September 2, 2003 (Miami, Florida) – Mountain Bike TV did two things at the NORBA series final in Durango, August 9-12, that attracted a lot of attention: the first was injecting $16,000 of cash bonuses to the finals; and the other thing that got major teams and manufacturers talking was breaking the news about the USA is newest mountain bike series, the 9 to 5 Race Day Marathon Mountain Bike Series.

The 9 to 5 Race Day series comprises five 8-hour races spread from January to May, in Florida. These events will form a 13-part television series, and we ask: What more could the pro cyclist want? Warm weather racing in winter, cash prizes, and a series that is built around making television shows. At Durango this was music to the ears of many.

Mountain biking icon Gary Fisher was one of the first to offer support, saying: “I have faith in Joe Stone to put on an incredible series. I'm now working on putting a team together to compete in the 9 to 5 Race Day series.” Fisher added that he would try to persuade his enduring star, the double Olympic gold medalist Paola Pezzo, to cross the Atlantic for a round or two.

Different aspects of the plan appeal to various individuals. For most of the manufacturers we spoke to, the idea of races that are long – but not too long – seemed like a recipe for a satisfying, but not exhausting day of racing.

Series dates and venues will be announced in October. But for now, much of the talk is centering on the television series. The focus of these shows is less on the blow-by-blow action out on the race course, and more on the personalities of the individuals in the field and those in tech support.

This angle was quickly picked up by the Denver Post, which in its August 15 edition, quoted former national champion and Olympian Travis Brown (Volkswagen Trek) as saying: “I think it's a great way to get people viewing a show about mountain bike racing and get the big picture of what it's all about. I think it's a lot more inspiring when they see all the preparation that goes into racing, the sacrifice, the stress and the big picture of it.”

Recently crowned US Cross Country champion, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Ralph Lauren), also quoted in the Denver Post, shared Brown's view. “It's part of our job. We're here to provide value to our sponsors, and it's an entertainment business in a lot of ways. A little intrusion to people's lives could be a good thing.” Said the Boulder resident.

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