Lac toward the starting line.
Looking up the ski hill at Mont du Lac from the start line -- ugh!
And the Citizen class racers are off on an adventure-filled five-mile lap.
Yes, the starting hill really is THAT steep -- Jeff says it's quite the lung buster.
This would be a lot more fun going down than coming up.
The hill -- and the pain -- just keep going and going.
A great shot of the beautiful countryside just south of Duluth.
Some of the sweet single track on offer at Mont du Lac -- it kinda makes up for that killer climb in the beginning.
A nice switchback to spice up the climb -- at least it's not off-camber.
This Citizen rider is just about done the switchback climb.
The back side of the hill.
Jeff's trusty steed before the race.
The Comp riders get set to blast off on three -- yes, three -- laps up and down Mont du Lac.
There's no fooling around with the Comp riders -- they're all business charging up the hill.
This is Jake Richards, #1369. His family runs a ski/MTB resort in NW Minnesota. He's only 15 years old and he won the Comp class outright, beating more experienced racers twice his age. Watch for this kid in the 2016 Olympics. . . .
The climb is so steep that even some of the the super fit Comp guys get off and walk.
It's hard to tell, of course, but the Comp riders are really motoring up the hill.
This is Jake's dad, Jay Richards, leading the Expert class along the single track. He won is his age class and finished second overall in Expert.
Riders disappearing up the climb.
One last shot before they're out of range.
