ROANOKE, Va.—The 2025 USA Cycling Endurance Mountain Bike National Championships brought a significant economic boost to Virginia’s Blue Ridge region, generating $2.6 million in direct visitor spending, according to Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
The event, held July 14–20, drew more than 1,200 athletes from 44 states and attracted approximately 15,000 spectators over six days of racing at Carvins Cove, Elmwood Park, and Explore Park. With more than 2,300 race entries, many competitors took part in multiple disciplines, leading to longer overnight stays compared to typical weekend events.
Lodging metrics saw notable year-over-year gains during the championship week. Short-term rentals reported a 17 percent increase in room demand and a 31 percent rise in room revenue. Hotels posted a 4.8 percent increase in demand and a 7.3 percent jump in revenue.
“USA Cycling couldn’t be happier with how our Mountain Bike National Championships went this year,” says Kyle Knott, national race director for USA Cycling. “The event saw participant growth in almost every category. We believe that has everything to do with the urban outdoor experience that Roanoke, Va., has to offer. From a logistics perspective, it was a joy to work with each jurisdiction to make this event a success.”
Local organizers also emphasized the community’s role in the event’s success.
“I think our biggest success is that our community has this enormous pride in what we have and what we did,” says Whit Ellerman, chair of the local organizing committee. “Most communities could not pull this off because they don’t have the same regional approach that we do.”
In addition to the economic impact, the event raised $22,400 for local trail maintenance and development through a $10-per-race registration fee. On Sept. 25, checks for $11,200 were presented to both the City of Roanoke Parks and Recreation and Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
“One of our top priorities when planning these championships was to generate giveback for lasting outdoor infrastructure in our region,” says John Oney, vice president of sports and sales for Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge. “It’s very important to Visit VBR that we make this a legacy event for our locals who ride these trails every day.”
