The Sarlacc Attack is a top 50K mountain bike race in Colorado and part of Adventure Fest, a unique multi-sport experience in Fruita, Colorado, near Utah’s border, combining MTB, Gravel (Dirty Edge Gravel), and a Trail (Fruita Trail Half Marathon) running event in a one-weekend festival celebrating backcountry racing. Premier regional event operator Gemini Adventures produces the event. The motto of the course is ‘Ride the Edge!’ This is not just the name of the trail but a description of the Sarlacc Attack 50K course. The loop combines The Edge and Sarlacc trails to make up an epic adventure. You’ll ride on the edge of cliffs and your limits which is why Strambecco considers it to be one of the Best Mountain Bike Events in Colorado and the Rockies. World-class singletrack, uphill grinds, and flowy descents are abundant on the Edge Loop. The Sarlacc trail section is some of the most fun singletracks on the course, and riders will be there on the season’s opening week! This desert 50K course is an early-season stamina test and gives a reason to train through the winter. This event will push riders with many short ups and downs and the big climb up the mesa. Racers will have three aid stations and receive a finisher’s memento and age group awards.
Rock out at the apres ride! Food, beer, games, and live music at 5:30 pm at Colorado Backcountry Biker in Fruita. See old friends and make new ones. Family, friends, and crew are included; bring everyone! Mountain bike race awards will be handed out. Sponsored by Upslope Brewing, there will be free beer for rehydration. The Troy Douglas Band will be supplying folk-rock tunes to go with it. The Adventure Fest at 18 Road is a weekend celebrating everything we love about the outdoors, including our community.
Customized cowbell awards will be given to each category’s top three male and female finishers. Men’s & Women’s winners will receive comp entries to next year’s races. Customized finisher awards will be awarded to all as they cross the finish line. Placer’s awards will be distributed at the awards ceremony Saturday night. Awards and mementos will not be mailed after the event.
Fruita is a small town in the Colorado River’s Grand Valley, surrounded by the Book Cliffs to the north and the Colorado National Monument to the south. The city has an elevation of around 4,500 feet and covers an area of approximately 8 square miles. Fruita is known for its rugged and beautiful landscape, which offers various outdoor sports activities. In addition to mountain biking, Fruita offers many other outdoor sports activities, such as hiking, rock climbing, and river rafting. The Colorado River flows through Fruita, providing whitewater rafting, kayaking, and fishing opportunities. Naturally, one of the most popular activities in Fruita is mountain biking, with trails that cater to riders of all skill levels. The Kokopelli Trail System covers over 140 miles of terrain and is a favorite among riders. Other popular mountain biking trails include the 18 Road Trail System, the Horsethief Bench Trail System, and the North Fruita Desert Trail System.
Gemini Adventures, founded in 2003 by passionate runners, cyclists, and adventurers, curates challenging backcountry racing experiences set against mesmerizing landscapes primarily in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. With events held in remote, scenic trails, participants can anticipate not just a race, but a unique outdoor experience where the journey is as rewarding as the competition. Their primary events include the Desert RATS Trail Running Festival which is part of the UTMB World Series, and Adventure Fest which is a unique multi-sport experience in Fruita, CO and includes Sarlacc Attack 50K MTB, Fruita Trail Half Marathon, and Dirty Edge Gravel one of the Best Gravel Events in Colorado and the Rockies. In July, Enchanted Forest Trail Races, one of the Best Trail Running Events in the Southwest, takes place as well as the multi-day Desert RATS 150 Kokopelli Stage Race take place. And to close out summer, the Mountain RATS Trail Runs and Mountain RATS Firebird 25 MTB event takes place in September.
