If you live in Minnesota, you are most likely familiar with the skyways systems. If you haven’t been here before, skyways exist in the downtown areas across our cold and snowy state to provide a warm and dry path for getting from one building to another. Skyways are great for walkers but bikers are not afforded a bike lane in these unique indoor walkways. Instead, they are left to battle the outdoor elements. Except for February 8th, when the city of St. Paul opened their skyways for mountain bikers from across the state to ride in! The race, sponsored by the energy drink Red Bull, started on the upper level of the Galtier Plaza and ended on the upper level of the Excel Energy Center. During the one mile long course, bikers encountered steps, ramps, carpeting, slippery tile, a tunnel, more than 20 doorways and many quick turns.

Peace Coffee’s own bike team member Mario Minelli was one of the chosen few to partake in this once in a lifetime experience. Riders were released one at a time in 1-minute intervals. About halfway through, there was a 50/75 step/stairway descent in which required a dismount and a 30 or so step/stairway climb that finished with about a 100-yard ramp to the end. 

This was a full-on anaerobic race, says PCR Rider Mario Minelli. “We basically had to start completely relaxed with no warm-up and hit it as hard as possible from the start all the way up the finish ramp. My heart rate was 178 on the first and 173 on the second (max was 185). My chest is still burning. My max speed locked in at 44. That may be an error. It may have been more like 35, but it felt like 70 flying down those narrow corridors.”

Mario, the speed demon, came in 13th place, on this forbidden racecourse. When asked if he’d do it again, he said “without a doubt,” although next time he would refrain from drinking so many Red Bulls.

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