Round 4 of the UCI MTB World Cup was to be held at Mountain Village, Colorado on 5/6 July 2003 in conjunction with the Telluride 360°ree; Adventure Festival. But with all potential title sponsors citing “uncertainty in the world and the lethargic economy” the organisers found themselves unable to afford to hold either event.

“I am heartbroken that we cannot find a solution for this,” said Rick Sutton, President of World Cup organisers GaleForce. “GaleForce has a history of finishing what it starts, and this will be the first time in 13 years that we have needed to cancel an event. Unfortunately, the Town of Mountain Village and GaleForce are not prepared to absorb the financial liability of these events. Without the significant funding represented by title sponsorship, the hole is simply too deep for both Mountain Village and GaleForce.”

The Adventure Festival itself was to feature mountain biking, trail running, adventure racing, bouldering and, erm, fly fishing, but there won’t be one this year. “We will continue to improve our outdoor amenities this summer, including our biking and hiking trails, and we look forward to future opportunities to welcome outdoor sports enthusiasts to Mountain Village,” said Kathy Mahoney, Mountain Village Town Manager.

No word yet on possible rescheduling, revenueing or reanythinging of the World Cup round – we’ll keep you posted…