CO Mt. Bike Hill Climb

Mark Mastoras takes a trip to the Rockies and reports on a tough Mt. Bike Hill Climb.

Race: MTB race (hill climb)
Category: Expert (cat 1) 40+
Field: 16
Finish: 12th
Course: brutal

While in Steamboat Springs I rented a MTB (an excellent Rocky Mt. Altitude) and entered the local town challenge MTB race. This race happened to be a serious hill climb starting at 7000′ and proceeding
up to 9000′ over 4.5 miles. I was nervous and as it turns out rightfully so, I went off with the 40+ experts and for a small town there was a serious amount of fit competition, old mountain men.

At the start they drilled it, and I’m like WTF? Thankfully after about 1000 meters the pace settled down some so maybe the start was for show or adrenaline. I was just trying to stay with the group and
managed to make it about 1/2 way up when the double-tracked turned into single-track switch backs after that it was just finding my own pace.

3/4 the way up a women on a single-speed went by me ! Don’t mess with the locals!

After a seeming eternity (49.21 minutes) it was over and I was treated to 2000′ feet of single-track downhill, yea!