About 30 of the word’s best freeride mountain bikers will gather at the Flying Blind Dirt Park southeast of Prineville for the third edition of the Natural Selection Proving Grounds event on Saturday.

Proving Grounds, founded by Todd Barber, who also founded the Red Bull Rampage, has partnered with snowboarding’s Natural Selection Tour to continue to evolve mountain bike competition and foster progression. The event will showcase groundbreaking mountain biking as athletes choose their line from multiple options suited to their skill, personal style and strengths.

This year’s Proving Grounds course will feature an updated design by Bend’s Kyle Jameson, and Cam McCaul. The venue includes manmade features of huge drops, massive wood wall rides and rhythm sections. Riders are judged on the difficulty of their tricks, style, execution and amplitude.

Bend’s Carson Storch won the event last year and is looking to defend his title on Saturday.

Men’s and women’s riders will get two runs each in Saturday’s finals, with their best overall run counting. Competition begins at 10 a.m., and second runs start at 1 p.m. 

The Flying Blind Dirt Park is located southeast of Prineville off Juniper Canyon Road, just north of Prineville Reservoir.

Spectators are welcome and tickets are $25 to $95, available at naturalselectiontour.com.

— Bulletin staff report