Welcome back to the #1 MTB newsletter brought to you by RECON, mountain biking’s fastest growing media brand and online store.

On today's ride:

•  🏁 Preview: US Racing at Lake Placid

•  ⚡️ LOAM Pass - Like skiing, but in the summer!

•  ✨ US Open Killington - The fan favorites delivered

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👇 Quick Picks

🚨 YT Mob is history, but it will race till the end of the season!

Big shock in downhill: the YT Mob World Cup team with heavy hitters Vali Höll, Andi Kolb and Oisin O’Callaghan is shutting down. Reason? YT Industries, the main sponsor, went bankrupt, laid off most of its staff and has no budget left for racing. The riders actually had a 4-year deal, so the sudden end in July came out of nowhere. Still, they’ll be lining up in Lake Placid and Mt. Sainte Anne later this season.

🚲 iXS European DH Cup 2025 Finals at Kranjska Gora

The iXS European Downhill Cup 2025 wrapped up in epic fashion at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. With wild weather, a legendary track and huge crowds, the stage was set for a dramatic season finale. In the end, Loris Revelli (ITA) and Kine Haugom (NOR) claimed the Elite titles, while Rosa Zierl (AUT) and Briek Van Duyse (BEL) topped the U19 categories. A perfect finish to a thrilling season!

🚵‍♂️ It is happening: Crankworx Mont-Sainte-Anne 2026

Crankworx is adding Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec to its World Tour in 2026. From Sept 3–7, riders and fans will take over one of Canada’s most legendary MTB spots for a mix of high-level competition, next-gen talent, community vibes, and festival energy. MSA has hosted 30 UCI World Cups and is stacked with epic downhill, XC, and enduro trails. Now it’s stepping onto the Crankworx stage, bringing its deep history and local culture to the global scene.

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RACING

🇺🇸 Lake Placid World Cup Debut: Whiteface Awaits the Elite

New Track. High Stakes. Two Rounds to Decide It All.

After eight high-octane rounds across Europe, the 2025 Downhill World Cup has crossed the Atlantic. This weekend, the circus sets up shop in Lake Placid, New York, marking the first-ever downhill World Cup at Whiteface Mountain.

Cross-country riders broke ground here last season, but for downhill, it’s all fresh dirt. The track itself was only just completed, with input from US legend Aaron Gwin, a rider who knows exactly what makes a great World Cup course. Until days before race week, sections were still under construction, and even some environmental hurdles had to be cleared before the elite could arrive. The result? A venue shrouded in mystery — and perfect timing with the overall titles hanging in the balance.

🏔 The Track: Whiteface Unleashed

Projected to run around three minutes, the Lake Placid track offers three distinct flavors:

• The Raw Upper Woods → Natural terrain, roots, off-camber lines, and sharp corners that will force riders into split-second decisions. Any mistake here will cost time before the speed sections even begin.

• The High-Speed Mid-Mountain → A wide-open ski piste that’s all about letting the brakes go. Riders will be pinned here, flirting with chaos as speeds soar. Staying loose will separate the fearless from the rattled.

• The Bike-Park Finale → Freshly built berms, jumps, and man-made chaos. It’s designed for airtime, crowd energy, and decisive moments. Expect tricks, huge sends, and at least one section that gets replayed endlessly after finals.

All of it framed by fall colors in the Adirondacks, giving this debut stop a cinematic edge.

🔥 Carrying Momentum from Lenzerheide

The last round in Switzerland set the tone heading into North America:

• Juniors: 🇦🇹 Rosa Zierl didn’t just win by three seconds, she posted a time faster than the elite women’s top qualifier. 🇺🇸 Asa Vermette finally delivered the clean run he’d been chasing, a huge confidence boost before racing on home soil.

• Elite Women: 🇬🇧 Tahnée Seagrave edged 🇩🇪 Nina Hoffmann by just 0.061 seconds in a nail-biter. 🇦🇹 Vali Höll made her seventh podium of 2025 but remains winless this season, riding under added pressure as she, along with Andi Kolb and Oisín O’Callaghan, searches for a new team after their YT mob program’s sudden closure.

• Elite Men: 🇫🇷 Amaury Pierron claimed his first victory of the year after qualifying through the last chance heat, a true redemption arc that reminded everyone he’s still one of the most dangerous riders when it all comes together.

🏆 The Overall Battles

Men’s Title Fight:
The story of the season: Loïc Bruni vs. Jackson Goldstone. Bruni’s consistency has kept him in control, while Goldstone’s explosive speed has delivered four wins, plus the 2025 World Champs rainbow jersey. A crash in Lenzerheide gave Bruni breathing room, but with just two rounds left, the gap is razor thin. Lake Placid’s unknowns could swing the balance in either direction.

Women’s Title Fight:
Vali Höll leads, but momentum is with Gracey Hemstreet. The Canadian has been quietly stacking points and looks more confident each week. With Lake Placid’s brand-new course, experience counts for little. Any slip-up here could tip the standings, and the overall, in dramatic fashion.

Juniors:
Rosa Zierl and Asa Vermette are riding at speeds that already challenge the elites. Both could mathematically lock up the overall early with strong results in New York, which would cap off breakout seasons.

🇺🇸 Why This Stop Matters

It’s not just another venue. Lake Placid is US soil, a place with Olympic history and a chance for American downhill to shine on the biggest stage. The last US debuts were Snowshoe in 2019 and Windham years before that. Whiteface now adds another legendary mountain to the World Cup map.

And with US stars like Asa Vermette in juniors and Dakotah Norton in elites, the local crowd has plenty of reasons to go wild.

✨ What to Watch This Weekend

• New Track Factor: With no test events, every line will be learned under race pressure.

• Bruni vs. Goldstone: The title fight could pivot here.

• Höll vs. Hemstreet: Podiums won’t be enough — the overall lead is on the line.

• Team Drama: Riders like Höll, Kolb, and O’Callaghan racing for results and contracts.

• Juniors Rising: Zierl and Vermette are already running elite pace — can they seal their titles early?

RECONs Take:
Lake Placid isn’t just another race weekend — it’s a season-defining debut. New dirt, high stakes, and only two rounds left in the chase for the World Cup crown. Saturday will be bring the HEAT!

Whiteface Mountain is about to decide who survives the chaos, who cracks under pressure, and who writes their name into downhill history. Watch it live on Discovery or if you are in the area, visit Whiteface Mountain to witness the best riders shred down this mountain!

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SCENE

⚙️ LOAM PASS: One Pass, Endless Trails

Picture this: you roll up to the lift at your local bike park, flash a single card, and drop straight into the trails. No scrambling for day tickets, no juggling different passes — just pure riding. Now stretch that vision across more than 70 bike parks, resorts, and shuttle companies all over North America.

That’s the promise of the Loam Pass, dropping in 2026. And for mountain bikers, it could be the game-changer we’ve been waiting for.

❄️ Ski-Style Access, Summer Stoke

Skiers have been spoiled for years — Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, and the rest of the mega-resort deals that unlock entire mountain ranges. Mountain bikers? Not so much. Every bike park has had its own lift tickets, its own pricing, and its own system. Until now.

The Loam Pass flips that script. For just $200, riders unlock access to legendary spots like:

• Angel Fire (NM) – home of the big jumps and high desert tech

• Windrock (TN) – the Southeast’s raw and rowdy training ground

• Killington (VT) – “The Beast of the East,” with flow trails and freeride lines

…and dozens more hidden gems spread across the continent. Whether you’re chasing road trips, building your season around a race schedule, or just want options, it’s a passport to shred.

📋 How It Works

The Loam Pass keeps it simple — and smart:

• 2 Full Days at every Loam Pass destination

• 3rd Day at Half Price if you want to go back for more

• Discounts & Perks (20–40% off) from MTB heavy-hitters like Crankbrothers, Troy Lee Designs, ARI Bikes, and Trailforks

• Easy Redemption: just flash your pass at the ticket window or book directly through each destination’s page

And here’s the kicker: buy your pass between October 1–14, 2025, and it’s instantly valid for the rest of the 2025 season. That means a free bonus fall of riding before it even officially launches for 2026.

🚵 Why It Matters

The idea is bigger than saving money on lift tickets (though that part is huge). The Loam Pass connects scenes, creates road trip opportunities, and lowers the barrier for riders who want to explore new terrain.

It’s also a cultural move: mountain biking has long lived in the shadow of skiing when it comes to infrastructure. With the Loam Pass, the sport finally gets a unifying system that encourages exploration and growth on a massive scale.

As one rider at Windrock put it during testing:
“With a pass like this, you’re not just locked to one park anymore. You’ve got an excuse to go explore. It’s freedom.”

🎟️ RECONs Take:

For $200, you’re not just buying lift tickets. You’re buying road trips, progression sessions, and memories at bike parks you might never have ridden otherwise.

The Loam Pass isn’t just a pass — it’s the start of a new way to experience mountain biking. One card. Dozens of trails. Countless stories waiting to be written.

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RACING

🇺🇸 Fox US Open 2025: The Beast of the East

Norton & Ostgaard Take Killington Glory: The 2025 Pro Downhill Series signed off with a finale worthy of the name at Killington, Vermont — the legendary “Beast of the East.” With one of the biggest purses in North American downhill ($15,000 to the winners), the fastest riders on the planet dropped in one last time to battle for cash, pride, and season-ending bragging rights.

The course was exactly what you’d expect from Killington: raw, fast, and brutally punishing if you got even slightly offline. And with crisp fall air, huge crowds, and plenty of East Coast chaos in the mix, it all set the stage for an unforgettable finish.

👑 Pro Women: Ostgaard Owns Killington

The women’s final was a masterclass in precision and power. Aletha Ostgaard came in flying and left no doubt about who was fastest. Her run was clean, aggressive, and confident from top to bottom — clocking in at 3:02.868 to take the win by nearly three seconds.

Behind her, Camille Balanche showed her trademark consistency, pushing the limit but just unable to close the gap. She crossed the line +2.790 back, good enough for second.

The final podium spot went down to the wire: Maylei Leaneagh just edged out Mille Johnset by fractions of a second, with both riders separated by less than 0.05 seconds. Arleigh Kemp rounded out the top five with a super steady run.

Top 5 – Pro Women

1. Aletha Ostgaard – 3:02.868

2. Camille Balanche – 3:05.658 (+2.790)

3. Maylei Leaneagh – 3:08.093 (+5.225)

4. Mille Johnset – 3:08.144 (+5.276)

5. Arleigh Kemp – 3:09.441 (+6.573)

Ostgaard’s win wasn’t just big, it was a statement. On one of the trickiest tracks of the season, she looked untouchable, cementing her spot as one of the most exciting new forces in women’s downhill.

🚀 Pro Men: Norton Ignites the Crowd

If the women’s race was about dominance, the men’s was about pure, heart-stopping suspense. Dakotah Norton had the home crowd on his side and used every ounce of that energy. His run was wild yet controlled, and when he crossed the line at 2:36.631, Killington erupted.

But it wasn’t over. Just behind him, Richie Rude, another American hero, though better known for enduro wins, put in one of the best downhill runs of his career. He finished just 0.672 seconds back, narrowly missing the win but adding even more fire to the US sweep.

Troy Brosnan, ever the podium regular, was smooth as ever to claim third. Rising star Asa Vermette threw down another top-tier performance, showing he’s rapidly becoming a household name. And rounding out the top five? None other than Aaron Gwin, the legend himself, still proving he can mix it up with the new generation.

Top 5 – Pro Men

1. Dakotah Norton – 2:36.631

2. Richie Rude – 2:37.303 (+0.672)

3. Troy Brosnan – 2:37.723 (+1.092)

4. Asa Vermette – 2:38.247 (+1.616)

5. Aaron Gwin – 2:40.263 (+3.632)

For Norton, this wasn’t just a win — it was redemption and validation. After a season of rehabing from one of the most horrorfying injuries, standing on top at home in front of a roaring crowd made it one of the biggest victories of his career.

🎉 A Perfect Ending

Two Americans — Aletha Ostgaard and Dakotah Norton — stood tallest in Vermont, proving once again that home-soil motivation and raw speed are a deadly combo. With the cash, the glory, and the prestige of closing the season on a high, both riders etched their names into Killington folklore.

The 2025 Pro Downhill Series gave us drama, style, and storylines all season long, but the finale at Killington had everything: huge stakes, heavy hitters, breakout stars, and racing that came down to the wire. Exactly how a season should end.

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🏁 Video Of The Week

Genon is back - the master of tables teamed up with some world class riders:

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🎧 Podcast Of The Week

We had a great talk with one of the Most influencal freeride legends:

🚵‍♀️ Giveaway Period Finished

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Forbidden Dreadnought 3 MX Giveaway. The winner is Kate M. from New Jersey and she has gone for her first shred on it! Stoked is an understatement… More to come, and keep your eyes peeled for the next giveaway bike!

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This newsletter is written with ❤️ every week by Nic Bean, Marc Brodesser, Michael Sikand and Justin Rausch