RANGELEY – More than 60 bike riders from all over New England came to compete in the second annual Saddleback Challenge Mountain Bike Race.

Held at the Rangeley Lakes Trails Center’s new trails at Saddleback Mountain, riders ranged from expert to novice. There was even an opportunity for a dozen young kids to race.

The race was sponsored by the Maine Mountain Bike Association, the Eastern Fat Tire Association and the Rangeley Lakes Trails Center.

The overall winner of the men’s expert class was Adam LaRochelle, who completed the 20-mile trail in an hour, 51 minutes, 47 seconds. Linda Ruterbories was the overall winner of the women’s sport class, clocking in at two hours, 24 seconds for the 15-mile track.

Andrew Pettyjohn was the overall winner in the men’s sport class with a time of an hour, 39 minutes, 40 seconds. For the 10-mile novice class, Ben Green and Helen Anderson were the overall men’s/women’s winner. Their time was an hour, 16 minutes, 1 second and an hour, 34 minutes, 38 seconds, respectively.

Jeff Foltz, Rangeley Lakes Cross Country Ski Club president, welcomed the racers. Immediate Past President Carol Sullivan and board member Penny Pizer have been working in the community, increasing awareness and encouraging participation at the new trail system.

The center offers Nordic skiers roughly 40 miles of groomed trails during the snow season. More than five miles are single-track trails for snowshoeing and mountain biking. The club is applying for grants that will further develop more miles of single-track trails, stated Foltz.

For more information about the Rangeley Lakes Trails Center and the Rangeley Lakes Cross Country Ski Club, go to www.rangeleyxcski.com.