LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Oct. 26, 2025) — Riders from across Arkansas and beyond descended on Little Rock over the weekend for the Capital Enduro, the penultimate race of the 2025 Arkansas Enduro Series. Hosted at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and the nearby River Mountain Park trails, the event featured eight challenging stages that tested riders with rocky descents, tight corners, and fast, technical terrain under cloudy, sometimes wet, autumn skies. The event is supported and managed by the Ozark Foundation.
What is Enduro Mountain Biking?
In mountain bike enduro racing, riders complete a series of timed downhill or technical stages separated by untimed transfer sections. The timed segments are where the race is won or lost, emphasizing bike handling, line choice, and speed over rough terrain. Riders must pedal or climb between stages within set time limits; however, these transfers do not count toward their total race time. At the end of the event, all stage times are added together to determine the overall standings. This format blends the endurance of cross-country riding with the skill and precision of downhill racing, creating one of the most dynamic and spectator-friendly disciplines in mountain biking.
A Day of Speed and Skill
As one of the most anticipated stops of the season, the Capital Enduro blended endurance and precision over a diverse course that highlighted the rugged character of Central Arkansas riding. Racers tackled a mix of steep climbs and rolling descents through the Monument trails and temporary race trails, showcasing the momentum and energy that have made Little Rock a growing destination for competitive mountain biking.
Tight Racing at the Top
In the Pro Men’s Open category, Jake Ingram took the overall win with a total time of 13:52.2, narrowly edging out Finn Logan at 14:03.1 and Henry Lee at 14:05.2. The three riders battled through close stage times all day, with Ingram maintaining a slim lead thanks to smooth consistency across every section of the course.
The Expert Women’s Open division also featured strong performances. Lily Aaronson claimed first place in 20:33.9, followed closely by Alex Saylor in 20:41.2, and Harley Bennett rounded out the podium in 26:31.1.
Youth Riders Show Strong Future for Arkansas Enduro
Arkansas’s young riders continued to shine. In Junior Men 17-18, Connor Paul took top honors in 14:22.7, followed by Timmy Best at 15:39.3 and Bailey Grant at 17:52.9. The 15-16 class saw Eli Park finish first with a time of 14:05.0, just ahead of Whitaker Ward and Nicholas Koch. These close results continue to underscore the strength of Arkansas’s junior mountain bike community.
E-MTB Categories on the Rise
Electric-assist categories drew competitive fields as well. Austin Story topped the Expert E-MTB Men 40+ division in 18:08.3, with Tim Woodruff finishing just two seconds behind. In Expert E-MTB Men 19-39, Kyle Talley took first in 18:10.1. Sam Acar won the Expert E-MTB Women Open category in 25:53.1, sweeping every stage of the race.
Amateur Fields Bring Depth to the Race
The amateur categories saw strong turnouts and close competition across age groups. Riley Neff won the Amateur Men 19-29 class in 13:34.8, Sean Griffin led the 30-39 division at 14:29.6, and Joe Grant topped 40-49 in 15:30.5. In the 50+ division, Matthew Menard claimed the win in 15:40.6, maintaining consistent pace across all eight stages.
One More Race to Go
While the Capital Enduro showcased some of the best riding of the year, the season isn’t over yet. The Bentonville Enduro, scheduled for November 21–23, will close out the 2025 Arkansas Enduro Series. Riders will converge in Northwest Arkansas to tackle another technical course and determine the final overall standings for the season.
For full race results, upcoming event details, and series standings, visit arkansasenduroseries.com/capitalcityenduro.
A short video from race day.
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This article was originally published on ArkansasOutside.com, your trusted source for outdoor news and updates in The Natural State. Unless otherwise credited, all photos included in this piece are the property of Arkansas Outside, LLC. We take pride in sharing the beauty and adventures of Arkansas through our lens—thank you for supporting our work!
One Response
This article is awesome! Well done!
I wanted to add something. Lily Aaronson, the Winner of Expert Women’s Open is ONLY 12!