Useful Information for Spectators
WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series
October 3-5, 2025, Lake Placid, NY
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- Downhill (DHI) at Whiteface Mountain
- Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-Country Olympic Short Track (XCO) at Mt Van Hoevenberg
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Life is short, so don’t miss this epic weekend of World Cup mountain bike racing. It’s one that’ll have your heart not only pumping at the thrills and excitement of the world’s best riders but also delighting in the splendor of an autumn weekend in beautiful Lake Placid.
This time around, the event features Downhill racing at Whiteface Mountain as well as cross-country races at Mt Van Hoevenberg. Both venues will provide a festival atmosphere, too, including live music and great food.
So What’s Mountain Bike Racing All About?
Downhill mountain biking is pure adrenaline—gravity, speed, and skill colliding in a race against the clock. Riders launch from the top one by one, blasting through steep descents, rock gardens, and jumps, with victories often decided by fractions of a second. At Whiteface, the mountain’s sheer steepness demands courage just to make it down. At Mt. Van Hoevenberg, brutal climbs lead to blazing-fast descents filled with obstacles that test every ounce of power and precision. For spectators, it’s edge-of-your-seat action—muscle, mud, and momentum flying past in a blur.
Plan Your Experience
Early October is a spectacular time to visit Lake Placid. Fall colors are at their peak, the weather is ideal for outdoor activities, and bugs are nearly gone. Enjoy community events, classic Adirondack dining and shopping, plus mountain biking for all skill levels (see “Want to Ride?” below).
It’s important to note that parking at the venues is paid, and it is highly recommended for your convenience to do so in advance. Parking is available at the same link where you get your tickets for the event.
While you’re there, check out the many other activities available during your visit. Our four legendary venues were made famous during the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, and in addition to fantastic winter fun, they each offer summer and fall activities for every age and ability.
Season Pass Holders
Those with an Olympic Authority season pass should note they have free admission to this event. You will need your current RFID number on the back of your pass. Please click on this link to reload the card with events at this link, so the UCI events show up with a “free” option. After reloading, you will have options to select the event you want to attend.
What Other Things Are Going on at the Race Venues?
The races will be utterly captivating, yet that’s not all that’s happening at the race venues this weekend. You’ll have opportunities to mingle with the riders and see other parts of our historic Olympic venues. Additionally, there will be outdoor vendor zones with more to see, do, and eat:
Live music featuring amazing bands:
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- Fogo Azul – at Whiteface and Mt Van Hoevenberg
- Whiskey River Treaty Roadshow Band – at Mt Van Hoevenberg
- Muddy Ruckus Band – at Mt Van Hoevenberg
- Austin and the In-Laws – at Mt Van Hoevenberg
- Guest DJ at the Legacy Lodge at Whiteface’s mid station
- The Big Takeover
- Nubble
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This is the Only World Cup Downhill event with live music in addition to a DJ far up the mountain at the mid station Legacy Lodge.
Family Fun and Education:
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- ADK Raptors – a live bird demonstration of birds of prey
- Free caricature portraits by Joe Ferris
- Local Adirondack artists
- Regional Wood Carvers
- Ronie the 1980 Olympic mascot
- Roving circus stilt walkers
- Lawn games
- Climbing wall at Mt Van Hoevenberg
- Face painting with Rainbow Sue
- Craft Tent featuring Make Your Own Drum
- ADK Dark Skies education demonstrations in a portable planetarium
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Shopping:
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- Olympic Authority Retail
- Warner Brothers Discovery shop
- Mt Van Hoevenberg’s Mountain Pass Mercantile shop
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Food vendors:
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- Sugar Shakers confections, main dishes, sandwiches, and more at both venues
- Waffle Cabin at both venues
- Screaming Eagles Concessions at both venues
- Roger’s Brat Wagon at Whiteface
- Kielbasa ‘N More at Whiteface
- Woodfire Pizza Trailer at Mt Van Hoevenberg
- 81-18 Café inside Mt Van Hoevenberg’s Mountain Pass Lodge
- Basecamp Market at Whiteface Mountain
- Cloudspin Bar & Grill at Whiteface Mountain
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Whiteface Mountain – The Downhill Venue
It’s not surprising when people find the 9.2 mile drive from Lake Placid to Whiteface Mountain too short. This section of Route 86 is a gorgeous stretch of road that winds along the AuSable River and through “The Notch” with pristine Adirondack forests all along the way. It all just begs one to pull over and look around.
Once you get to Whiteface, you’ll find ample parking in several lots with a shuttle running back and forth for your convenience. The base lodge is a spacious but cozy place to relax and enjoy some delicious food and drinks, including on the two decks outside.
To view the races coming down the mountain, you’ll have a couple primary recommended options. Hiking up the mountain is not easy, but it is one way to get higher and see the downhill racing up close. Or, jump on the “FaceLift quad ski lift that will transport you and your family easily and comfortably to a location above the Legacy Lodge at the mountain’s mid-station where you can access the course more easily. Another alternative is to ride the WarHorse lift to the Andrew Weibrecht Finish Area, a spot between the mountain’s base and its mid-station. From there, you can access areas to view some of the fastest action on the course.
Maps will be available at our venues and are now available here onsite.
Mt Van Hoevenberg – The Cross-Country Venue
Drive Route 73 past the ski jumps at the edge of Lake Placid to the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt Van Hoevenberg. It’s only about six miles out. At the venue, paid and VIP parking is available. However, free and easy shuttle rides will leave frequently from several parking areas in Lake Placid, dropping passengers right in front of the Mountain Pass Lodge, the center of all the action at Mt Van Hoevenberg. [link to shuttle details or list them here]
Once inside the 55,000 square foot lodge, you’ll find the 81-18 Café and spacious dining areas and lounges with decks to enjoy on both sides. Two retail stores offer technical gear, logo wear, and souvenirs. So whether you’ve forgotten something or just want to make your experience even more memorable, the Lodge has you covered.
Plus, there’s a huge indoor climbing wall open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, even on race days. And upstairs, you won’t want to miss laying eyes on the only indoor refrigerated bobsled and skeleton push track in the U.S.
On the deck just outside the Lodge’s giant second floor windows is a tremendous view of the start and finish as well as easy access to spectator areas that have you inches from the action. There are also team paddocks, food vendors, and great entertainment all weekend, including live music and drumline performances.
Hiking up and into the forest, one can access loads more great spectator vantage points within arm’s reach of the course itself and with colorful fall views of the surrounding mountains. Within a short hike of the Lodge, spectators will see riders navigating the course and all its gnarly, wild, high-flying features. Even a short hike of a quarter mile or less will provide outstanding viewing areas. With longer hikes of a mile or more, one can access the far reaches of the course and get views of every twist and turn.
Maps will be available at our venues and are now available here onsite.
Weather
October is typically among Lake Placid’s dryer months, yet one can never count out the possibility trails could be wet from a recent rain, making hiller terrain slippery. Lake Placid’s average temperatures this time of year run cooler than most parts of the country, providing a welcome respite from all the hot conditions elsewhere. Average temps here in the Adirondacks are in the low to mid-60s Fahrenheit during the day and in the 40s at night. This time of year typically brings upstate NY an ample amount of sunshine, too. The riders, especially, will love such temperatures, though everyone should be prepared for weather that could vary from the average.
Recommended Gear
Around the lodge, expo areas, and biathlon stadium you’ll find flat, grassy paths, while other sections are steeper with dirt, rock, and forest—sturdy shoes are a must. Dress in light layers with an extra piece to add or remove and bring sunglasses or a visor hat. Bugs are minimal, though repellent is smart if you’ll linger in wooded areas. And don’t forget noise makers—cowbells (sold in the Lodge), drums, or airhorns—to cheer without straining your voice.
Where to Watch
This event is huge, but unlike sports in big stadiums, getting up close to the riders is not only possible but also happens quite naturally and easily. Your best opportunities are near the start and finish areas in the stadium before and after races and around the training times. One cannot expect to meet them, but there may be opportunities during training if you get lucky.
For the best views of the action, choose locations along the course where you can see the riders sail off jumps, navigate tricky rock gardens, or speed around giant berms on the corners. Around the courses, you’ll find tape and fencing clearly indicating areas created for spectators and other restricted areas.
If you can’t be here to see the event live, it will be broadcast around the world. Check here for details on where you can find it airing.
Safety
B-Zones are safety buffers between two layers of tape along the racecourses. Spectators must stay outside them. They give racers room to recover safely, and provide space for officials, volunteers, and photographers. The inner tape marks the course; the outer tape shows where spectators can stand. Always stay alert, never enter B-Zones, and cross the course only at designated points with the help of a Course Marshal.
Want to Ride? Mountain Biking in the Lake Placid Area
Since the early 1990s, the trails at Mt Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid have been in use by mountain bike riders. And for the past 20 years, other trail networks in the region have been growing and expanding. Today, it’s a rider’s paradise with trails for beginners and experts alike.
Naturally, the trails at Mt Van Hoevenberg are not open to riding during the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, but plenty of other options are yours for the taking all around the area.
For the most comprehensive guide, complete with trail maps, visit here.
For the trails near Lake Placid, look on the site above for some of these:
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- Henry’s Woods (beginner trails)
- Heaven Hills (beginner and intermediate)
- Lussi and Loggers Trails (all levels)
- Craig Wood Trails (intermediate and expert)
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Both BikeADK.com and the Bark Eater Trails Alliance website also provide helpful maps and details on trail networks in the area.
If you’re interested in something flatter, safer, or where the entire family can ride together, the Adirondack Rail Trail may be just the thing.
Other questions or need to rent a bike? Check with our helpful staff at the bike rental counter in the Mountain Pass Lodge at Mt Van Hoevenberg. Or stop in one of the great local shops in Lake Placid or Saranac Lake.
Help Us Preserve Our Adirondack Forests
The Olympic Authority is committed to sustainable operations to help maintain our precious Adirondack forests. These big events at both Whiteface Mountain and Mt Van Hoevenberg take place on forest preserve lands, so just as riders are required by UCI rules to respect the natural environment and do anything to pollute the venue, we ask that all spectators do likewise.
Please bring back any trash to dispose of at the venue, and leave nothing behind but your footprints.