Sunday, December 1, 2019

What's New for 2020?



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:
  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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:  
    1. 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.  
    2. 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.
    3. 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. 
  4. 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. 
  5. As during previous seasons, RMCC membership ($25/year) is required to participate in the series. 
  6. 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. 
  7. 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.
  8. 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. 
  9. 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! 
  10. 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.



Thursday, October 24, 2019

2019 Colorado Triple Crown Finishers



Congratulations to the following riders for completing the 2019 Colorado Triple Crown:

Graham Barnes (4)
Michael Bass (2)
Blaine Bates (1)
Jonathan Fey (1)
Dustin Harding (1)
Keith Jensen (3)
Mark Lowe (10)
Tom Miller (9)
Rich Rodgers (2)
Ray Rupel (6)
Rico Stephen (2)
Andy Stockman (3)
Jason Turner (1)
Mike Turek (2)
Corinne Warren (5)

A few notes:
  1. Congratulations to Corinne Warren for winning the Triple Crown Stage Race. This year's event included the Colorado High Country Double Century, Cripple Creek Crippler, and Tim Kalisch Memorial Grand Loop. 
  2. Congratulations to this year's rookie class: Blaine Bates, Jonathan Fey, Dustin Harding, and Jason Turner
  3. Congratulations to Ray Rupel who, at 65 years young, becomes the oldest rider to complete the Colorado Triple Crown Series! Truly amazing, Ray! 
Special thanks again to all of this season's amazing volunteers! Thanks so much for your help!
Chris Baker
Will deRosset
Jonathan Fey
Dustin Harding
Keith Jensen
Oksana Kovalenko
Dave Nelson
Ray Rupel
Rico Stephen
Nat Schub
Erika Van Meter
Corinne Warren







2019 Colorado Tour de Moose Results

Old Fall River Road, an unpaved road that ascends into the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park, is the showcase  climb during the inaugural Tour de Moose.
2019 Colorado Tour de Moose Results - 7/27/19
Course: 205 miles, including 20 miles of gravel roads, and 15,000 feet of climbing
Time Limit: 18.5 hours
12:54 - Jonathan Fey
12:54 - Mark Lowe
13:12 - Andy Stockman
13:13 - Ryan Franz
13:55 - Rich Rodgers
14:30 - Graham Barnes
14:32 - Mike Turek
15:10 - Dustin Harding
15:18 - Ray Rupel
15:23 - Rico Stephen
15:43 - Joe Hofeditz
15:57 - Nat Schub
16:06 - Michael Bass
ATL - Tom Ehlman
ATL - Oksana Kovalenko

ATL - After Time Limit

Special thanks to our volunteers! We cannot do these riders in their current timed format without volunteer help!

- Keith Jensen
- Corinne Warren
- Will deRosset 


Ryan Franz and Rich Rodgers climb Old Fall River Road.
Old Fall River Road reaches it's high point at over 11,700 feet at the RMNP Alpine Visitor Center .
Alpine pond at 11,500 feet.
Participants received 15 minute time bonuses for photographed moose sightings.
Take a look, folks! That's a moose! 
Jackson CR 27 is well-maintained 14 mile gravel road and hidden gem in the Tour de Moose course!
The heavens opened up and participants got soaked on Cameron Pass during this year's event. 

2019 Tim Kalisch Memorial Grand Loop Results

Trail Ridge Road, which traverses through Colorado National Park, is arguably the most spectacular stretch of pavement in any of the Colorado Triple Crown events. 

2019 Tim Kalisch Memorial Grand Loop Results - 7/6/2019
Course: 200 miles, 16,000 feet of climbing
Time limit: 18 hours

12:42 - Mark Lowe
13:43 - Andy Stockman
14:00 - Corinne Warren
14:10 - Tom Miller
14:19 - Jason Turner
14:45 - Dustin Harding
15:15 - Blaine Bates
15:15 - Joe Hofedtiz
15:46 - Trent Hovenga
16:08 - Dave Nelson
16:12 - Karl Sanchez
16:15 - Michael Bass
16:27 - Rico Stephen
17:12 - Mike Turek
ATL - Erika Van Meter
DNS - Caleb Carl
DNS - Nat Schub

ATL = After time limit

Special thanks to our volunteers! These rides are very difficult to complete in this current timed format without volunteer help!
- Jonathan Fey
- Oksana Kovalenko
- Dave Nelson


A welcome sight for weary riders: Medicine Bow Curve, the first hairpin curve
during a long descent down Trail Ridge Road.
Local residents of RMNP.

Monday, June 17, 2019

2019 Cripple Creek Crippler Results

Afternoon thundershower prevail during the 2019 Cripple Creek Crippler.

2019 Cripple Creek Crippler Results - 6/15/19
Course: 207 miles, 19,500 feet

14:18 - Keith Jensen        
14:39 - Jonathan Fey   
15:19 - Corinne Warren*
16:07 - Dustin Harding
16:41 - Jason Turner        
17:56 - Graham Barnes
18:49 - Mike Turek       
19:17 - Ricardo Stephen   
DNF - Caleb Carl          
DNF - Michael Bass        
DNF - Tom Ehlman         
DNF - Trent Hovenga   
DNF - Oksana Kovalenko  
DNF - Dave Nelson    


*New women’s course record      


Thanks to our volunteers!
Ray Rupel
Nat Schub
Erika Van Meter

2019 Colorado High Country Results

Jonathan Fey, Josh Peter, and Andy Stockman tear up Poudre Canyon
during the 2019 Colorado High  Country Double Century (Photo: Rico Stephen)

2019 Colorado High Country Results - 6/1/19
Course: 207 miles, 12,000 feet


10:20 - Caleb Carl*       
12:50 - Mark Lowe           
13:02 - Corinne Warren   
13:09 - Tom Miller           
13:47 - Jason Turner        
14:03 - Josh Peter           
14:03 - Rich Rodgers       
14:03 - Andy Stockman   
14:20 - Ray Rupel            
14:43 - Graham Barnes    
15:21 - Blaine Bates         
16:21 - Karl Sanchez  


*New men’s course record   


Thanks to our volunteers!
Dustin Harding
Rico Stephen

Anxious riders at the 4:00 AM start (Photo: Rico Stephen)

Caleb's trusty steed after the 207 mile adventure to Steamboat Springs.

Monday, May 27, 2019

2019 Cycle to Saturn Cancelled. Say it ain't so!?!



We regretfully must cancel this year's Cycle to Saturn Double Century on June 15, 2019. This year's heavy snowfall and avalanches have buried the bike trail along I-70 by the Loveland Ski Resort and it will not be open in time for our event. Unfortunately, this bike trail is an integral part of our course and we cannot legally re-route the course onto Interstate 70, which parallels the bike trail.

In it's place, we will substitute the Cripple Creek Crippler on June 15, 2019, another Front Range course that is just as challenging as Cycle to Saturn.

For riders who are planning on riding the Cripple Creek Crippler course this summer in an unsupported brevet format, they will now be allowed to ride any of the remaining Colorado Triple Crown courses without support for Triple Crown credit. Riders will need to complete the course of their choosing within the respective time limit for that event. These courses include:

  • Colorado Classic Double Century (if Cottonwood Pass re-opens this summer as planned)
  • Colorado Death Ride
  • Colorado Mesa Double Century
  • Cycle to Saturn (once the I-70 bike trail re-opens)
  • Denver to Aspen (once the I-70 bike trail re-opens)
  • Joe Lookingbill Denver to Aspen course
  • Kebler Kamikaze Double Century

2019 AntiEpic Gravel Grinder Results

Riding into the fog during the 2019 AntiEpic Gravel Grinder. Photo: Walter Zitz

Course: 206 miles, 11,000 feet of climbing
Time limit: 21 hours

2019 Results:
13:42 - Zitz, Walter
14:26 - Fey, Jonathan
14:31 - Stockman, Andy
15:14 - Jensen, Keith
15:14 - Rodgers, Rich
15:23 - Miller, Tom
17:24 - Heal, Steve
18:08 - Hovenga, Trent
18:29 - Rupel, Ray
19:19 - Stephen, Ricardo
DNF - Ehlman, Thomas
DNF - Kazilsky, Adam
DNF - Kovalenko, Oksana (F)


Volunteers:
Chris Baker
Dustin Harding
Corinne Warren