John Ker

Two racers head to the finish line at Lake Castaic in Southern California’s Over the Hump series this past Thursday. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Spencer Rathkamp powered to the win in the pro men’s class at L.A.’s Over the Hump race in Castaic, California, on Thursday afternoon. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Two women race the setting sun in L.A.’s Over the Hump series in Castaic, California. Photo: John Ker/Mountain Bike Action

  Emily Batty leads Todd Britton and Ray Petro on a trail that lies less than an hour north of Detroit. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Australian Mitch Delfs powers through a turn at Mont-Sainte-Anne. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Patrick Reynoso tears through a corner at Fontana. Photo by C.J. Foust    

Brett Tippie at Whistler.   Photo: John Ker/Mountain Bike Action

Canada’s Steve Smith powered to the Men’s Downhill win at Mont-Sainte-Anne’s World Cup in 2013. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

It takes both power and nerve to sprint ahead of four World Champions, but Dan McConnell (8) did it last year at Mont-Sainte-Anne. With him here are Julien Absalon (2), Nino Schurter  (in white) , Jaroslav Kulhavy (6) and Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (9). Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Here’s the start of the Elite Men’s Cross-country race at Mont-Sainte-Anne last year. France’s Julien Absalon (2) won. Will he do it again? We’ll find out this weekend. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Doug Barnett and Chris Layton charge up a climb in Ventura County, California. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

  Nino Schurter leads Julien Absalon up a climb at Mont-Sainte-Anne in 2013. The two world champions are the top cross-country racers in the world right now. Nino was the top rider last year, and Julien has been the top guy this year. (Photo: John Ker/Mountain Bike Action)

Mitch Ropelato powers through a turn at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, in 2013.

A rider throws in some style on the downhill course at Mont-Sainte-Anne in last year’s World Cup event. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

A A rider flies off one of the jumps on the downhill course at Mont-Sainte-Anne in last year’s World Cup event. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Nino Schurter, Mont-Sainte-Anne, 2013. Nino flatted at Mont-Sainte-Anne last year, but he still won the overall World Cup title for the year. Photo: John Ker/Mountain Bike Action

Bryson Martin Jr. takes a fast line through some wet roots at Whistler Bike Park in the summer of 2009. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Randy Spangler and Mike Fucci blaze through a fun section of Whistler’s Top of the World Trail, at the top of Whistler Mountain. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Hartman Rocks, Colorado, is a favorite riding area for the riders in the Gunnison area. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Brett Tippie tears into a turn on Whistler Mountain. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Specialized has confirmed that Troy Brosnan (shown here at Mont-Saint-Anne last year) and teammate Aaron Gwin have both been racing with 27.5-inch wheels this year. Specialized won’t say anything more officially yet, other than confirming our observation from photos we’ve examined that both Gwin and Brosnan have been testing the new wheel size on the World Cup circuit this year. Gwin won the opening […]

Mitch Ropelato (right) and Cody Johnson take to the air in the Pump Track Challenge at Whistler, August 2012. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Crankworx, August, 2012. He pulled it, too. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Magura’s Jeff Enlow and Tony Ballantyne sample a trail in Sedona, Arizona. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

Kurt Sorge shows the world how to do a one-footed tabletop his way at the Crankworx Festival in Whistler. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action

  A rider crosses a canyon at the Red Bull Rampage, 2012. Photo: JK/Mountain Bike Action