Press & Media
Everything you need to cover the Mountain States Cup.
The Rockies' Only Sanctioned Gravity Series
Mountain States Cup brings multi-day race weekends to premier Western resorts — riders, families, and a built-in audience for your mountain.
Who's Behind It
Shawn Neer has been racing in the Rockies since he was ten years old. Over a 25-year career, he represented the United States at the Downhill World Championships in 2009 and 2016, raced professionally for over a decade with Yeti Cycles and Fox Factory, then transitioned to enduro and earned a UCI Gold Medal at the 2019 Trophy of Nations in Finale Ligure, Italy — alongside teammates Richie Rude and Cody Kelley, a fellow Mountain States Cup alumni.
Mountain States Cup isn't new. It's the series where Shawn raced his first race as a beginner — all he had to do was show up in his backyard. That pathway took him from local kid to World Championships selectee.
When sanctioned gravity racing disappeared from the Rockies, so did the pipeline. Talented kids in Colorado started talking with their families about moving to Tennessee to build a career—because this region was stripped of sanctioned racing and legitimacy. That's the problem MSC solves.
The 2030 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are coming to Colorado — the first time Worlds has been in America in over 30 years. Shawn is rebuilding Mountain States Cup to make sure the Rockies are ready. The best terrain in North America deserves the infrastructure to match — just like it had when he was growing up here.
The Iconic Championship
in The Rockies is Back.
Women's Buddy System
Right now women make up only 9 to 14% of downhill fields. Not just in the US — globally. That number is what led MSC to launch the Women's Buddy System.
How it works: If you know a woman who has never raced MSC before, you can bring her for free. Her entry is on us. She can enter any category except Pro.
When you register for a race, there's a button to click if you want to bring someone. Follow the instructions and we'll send over a coupon code to share. You can bring one woman per race — and you're automatically entered into a Fox fork raffle just for doing it, whether you're a man or a woman.
I've been the only woman in my category and it takes away everything. The competitiveness, the meaning of your result — it just kind of feels pointless. A race is not cheap and if you aren't sure about it, it's a big step to take. The MSC is here for everyone, whether you're a beginner or an elite getting to the World Cup level. — Julia, MSC Women's Initiative
We want women at the start line feeling eager to win. We want everybody to have people to race against. We're excited to be a race series that builds careers. We will be screaming at that screen when we see her racing at the World Cup level knowing she started at the MSC.
The Rockies Haven't Had a Sanctioned Gravity Series in a Decade. That Changes in 2026.
Mountain States Cup launches a four-round USAC-sanctioned downhill series at Angel Fire, Solitude, Grand Targhee, and Purgatory — the first regional gravity championship in the Rocky Mountain West since sanctioned racing disappeared from the region.
For the past decade, competitive downhill racers in the Rockies have had two options: drive 12 hours to race somewhere else, or stop racing. The fastest junior riders in Colorado started talking about relocating to Tennessee and North Carolina just to have access to a race calendar. That pipeline — the one that produced World Championships riders — went dark.
Mountain States Cup is the fix.
Four rounds. Four states. Four of the most proven gravity venues in North America. Angel Fire hosted a UCI Downhill World Cup in 2005 — one of the most iconic venues in the West and a true proving ground for any racer coming up in the Rockies. Purgatory was the site of the first UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 1990. Grand Targhee has fresh-cut trail under the towering Teton Valley — what else could you want? Solitude invested heavily into their downhill track in 2025 — a true modern classic. We feel lucky to get our community's wheels on that race track for Fourth of July weekend.
These are not new mountains. They are the mountains where gravity racing in America was born. MSC is putting them back on the calendar.
What makes this different:
- $50K+ prize purse. Equal payouts for men and women. 100% pro payout.
- Categories from Cat 3 first-timers to Pro. Age groups from 11 through 50+. If you can hold a handlebar, there's a start gate for you.
- Multi-day race weekends at resort venues — practice runs, timed seeding, finals. Not a one-day pop-up.
- Points accumulate across all four rounds toward an overall series championship decided at the Purgatory finale.
- Live split times for all categories, provided by artiming.com.
The founder has the receipts. Shawn Neer raced his first race at the age of 12 at these venues. Over 25 years, he represented the United States at the Downhill World Championships twice, raced professionally for the Yeti-Fox Factory team, and earned a UCI Gold Medal at the 2019 Trophy of Nations in Finale Ligure, Italy. This series is built on a life dedicated to this sport — not a boardroom.
The timing matters. The 2030 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are coming to Colorado — the first time Worlds has been on American soil in over 30 years. MSC is rebuilding the infrastructure so the Rockies are ready. The best terrain in North America deserves a racing pipeline that matches.
Registration is open. Individual rounds start at $125 (Cat 2/3) and $150 (Pro/Cat 1). The Season Pass — all four rounds, one registration — is $399/$499 with a $50 Jenson USA gift card included. Three-day racer lift pass discounted for racers, priced per venue (from $75) — bought on-site at the resort, not part of online registration. USAC license required — use code MSC-26 for a free annual license.
2026 Schedule
- Round 1 — June 11–14 at Angel Fire Resort, NM
- Round 2 — July 2–5 at Solitude Mountain Resort, UT
- Round 3 — Aug 13–16 at Grand Targhee Resort, WY
- Round 4 — Aug 27–30 at Purgatory Resort, CO (Series Finale)
Key Facts
- 4 rounds, 4 states — NM, UT, WY, CO
- USAC-sanctioned, all categories
- $50K+ prize purse, equal payouts, 100% pro payout
- Pro through Cat 3, ages 11–50+
- Live timing by artiming.com
- Registration: R1 Angel Fire · R2 Solitude · R3 Grand Targhee · R4 Purgatory
- Season Pass: bikereg.com/mountain-states-cup-season-pass
- Website: mountainstatescup.com
About Mountain States Cup
Mountain States Cup is a USAC-sanctioned downhill mountain bike race series across the Rocky Mountain West. Founded by former professional downhill racer Shawn Neer — a two-time World Championships selectee and UCI Gold Medalist — MSC brings multi-day race weekends to premier Western resorts with fields spanning Cat 3 beginners to Pro. The series features equal prize money for men and women at every round.
Media Contact
Shawn Neer — Series Director
shawn@mountainstatescup.com
Media Assets
Tagging Guide
Resort accounts: @angelfire_bikepark · @solitudemountain · @grandtargheeresort · @skipurg
Series: @mountainstatescup
Always tag the host resort on any post about their round. Tag athletes when featured — they will reshare.
Legacy Is Earned, Not Invented
Before the pipeline went dark, the Mountain States Cup produced some of the biggest names in gravity racing. These riders cut their teeth on MSC courses.
Aaron Gwin
From regional powerhouse to world-cup legend.
MSC competitor. 5-time World Cup champion.
Melissa Buhl
Gravity pioneer in U.S. women's racing.
MSC competitor. World Champion in 4x & DH.
Mitch Ropelato
Your favorite rider’s favorite rider.
MSC competitor. From Ogden to World Cup, World Champs, Crankworx.“Colorado always felt like my home away from home. The MSC courses had a style of courses that were more raw and natural along with the epic scenery that is pretty much unmatched anywhere in the world. So many great memories and friendships made in a highly competitive and friendly supportive atmosphere, ideal for any competitor from beginner through to the pros. No egos, no drama, just good times and lots of laughs.”
