Batten, Utah athletes gear up for first US-hosted Mountain Bike Worlds

Park City's Haley Batten helped bring home Team USA'a first gold medal in the team relay at UCI World Championships in Andorra. Photo: USA Cycling

SNOWSHOE, W.Va. — Utah’s top mountain bikers are gearing up for a historic ride as the 2024 UCI Marathon Mountain Bike World Championships make their North American debut on Sept. 22 in Snowshoe, W.Va.

The 65-mile course, featuring over 6,500 feet of climbing, will test riders from around the globe, including a strong contingent from the Beehive State.

Hannah Otto of Millcreek enters as a top contender, fresh off a second-place finish at the Marathon World Cup in France.

Joining Otto is Park City native Haley Batten, who’s switching gears from Olympic cross-country racing to tackle the marathon distance.

Zach Calton of Ogden brings momentum to the team, having recently clinched victory in this year’s Park City Point 2 Point race. Danny Van Wagoner from Fruit Heights and Lauren Zimmer of Salt Lake City round out Utah’s representation.

The event marks a milestone for Snowshoe Mountain, which has evolved into a key venue for Mid-Atlantic mountain biking. Its mix of technical trails and newer, flow-style routes has earned the location a coveted Silver level IMBA Ride Center designation.

In a nod to the growing popularity of the sport, the championships will run alongside a UCI World Cup cross-country marathon race allowing amateur riders to compete on the same day as the elites, with entries now open for the 100km Marathon of Snowshoe.