We have an outstanding line up for 2020! Click the link below to check out the schedule:
Here are the details about the 2020 series:
- We will have 5 official rides and 3 brevet-style rides for participants to choose from. Details about the 2020 events are listed on the right sidebar of this blog. As in previous years, participants must successfully complete 3 events to complete the series. To complete the series, participants can either complete 3 of the 5 official events OR complete 2 of the official events and 1 of the brevet-style events during 2020.
- Next year marks the return of the Colorado Classic Double Century. After a massive 3 year paving project, Cottonwood Pass is finally paved and re-opened to cyclists, allowing us to place this epic event (which is perhaps the most difficult of the Colorado Triple Crown events due to the combination of length and the unpaved Kebler Pass) back on the 2020 Colorado Triple Crown calendar. We've managed to shave 7 miles off of the course by using Jack's Cabin turnoff (also unpaved) to connect US 50 to the south of Crested Butte to Taylor Canyon.
- For the 2020 season, we will allow participants to complete 1 of 3 unsupported, brevet-style rides. Get ready for an ass-whooping! All of the brevet-style courses are extremely difficult. Participants can only complete 1 of these courses during 2020 for Colorado Triple Crown credit. And these are the only courses that participants can ride for Triple Crown credit, so please plan ahead! To complete one of these rides for Triple Crown credit, please e-mail Mark Lowe (mvlowe5@comast.net) at least 24 hours in advance. After completing the course, participants will need to upload their ride GPS data to either Ride with GPS or Strava to demonstrate proof of completing the course within the time limit AND provide picture documentation of their bikes at specific locations along the course (see below). The brevet style courses include:
- Clear Creek Crusher: 203 miles, 23,000+ feet of climbing. Time limit: 23 hours. Clear Creek County's hardest climbs: Mt. Evans, Squaw Pass, Fall River Rd, Berthoud Pass, Loveland Pass. This course can be ridden after the new bridge that will connect the I-70 frontage road to Fall River Road is completed, sometime during 2020. Picture documentation required at Mt, Evans Summit, Squaw Pass, St Mary's Glacier, Berthoud Pass, Loveland Pass, and Guanella Pass.
- Peak-to-Peak Double Century Challenge: 202 miles 24,000+ feet of climbing. Time limit: 23 hours. A point-to-point route from Golden to Manitou Springs, including Mt Evans and Pikes Peak. Simply put, this is the world's most difficult double century: two 14,000+ peaks! This course can also be ridden in reverse. Special attention must be paid to the time restrictions on Pikes Peak (uphill gates open at 9:00 AM and close at 3:00 PM). Recommended start time: between 11 PM and 1:00 AM. Picture documentation required at Mt Evans Summit and Pikes Peak Summit.
- Colorado Death Ride: 225 miles, 16,500 feet of climbing. The Colorado Death Ride loop is one of our original Triple Crown courses. Participants can ride this amazing loop which encircles the San Juans in the counter-clockwise direction from Durango OR in the clockwise direction from Ridgway. Picture documentation required at Molas Pass, Red Mountain Pass, Dallas Divide, and Lizard Head Pass.
- Registration for the 2020 series will open on March 1, 2020. Registration fees will range from $25 - $40 per event and will be non-refundable and non-transferrable. Please plan your schedule in advance.
- As during previous seasons, RMCC membership ($25/year) is required to participate in the series.
- For those club members who are planning to participate in next year's Colorado High Country 1200 km, we've left the entire month of July open.
- In the unfortunate situation of terrible weather, wildfires, natural disasters, or road closures that make it impossible to complete an event on its scheduled day, that event can be ridden in brevet format (i.e., without RMCC support) on any day during 2020 for Colorado Triple Crown credit. Time limits will be lengthened by 1 hour for unsupported rides.
- Volunteers: We need your help! We've had wonderful volunteer support over the years and we hope that this will continue during 2020. In order to prevent volunteer burnout, we are asking for new volunteers (i.e., individuals who did not volunteer during 2019). However, we will not turn away old volunteers. As during previous years, volunteers may pre- or post-ride the event that they are volunteering for, with or without personal support, for Triple Crown credit.
- We're excited to announce that his year's Colorado Triple Crown events will included in the Planet Ultra Grand Slam Series. Planet Ultra is one of the nation's premier advocates for ultra cycling events, organizing several of the double centuries included in the California Triple Crown series as well as the spectacular Hoodoo 500. By including the Colorado events in the Planet Ultra series, we're hopeful that this will entice a few riders from California to attempt our challenging series!
- And last but not least, special thanks to two-time Colorado Triple Crown finisher, Rich Rodgers, for all of his hard work for helping us redesign the Colorado Triple Crown kit, which is the "trophy kit" for those riders who successfully complete the series. After 11 years, our beloved Colorado Triple Crown kit was due for an overhaul. Thanks to Rich for coming up with a design that is "timeless" (i.e., there are no specific events or dates listed on this jersey) and a bit more visible in the upper torso, which will hopefully improve rider safety. These will be available for order in December 2019.
