Gallery: Whiskey Off-Road kicks off Epic Rides Series

All the Whiskey Off-Road races were started by a round of shotgun blasts. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Kate Courtney (Specialized) leads a select group of the climb on Friday night’s fat tire crit. Photo: Dave McElwaine

USA short track champion Erin Huck (Orange Seal) rounded the first corner in the Fat Tire Crit. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Evelyn Dong (Spry Cycles) helped to lead the pro women up the steep climb on the fat tire crit course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

USA Champion Erin Huck (Orange Seal) took a flier on the streets of Prescott during the fat tire crit. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Chloe Woodruff (Stan’s Notubes-Pivot) took the fat tire crit victory by a bike length over USA champion Erin Huck. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Alex Wild (Specialized) led the pro men up the steep climb on the fat tire crit course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The Fat Tire Crit passed by plenty of parties along the course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The Pro Men rounded one of the turns on the fat tire crit course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Keegan Swenson (Stan’s-Pivot) worked with Howard Grotts as they led the fat tire crit by a large margin. Grotts went on to take the victory. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The amateur Whiskey 50 started about 1000 racers in waves. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Hundreds of amateur racers lined up long before their starting time to get good positions. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The Whiskey 30 saw 800 racers roll out of Prescott together. Photo: Dave McElwaine

USA marathon champion Payson McElveen (Orange Seal) was wearing his Stars and Stripes jersey for the last time before having to defend it in Arkansas next week. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Keegan Swenson (Stan’s NoTubes-Pivot) has looked sharp all season. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The pro men climbed out of Prescott, which sits at an elevation of 6,000 feet. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Swenson led the six-mile climb out of Prescott on pavement and fire roads. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The pro racers set a blistering pace up the initial climbs. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The Prescott Regulators, dressed Western garb, were on hand to start the races. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Swenson was in a group of six as they neared the 10-mile descent into Skull Valley. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Swenson rounded one of the many switchbacks early in the race. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Howard Grotts (Specialized) got away from his rivals on the 12-mile climb out of Skull Valley. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Grotts was in a class of his own on the 12-mile climb out of Skull Valley. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Nash Dory (CZ Racing) made his way through thick pine forest. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Nearing the top of the climb out of Skull Valley, Keegan Swenson and Nicola Rohrbach (Felt) were a minute behind Grotts at the 2018 Whiskey Off-Road. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Fernando Riveros (Construction Zone) was having an incredible race after recovering from a broken shoulder, but unfortunately he crashed on the final corner before the finish, re-injuring his ailing shoulder. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The pro men’s leaders headed back out of Copper Basin. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Grotts had the road to himself on the long climb out of Skull Valley. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Kris Sneddon (Kona) chased with a small group on singletrack in the tall ponderosa pine forest. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Howard Grotts (Specialized) rode out of Copper Basin with a one-minute lead. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Swenson out-sprinted Grotts to take the win after catching Grotts on the final descent. Photo: Dave McElwaine

World Champion Annika Langvad (Specialized) took a different line on a steep climb. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Langvad chased Kate Courtney and Chloe Woodruff on one of the initial climbs. Photo: Dave McElwaine

The lead group of women was down to the four expected favorites shortly after they entered the singletrack portion of the course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Kaysee Armstrong (Liv Cycling) reached the high point of the course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Jenny Smith (Stan’s NoTubes) descended into Skull Valley. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Chloe Woodruff (Stan’s Notubes-Pivot) led Kate Courtney, Annika Langvad, and Erin Huck up one of the switchback climbs. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Woodruff neared the top of the course. Photo: Dave McElwaine

World Champion Langvad rode in alone to win the Whiskey Off-Road. Photo: Dave McElwaine

Woodruff was congratulated by the crowd for her second place finish. Photo: Dave McElwaine