The Downieville Classic and Uncle Cozmo | E92

When it comes to mountain bike races, nothing captures the essence of the sport better than the Downieville Classic. Since 1995, the Classic has evolved with mountain biking’s growth, challenging riders with soul crushing climbs and rocky, rugged descents pushing both rider and bike to their absolute limits. As one of the only point-to-point races left in America, the Downieville Classic is the ultimate test of what it takes to be a well-rounded mountain biker. Add in a historic Gold Rush-era town perfectly preserved in time, the Classic is as unforgettable to spectate as it is to participate. In Episode 92, the boys sit down once again with Marc Cosbey, aka Uncle Coz, who first arrived in Downieville with a mountain bike in 1990, helping make the Classic what it is today. Not only has the Downieville Classic made a huge impact on the sport of mountain biking, but thanks to the efforts of people like Coz, the event has helped keep this small town of 250 people from losing its identity long after the booms of gold and logging played out.  

5:35 – Cosbey gets his first mountain bike in 1990 and his first clipless pedal experience

12:00 – Discovering Downieville and meeting Greg Williams for the first time

14:55 – Cosbey’s first experience riding the Downieville downhill from Packer Saddle

18:00 – What was Cosbey’s first impression of Greg Williams?

20:30 – In the early days, mountain bikers in Downieville were considered outsiders

22:30 – Working at Yuba Expeditions and driving mountain bike shuttles

28:00 – Mike Ferrentino entering the Downieville scene and doing trail work

30:50 – Starting the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) in 2003

38:05 – Shoveling more than a mile of snow that almost canceled the race in 2011

45:26 – 15 year-old Henry O’Donnell beating Mark Weir in the Downieville Classic

49:33 – The legend of Mark Weir and his reign of domination in Downieville

53:48 – What impact has Downieville had on the sport of mountain biking?

57:38 – The story of “Taze Bro” and winning “That Guy” award in Downieville

1:02:20– “Ron’s House of Big Air” River Jump, “Cozmo’s Wild Island” and the Log Pull

1:09:15 – Who was the most badass woman in the Downieville Classic?

1:10:43 – The 2002 Single Speed Mountain Bike World Championships in Downieville