I love a good mass start downhill race and have been looking for alternatives to the Megavalanche.
This one in Slovenia just plopped through my mail box and sounds good, (don’t be put off by the photo of the lone figure).

Here’s what they say:

Less than three weeks to go to “Dowka u Bc”

First mass start mountain bike downhill marathon race in Slovenia to take place from
September 19th to 21st at Bovec. Riders wanted!

Bovec – On September 21st the trail from Mt. Kanin to the town of Bovec will host the first mass
start mountain bike downhill race in Slovenia. Don’t be spooked by the name “Dowka u Bc”
since it sounds weird to Slovenians as well. It just means “Down to Bovec” in local dialect.
Mass start downhill races, ranging from a half to one hour of racing time, are a test of riding
abilities and endurance as well as a test for the equipment.

(It’s a shame the photo they sent to advertise a mass start downhill race shows just a solitary figure scooting down the mountain looking a wee bit lonely)

From France, where they have been
holding their “Megavalanche” at Alpe d’Huez for more than a decade now, this kind of racing has
spread over the Alps, South America and even to the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
The Bovec course has a vertical drop of 1.730 meters and close to 15 km in length. The start will
be placed at the top station of the gondola and the finish on the town square in Bovec. The middle
part will follow the main trail of the Kanin Bike Park.

The race is open to all adequately equipped riders and the organizers have been trying to attract
some of the sport’s biggest names. The Nissan UCI Mountain Bike World Cup ends just a week
earlier in Schladming, Austria, a few hours drive to Bovec, so the stars will be close.
The event starts on Friday 19th with course inspection and free practice. On Saturday 20th the
riders will do individual qualification runs in the park section. Sunday 21st is mass start race day.
The group of fastest qualifiers takes off at 10 and the rest of the field at noon.
More info at the event website www.dowka.si

Mass start downhill race: Slovenia