Big Sugar Classic logo

Fill up your Camelbaks, prepare your flat kits, and clip into your pedals. The Big Sugar Classic is coming to Bentonville and Bella Vista, Arkansas this October!

Welcome to Big Sugar Classic, a cycling celebration that wraps up the end of the off-road North American cycling calendar and the Life Time Grand Prix series. This event will bring both globally-known racers and amateur riders alike to Northwest Arkansas. Here’s a schedule preview:

  • Saturday, October 14: shake out rides, athlete panels, MTB packet pickup
  • Sunday, October 15: Life Time Little Sugar MTB – Starting in downtown Bentonville, the 100 km, 50 km, and 20 km courses travel north into Bella Vista and traverse the hollers and ravines of Little Sugar trail and the Back 40. You’ll be greeted with unique bluff lines, caves, waterfalls, and the iconic Ledges. Compete in the 100 km distance to battle it out for $65,000 in prize money, split evenly between men and women! This event also serves as the newest Leadville Race Series qualifier.
  • Thursday, October 19: gravel expo day 1
  • Friday, October 20: gravel expo day 2 and gravel packet pickup
  • Saturday, October 21: Big Sugar (100 mile) and Little Sugar (50 miles) Gravel races. This is the final event in the Life Time Grand Prix series.
Racers on a gravel bike course

Photo courtesy of Life Time Big Sugar Classic

 

Do you have what it takes for the Sweet Tooth Challenge? Join Life Time for both the 100 km mountain bike and 100-mile gravel races (or the 50 km mountain bike and 50-mile gravel races).

Read more about the Big Sugar Classic here. Such large events wouldn’t be possible without the help of amazing volunteers like you! Learn more about volunteering here. Registration opens on Wednesday, March 1 at 6 p.m. CST. Check out previous years’ results and photos here.

Gravel riding is the fastest-growing segment of cycling in the United States. For more information on gravel riding in Northwest Arkansas and the best routes, visit the new Rural Recreational Roads website.

OZ Trails community,

When I think about where this started, trail builders like Dave Renko, Nathan Woodruff, and Don West from the early days come to mind. They strengthened my belief in the power of trails and in Arkansas becoming one of the great places in the world to ride. It started simply: a few hand-built trails, a lot of conviction, and a community willing to put in the effort to create something special.

OZ Trails was never just about bikes. It was about building a way of life around the outdoors — a place where families spend more time together, where people find clarity away from screens, and where visitors feel welcome. It proves that something world class can still feel local, personal, and rooted in the land.

For years, we dreamed about this park. We walked the land, studied what it could become, and kept coming back to the same idea: Northwest Arkansas deserved a bike park that matched the ambition of this community.

Now, we’ve built it.

OZ Trails Bike Park is where so much of that work comes together. It was created with trail builders who treat their work like a craft, supported by bike patrol so riders can feel confident, and shaped by a team that cares about the experience from the moment you arrive. I've been riding the park throughout development, and I finish every ride believing it will change how people progress and connect with each other.

Founding Membership is an invitation to the people who get it — the riders who know what time on trail does for you: clearing your head, building confidence, finding your people, and feeling a sense of pride in the place you ride. We want you here from day one. Membership is more than access. It helps set the tone for what this park becomes. The first members should be people who care about the culture, who welcome others in, and who believe this place can keep growing into something truly special.

As a father, I often think about watching my kids progress on these trails — starting on green, moving to blue, and then deciding they’re ready for black. It’s part of why we built this place the way we did — so families can show up, everyone has something to ride, and they can keep building the skills to take the next step.

Alongside Founding Membership, we’re also launching a Founding Family Membership for those who want to share this with the people they love.

Our Founding Memberships open today.

Come ride it. This place was built for you.

Upcoming Events

OZ, LOCAL, AND REGIONAL

Weekend Warm Up

March 7, 2025 - November 7, 2025

Level 2 Mountain Biking Fundamentals

11/1/2025, 11/22/2025

Mountain Biking: Intro to Drops

November 1, 2025

BVL Cyclocross Training Series

October 26, 2025 - November 16, 2025

Coler MTB Youth Class

September 10, 2025 - November 26, 2025

Purple Heart Gravel Ride

November 8, 2025

Arkansas Enduro Series presented by Monster Energy

November 21, 2025 - November 23, 2025

EXPLORE ALL EVENTS