BY KAREN BOSSICK

Mountain bike season on Bald Mountain got underway July 1 with a bang as 180 riders took part in the SCOTT Enduro Cup presented by Vittoria.

The two-day race held on Bald Mountain and Sun Valley’s backcountry constituted one of the most scenic and grueling rounds in a four-part bike race series on Saturday.

Racers screamed down three timed stages descending 6,345 vertical feet on the steep slopes of Bald Mountain on Saturday. Then they sped across two rugged stretches the backcountry in and around Baker Creek Road on Sunday.

When the dust had settled, Cody Kelly of Salt Lake City, Utah, stood atop the men’s podium, followed by Shawn Neer, Ryan Geiger, Cole Picchiottino and Malachi Artice.

Cooper Ott of Crested Butte, Colo., climbed atop the women’s podium followed by Anne Galyean, Lia Westermann, Angelica Ramirez and Lauren Bingham, who was the subject of an Eye on Sun Valley story on Sunday.

Kelly, who won the Moab race and took third at Angel Fire, bested a tight pack.

“I really liked the backcountry course on Sunday,” he said. “There were a lot of loose corners and some sick bits. I’m pretty stoked for Deer Valley (the final stage). It’s close to home and it’s the most technical race in the series.”

Ott had a tough first stage in Sun Valley, placing fifth as she pedaled through loose trail sections, pumped out the rollers and hit the corners. But she won the four remaining series of the weekend.

“The trails here did not let you leave too much in the bank and that was really fun,” she said.

Podium finishers in the Pro/Open category shared $5,000 divided between men and women. Unique to this stop only both Pro/Open winners were also awarded a Dr. Tray bike rack from Yakima.

Podium winners in the Expert, Amateur and Junior categories received gear from SCOTT Sports, Vittoria and G-Form.

The fourth and final stop in this year’s Enduro Cup will be held Aug. 25-27 at Deer Valley.

For more results, go to www.endurocupmtb.com.