Jeep KOM Slalom

Dual-slalom ace Brain Lopes leads a large contingent of California racers into the Jeep King of the Mountain competition this weekend

The list of absentees from this weekends Jeep KOM race is short, but significant. The winners of the first race—Jill Kintner and Michael Prokop—have decided to skip the second-round contest in San Luis Obispo, California, while competing in a UCI BMX World Cup race in China, in hopes of qualifying for the Olympics. Jared Graves is out too.

But even with those absences, the race still packs plenty of star power. Brian Lopes, who is arguably the world’s best gate racer, will be there, as will Anneke Beerten, who has already won two World Cup races this year. And with a few of the favorites out, the door is wide open for some homegrown talent to step on the podium. The field includes seven competitors from California.

In addition to Lopes, Golden State natives include Eric Carter, Dale Holmes, Rich Houseman, Tara Llanes and Cody Warren. Hometown favorite, Travis Collins of San Luis Obispo, will also be competing.

This is the third consecutive year that SLO has hosted a stop on the Jeep Tour and thousands of spectators have crowded the course in the past, organizers said. Unlike traditional dual-slalom courses, the Jeep series uses a unique Y-cross course. The top half is set up like a traditional gated slalom course with racers competing shoulder to shoulder on separate lines, but the lower half is more like a four-cross set up where competitors must battle for the best line on the same course.

The three-race series kicked off on August 4 at The Canyons in Park City, Utah, and will end in Beaver Creek, Colorado September 1. Series winners take home the lion’s share of a $100,000 cash purse and keys to a new Jeep Liberty.

Each race is televised on CBS to a national audience. It’s the most expansive coverage of professional mountain bike racing in recent history, organizers said. The SLO race will air on CBS September 23 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. EST.