Leadville 100 MTB for Spectators

Word on the street is that Lance will return to take another beating in the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race this Saturday (15 August).

Anybody got an advice on where to go to watch the action? Is it possible to access the road where the big climb is in the middle? (I think its CR 398). Is this climb relevant to the finishing order? It happens so early in the race I wonder if I'd be better of watching closer to Leadville. Thanks!

In a lot of ways this race doesn't start until around 75 miles in. This is the climb up powerline that Armstrong and Wiens rode last year, usually it is walked most of the way. I would expect the selection to start somewhere around here and may actually happen on the last serious climb on the road on the north side of turquoise lake. Depending on how you do it, you might be able to catch them there and then boogie back to town for the finish. If you are at the top of the Turquoise lake climb, they may beat you back to town.

The "powerline" climb would be the place to watch, it's the last brutal climb near the end. Everything else isn't too bad. If anyone is still with Lance there (go Weins!) then attacks will fly. You might be able to hustle over to the finish or the boulevard after the leaders pass and catch the actual finish although I suspect it will be a zoo with Lance there again.

The bikers don't go all the way over the middle climb like the runners. They go to near the top and come back down. You can drive most of the way up that climb (Columbine) usually, I'm not sure about on race day though.

Sweet! Thanks for the beta. Can you provide more details on where the "Powerline" climb is and how to get there? Will I want to ride to this spot, or can I drive/walk there? About what time do you think I would want to be there (race starts at 6:30am?)?

I have watched the race the last couple of years on top of AT&T hill, which is about 30/70 mile mark of the the race. By this point on the way out, you have a small pack, 10 or so riders, still together. On the way back, the winner is usually decided by this point. Granted last year Lance was just a minute back on Dave here, but you got a sense that Dave was more comfortable. This is also the one hill that no one has ever ridden up during the race. In fact it is so steep, that many riders in the back of the back actually walk their bikes down it.

Once they leave AT&T, you still have time to make it to the base of the powerlines (but you have to hurry), then to the top of the Lake(the last climb of the race outside of the final three miles), then as they exit ST. Kevans, and then finally make it to the finish line. You have be quick to pull it off, but it is not too much of a problem.

The problem with watching the race on the powerlines is that it is the only part of the race you will see if you hike to the top. On the way out, huge packs are together, and on the way home, if you are lucky you might have a two man race.

By the way, the runners go over hope pass, but the bikers go to the top of Columbine, which is a few miles east of the pass. I would hate to see some one hike to the top of hope and just sit there waiting for nothing.

Here is the alleged map of the race. Can anyone describe where these various locations are?

EDIT:
That didn;t come out too well. Here's a link to the original, in which you can actually read the text on the map:

nyx.net/~mwallace/LT_files/…

Monomaniac wrote:Word on the street is that Lance will return to take another beating in the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race this Saturday (15 August). Anybody got an advice on where to go to watch the action? Is it possible to access the road where the big climb is in the middle? (I think its CR 398). Is this climb relevant to the finishing order? It happens so early in the race I wonder if I'd be better of watching closer to Leadville. Thanks!

haha.. i hope to catch it online somehow or another.. Lance was 1-2mins behind Wiens last year practically off the couch.. full year of real training this year.. i see him teaching Weins a bit about pushing the pace on the fire roads and paved sections and making him hurt too much to do anything substantial on the technical parts.

wish i was out there to watch in person.. you guys gotta bring cameras and post up some pics

BrettPierce wrote:By the way, the runners go over hope pass, but the bikers go to the top of Columbine, which is a few miles south of the pass. I would hate to see some one hike to the top of hope and just sit there waiting for nothing.

That would be pretty funny, in a really sad sorta way.

Monomaniac wrote:Here is the alleged map of the race. Can anyone describe where these various locations are?

"powerline" is the straightest part of the course due west of town near the western end of CO RD 5A. It actually follows a powerline cut through the trees. I think this is part of AT&T hill, but he may be referring to the climb on the north side of Turquoise Lake.

The winning time will be just short of 7 hours, although Wiens recently said it could go as low as 6. Plan accordingly. When I raced it, I probably spent 50% of my time in the last 25 miles. Hopefully that helps some.

AT&T hill is neither location that bishop mentions. It is a little hard to describe without having some knowledge of the course. Sorry.

Didn't Lance win over the weekend at the mtn race at snowmass. There were plenty of pros in the race. He might win Leadville this year.

On a side note: I watched some of the people racing the colorado trail pt to pt race last weekend coming thru breckenridge... pretty amazing to watch. About 5 days self supported Denver to Durango.

Chris, P. congrats on your endurance race last month. I don't know how you do it. I'm struggling in the winterpark series this year and most of those races are around 20 miles long... talk about a workout!

Rumor has it that Lances' goal is to break 6 hours and will have some rabbits out on course to pace him through at least the first half. So if the weather is good I would guess that the winner will be close to 6 hrs and not just under 7 like last year.

I'm surprised that this is not being broadcast, not on Versus but there is another smaller station, or possibly cyclingtv?

They're doing a pay-per-view webcast, but it sounds kinda lame. They're showing 4, 30 minute segments. Very little of the actual race will be shown.

John McNamee wrote:Didn't Lance win over the weekend at the mtn race at snowmass. There were plenty of pros in the race. He might win Leadville this year. On a side note: I watched some of the people racing the colorado trail pt to pt race last weekend coming thru breckenridge... pretty amazing to watch. About 5 days self supported Denver to Durango. Chris, P. congrats on your endurance race last month. I don't know how you do it. I'm struggling in the winterpark series this year and most of those races are around 20 miles long... talk about a workout!

Thanks John. The Colorado Trail race winner (Owen Murphy) did it in 4 days and 3.5 hours this year! Flat out amazing. I raced last year and since now my singlespeed course record has been broken and the course made harder, I'll have to go back in 2010 :)

Chris, How has the course been made harder?

My wife and I have mtn biked and walked the trail over a summer of weekends with lots of driving. We walked the wilderness areas and biked the others...

The only overnight section we did was from Molas pass to Durango and we really noticed the extra gear. The racers I was on Saturday can't of be carrying 10 pounds of gear! Pretty amazing.

Anybody got pictures??

John McNamee wrote:Chris, How has the course been made harder? My wife and I have mtn biked and walked the trail over a summer of weekends with lots of driving. We walked the wilderness areas and biked the others... The only overnight section we did was from Molas pass to Durango and we really noticed the extra gear. The racers I was on Saturday can't of be carrying 10 pounds of gear! Pretty amazing.

They made the detours only the very minimum of the mandatory wilderness ones this year, adding 10 mile range and coney/cataract, brutal! Looking forward to going back in 2010 for another trip. I carry about 4 lbs of camping gear/extra clothes etc and 1 lbs of electronics (GPS, Camera, SPOT).

Monomaniac wrote:Word on the street is that Lance will return to take another beating in the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race this Saturday (15 August).

Lance take ANOTHER beating, you're funny. The guy was out of shape and banging the Olsen twins and still got 2nd last year. 3rd on the podium at the Tour. C'mon, if you really think Lance is a such a shlub and 2nd place is a dismal crime against cycling, why even go? If this was a joke, it's one of the few with all the player haters that thrive on hatin' Lance.

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2…

Lance won.

Thanks everyone for the great advice. We had a great day despite the marginal weather.

Lance shattered the course record (6:45) by 17 minutes, finishing in 6:28:50. Not to be outdone, Lance road the last ~8 miles with a flat tire for good measure.

Here are some pics of the race:

Lance starting up the new, much easier AT&T (they built a new singletrack trail that switchbacks up the hill):

Near the top of AT&T. Lance was about 15 minutes ahead of Weins at this point:


There was a huge crowd at Powerline:


Proof that the mysterious jersey is indeed Lance:


Lance at the finish. Note the flat rear tire:


PS Hank, I'm a huge Lance fan. I was just messin around.