The organizers of Echo’s Red 2 Red know they’re taking a chance by scheduling the first mountain bike race of the season in unpredictable early March.

The gamble went a bit sour Saturday as freezing rain pelted the course, but the snow didn’t start falling until everyone was safely inside receiving awards.

There were 387 riders, according to event coordinator Stephanie Myers, with fewer than 50 signing up the day of the race. Last year 150 signed up on race day.

Barry Wicks, 33, of Bend was the overall winner in the Men’s Elite category and Irrigon graduate Tyler Fox, 20, finished atop the Category 1 Men’s division. Shannon Holden, 38, of Spokane finished first in the Women’s Elite.

The course runs through the back country around Echo and property owned by Lloyd and Lois Piercy, and is open year-round to mountain bike riders, runners and hikers.

This story originally appeared in East Oregonian.