February 13, 2004 – The Hyundai Sea Otter Classic Cycling Festival returns to the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA, as North America's greatest bicycle festival. The event will be held April 15-18, 2004.
Frank Yohannan, president & CEO of Sea Otter Classic LLC, says, “Over the last fourteen years, the Hyundai Sea Otter Classic has gained momentum as one of the country's premier outdoor sports festivals. We will continue this trend by keeping the best of the old and adding exciting new attractions.”
With this goal in mind, the Sea Otter Classic will continue its innovative approach by holding the first-ever “Super XC” mountain bike race as Stage One of the Pro/Elite MTB Stage Race. Taking a cue from motorcycling's Supermoto races, the Super XC course covers a 3-mile circuit that is 50% dirt, 50% pavement, and climbs to the top of Laguna Seca Raceway's famous “corkscrew.” This new format is designed to test riders' fitness, bike handling, and tactical nerve, as well as provide thrilling race dynamics and add a new twist to the battle for the overall Pro/Elite MTB Stage Race title.
Rick Sutton, chief operating officer of Sea Otter Classic LLC, says, “Super XC is a chance for us to put together a race that is more challenging for the racers and more exciting for the fans, and that's why the Hyundai Sea Otter Classic is here.”
Convenient access to great off-road action inspired another of the changes for the 2004 Hyundai Sea Otter Classic, in which the Mountain Cross course relocates from the outer rim of Laguna Seca to a new spot closer to the heart of the venue, just above the main start/finish line for road races.
Also new to the 2004 Sea Otter Classic are two extended recreational rides: an expanded Road Century and new 50-mile Mountain Bike Epic. The former will cover many of the roads used in Pro/Elite Road Stage Race's Carmel-Salinas Valley Road Race; the latter will feature virgin trails on recently opened portions of BLM lands. Both the Road Century and Mountain Bike Epic will be fully supported, and both offer complimentary post-ride barbeques and prize-laden raffles.
Even with these new attractions, the Sea Otter Classic will maintain its diverse festive atmosphere. In fact, all of Sea Otter's major attractions will return: the Sea Otter Village and Marketplace; Sea Otter Kids Bike Rodeo, Otter Egg Hunt, and Carnival; the Pro/Elite MTB Stage Race, Pro/Elite Road Stage Race, and Gravity Omnium; and nearly 200 classes of amateur racing for roadies and mountain bikers.