LIFE TIME GRAND PRIX COMPETITION CLOSER THAN EVER HEADING INTO THE LIFE TIME LITTLE SUGAR MTB
Both the women’s and men’s competitions hang in the balance as the series incorporates this beloved mountain bike race for the very first time. The race for the Life Time Grand Prix title is the tightest it’s been as the series heads to Bentonville for the Life Time Little Sugar MTB – the first race of a double-header to round off the season.
This is the first time the Life Time Little Sugar MTB has been included in the Life Time Grand Prix – cementing its place as an iconic mountain bike event on the US off-road calendar. It kicks off what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the 2025 campaign, with the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Kenetik following just six days later.
This 63.3-mile (101.8km) test starts in Bentonville’s Coler MTB Preserve and travels north into Bella Vista, traversing the hollers and ravines of Sugar Creek and Back 40, incorporating the unique bluff lines, caves, waterfalls, and ledges that make the Ozark Mountains such a stunning location.
The route is a real war of attrition, with a succession of grinding climbs and fast rolling descents to be contested before the course connects to Slaughter Pen – a world-class urban trail system – on the way back to the finish line in downtown Bentonville. Along the way the athletes will rack up 6,500 feet (1,981m) of climbing.
Tight at the top
Both the men’s and women’s competitions have never been tighter heading into the fifth race of the series. The first three positions in the men’s competition are split by just two points, with Keegan Swenson leading the way with 98 points, one point ahead of Simon Pellaud, and Torbjørn Andre Røed sitting right behind the Swiss rider in third.
On the women’s leaderboard, Sofía Gómez Villafañe leapfrogged Cecily Decker back into top spot after the duo sprinted to second and fourth places respectively at the Life Time Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival last month. Villafañe only leads Decker by two points though, with her tally of 112. Melisa Rollins worked her way right back into contention by following up her maximum points haul at the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik and with an incredible solo victory at Chequamegon. She currently sits with 102 points overall.
In addition to the results achieved at the Life Time Little Sugar MTB on Sunday, the overall leaderboard will also be updated after the race to reflect each rider’s lowest-scoring round being dropped from their total points haul, as only five of the six scores are counted in the final standings.
Melisa Rollins – women’s winner of the Life Time Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival
“I’m feeling pretty good heading into Little Sugar. Chequamegon was a really big win for me, especially coming off my second place at Leadville, and I feel like I’ve been able to build on my fitness since then. I’ve spent a lot of time on my mountain bike in preparation for this race, and a lot of time on the course, as I haven’t competed on it before. I feel pretty familiar with it now, and really excited for Sunday. It’s definitely a different challenge from what I’ve faced in the last year or so, but I’m confident and keen to see how it goes.”
Cecile Lejeune – currently sitting fifth in the women’s 2025 Life Time Grand Prix
“I’ve heard Little Sugar is one of the most technical races we encounter all season, so I’ve spent the last two weeks exclusively on my mountain bike. I’ve needed to do everything I can to close the gap on the riders who are more experienced on this type of terrain, and I’m feeling fit and healthy.
“The course is going to be super fun and it will definitely suit those athletes who can stay focused and deliver repeated short, punchy efforts over the full length of the day. That means Sofía [Gómez Villafañe], Alexis [Skarda] and Melisa [Rollins] are likely to be leading the way, with local mountain bike specialists like Crystal [Anthony], Ellen [Campbell] and Michaela [Thompson] also set to shine.
Alexey Vermuelen – men’s winner of the Life Time Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival
“While I competed on most of the course back in 2019 as part of the OZ Trails, this is the first time I’ll have actually competed at Little Sugar. Like Chequamegon and UNBOUND, it’s a very unique race which highlights how diverse the Life Time Grand Prix is, and what makes it special.
It’s been a long season but I started it slowly so I’m still motivated to finish off the series with a good overall placing. I got to Bentonville nice and early and have been riding my mountain bike a lot, so I will be ready, and I’m excited for Sunday
The remaining 2025 Life Time Grand Prix events are as follows:
Life Time Little Sugar MTB – Sunday, October 12, 2025
Life Time Big Sugar Gravel – Saturday, October 18, 2025
To learn more about the 2025 Series, visit www.lifetimegrandprix.com and follow along on YouTube, Instagram, X and and Facebook .