The 2024 Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda returns on Saturday, October 19, 2024, for the final race of the series – the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda in Bentonville, Arkansas.
The physically demanding race, which starts and finishes in downtown Bentonville, takes on the rugged highlands of the Ozark Mountains which span Northwest Arkansas and Southern Missouri. Racking up 7,000 feet of elevation across the 105-mile course, there is barely any flat, with the relentless short, sharp ascents providing a war of attrition.
Along the way, riders also have to navigate a variety of surfaces, from well-packed and fast-rolling gravel to loose and rocky terrain. A number of water crossings and bridges must also be traversed before the athletes cross the finish line on Main Street and call time on the 2024 series.
60 elite athletes were selected to compete in the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda series. The elite field for 2024, comprised of 30 women and 30 men, has been competing for the biggest prize purse to date, an equally split US$300,000.
The overall winners of both the men’s and women’s competitions are all-but locked in, with Keegan Swenson and Sofia Gomez Villafane both set to defend their titles, but there is still plenty to fight for further down both leaderboards.
The remaining podium places in the women’s competition are in the balance with only nine points separating the riders sitting in second (Paige Onweller) to sixth spots (Hannah Otto). It’s a similar story in the men’s competition too, with several riders capable of dislodging Payson McElveen and Matthew Beers, who currently occupy second and third places respectively.
Kimo Seymour, Life Time President Media & Events, said “The 2024 Life Time Grand Prix season has been a rollercoaster of incredible moments.
“Now, it all comes down to the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda on October 19th. This final race in Bentonville, AR, will be the last opportunity riders have to make their mark on the overall standings. With a US$300,000 total prize purse on the line, we’re expecting an intense finale in the Mountain Bike Capital of the World.”
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