The Life Time Grand Prix collection should have the ultimate occasion of 2024 to play out, however consideration is already turning to what’s forward for 2025, with some shifts to the format introduced that organisers are hoping will add one other layer within the yr forward.
Shifts that can make the collection look a bit totally different subsequent season are athlete numbers – which is able to drop to 25 ladies and 25 males – a range that features three wildcard entries after two occasions and a few adjustments to which races are included.
“We’re excited to announce these updates to the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix as we consider it would make the fourth version of the collection probably the most dynamic one but,” Kimo Seymour, Life Time President Media & Occasions mentioned in a media launch saying the plans for 2025.
“We’re simply wrapping up the 2024 collection – solely our third season – however we’ve already seen immense progress in our objective of bringing extra followers and rising the game of biking domestically. From frequently bought out occasions to the success of our Life Time Grand Prix Race Highlights recap video collection on YouTube, it’s clear the urge for food for skilled and leisure off-road biking within the U.S. is constant to develop.”
What received’t be persevering with to develop, nevertheless is the occasion numbers, with a reshuffle of what’s included leading to a six occasion competitors, with 5 begins essential to be eligible for the prize cash and the highest 5 occasion outcomes figuring out the collection placings.
Each Crushar within the Tushar – cancelled this yr as a result of fires within the area – and the Rad Filth Fest – added in as a wildcard in 2023 – are off the agenda whereas Life Time Little Sugar MTB can be added within the week earlier than the necessary Massive Sugar Gravel closes out the racing. The collection kicks off a bit in a different way in 2025 as properly, with the conventional season starter of the Fuego XL 100K MTB at Sea Otter Traditional swapped out for the LIfe Time Sea Otter Traditional Gravel.
The Life Time Grand Prix starter on April 11 and Unbound Gravel on Could 31 will even be occasions that can open the door for an additional three males and three ladies to lever their method in.
The collection, which in 2024 had 30 ladies and 30 males on the beginning roster, will this yr be a contest between 25 riders or 50 throughout each classes. Nevertheless, solely 22 males and 22 ladies can be named when the roster comes out in early November, three spots in every division left for wildcard entries. The highest scorers within the two opening occasions, from amongst those that missed out once they utilized for one of many wanted collection spots, will get the second likelihood at entry into the 2025 season.
Purposes open on October 14 and run by means of to October 28, with no automated athlete acceptance course of. The preliminary collection roster for 2025 ought to be set by November 7 with the wildcard entrants confirmed after Unbound. Prize cash particulars are but to be launched.
Earlier than the main focus shifts to 2025, nevertheless, there’s nonetheless yet one more spherical of the 2024 occasion to play out, Massive Sugar Gravel on October 19. Sofia Gomez Villafañe (Specialised) and Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz) look set to keep up their collection dominance, each on high of the leaderboard heading into the ultimate spherical.
2025 Occasions
- Friday April 11 – Life Time Sea Otter Traditional Gravel offered by Continental
- Saturday Could 31 – Life Time Unbound Gravel 200
- Saturday August 9 – Life Time Leadville Path 100 MTB offered by Kenetik
- Saturday September 13 – Life Time Chequamegon Mountain Bike Competition
- Sunday October 12 – Life Time Little Sugar MTB
- Saturday October 18 – Life Time Massive Sugar Gravel offered by Mazda
