Info- Payson Stampede 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race

The Payson Stampede has been canceled. For information on the location of the 24 Hour Mountain Bike National Championships please check with USA Cycling.

The Payson Stampede, in its fifth year, has become widely known for its challenging course in the mountains surrounding Payson, Arizona. Not for everyone, the Payson Stampede tested even the toughest of competitors. Named as the 24 Hour National Championships by USA Cycling for 2009 and 2010, the Payson Stampede expected to host competitors from all over the world.

In 2007, in anticipation of making a bid for the National Championships, the Payson Stampede signed a sponsorship agreement with the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino. It was made very clear to the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino that the Payson Stampede needed a 3 year agreement that covered the years of 2008, 2009 and 2010 in order to support the Stampede's bid for National Championships. The Mazatzal Hotel and Casino agreed to a 3 year sponsorship in late 2007 and the agreement was signed by both parties in March, 2008.

In 2008 the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino abided by the terms of the contract and the race took place as scheduled.

In December, 2008, the Payson Stampede received a letter from the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino notifying the Payson Stampede that the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino was not going to honor the final two years of the agreement they signed. Without the support of the Casino, there was no way for the Payson Stampede to produce a National Championships that would provide the kind of service athletes expect from a National Championships.

We tried to come up with a number of different courses and scenarios where the National Championships could remain at the Payson Stampede. None would have been satisfactory for the athletes and all of us at Tucson Racing were not willing to put on a substandard National Championships just to keep the race.

Thank you to USA Cycling for their willingness to assist the Payson Stampede and their flexibility in attempting to resolve this situation. Thank you also to the Town of Payson, who was very excited about hosting National Championships.

Good luck to everyone in their upcoming season.