The mountain bike racing & fun rides Roc d'Azur 2008 begins in earnest today by Fréjus on the French Riviera.
It's the 25th edition of the now hugely popular MTB (in France VTT) event. The organizers expect 15,000 contestants from hard-core international mountain bike champs to kiddies with wheelies.
All the classics of the Roc d'Azur events will take place: the epic Roc d'Azur with its 58 km of challenging terrain, the Enduro Roc with its wild descent, the Roc Marathon (87 km) for extra pain, but also the kids' rides from 2.2 to 8 km in length, the women's special Roc Dames (40 km), the more leisurely Roc Rouge (22 km). 
The Roc
Odyssey, a 35 km cross-country ride, runs on Friday afternoon to avoid the weekend crowds.
New and running today and tomorrow, the refreshing Maxim Roc Down tumbles all the way to the Med sea by St Aygulf.
On Friday evening, an original ride tests the front suspensions: the Roc Ruelles which runs along the bumpy streets of Fréjus. 
Aside for the Roc Ruelles, the other Roc d'Azur events gobble up hills in the Maures Mountains of the French Riviera right by Fréjus. The terrain? Rocky, dusty, gorgeous.
The starting point is at the Fréjus Base Nature complex and heads out to the Maures Mountains from there.
Besides MTB races and rides, vendors show off their equipment at the public "Salon du Roc" Friday through Sunday.
If you're going
Riding? Don't forget the mandatory medical certificate stating that you're fit to ride, the mandatory helmet and expect good warm weather this week. And don"t push in those narrow passages.
If you watching, head for the Maures Mountains such as around Col du Bougnon where the classic Roc rumbles or by St Aygulf for the return leg by the beach.
The Roc d'Azur 2008 Program:
- Tue 7 octobre (10h00) : Maxim Roc Down (2 km)
- Wed 8 octobre (10h00) : Maxim Roc Down (2 km)
- Thu 9 octobre (10h00) : Enduro du Roc (25 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (8h00) : Roc Marathon (87 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (12h00) : Subaru Pro Roc (40 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (10h15) : Masters Roc (40 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (13h00) : Mid Roc (40 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (14h00) : Rando Roc Odyssey (35 km)
- Fri 10 octobre (19h00) : Roc des Ruelles
- Sat 11 octobre (8h00) : Roc Tandems (40 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (9h00) : Roc d'Azur Women (40 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (10h00) : Rando Roc Noires (50 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (14h00) : Kid Roc (8 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (14h30) : Kid Roc (4,2 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (14h50) : Kid Roc (6,5 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (14h50) : Rando Roc rouge (22 km)
- Sat 11 octobre (16h00) : Kid Roc (2,3 km)
- Sun 12 octobre (8h00) : Roc d'Azur Cadets (22 km)
- Sun 12 octobre (8h15) : Roc d'Azur Cadettes et Juniors Dames (22 km)
- Sun 12 octobre (8h30) : Roc d'Azur Juniors Men (40 km)
- Sun 12 octobre (9h30) : Roc d'Azur (53 km)
