Scott Ellis made Team Peloton-Specialized proud on Saturday, August 14th, on Scott’s 14th campaign of the Leadville 100 MTB race in which he finished to a PR time of 9:42.
Scott Ellis looking strong after finishing to a PR time of 9:42 on his 14th consecutive run of the Leadville 100 MTB.
While Scott is now deep in the recovery locker, here’s what Scott had to say last week prior to the race:
“Saturday, I’ll be competing at the Leadville 100 mountain bike race – for the 14th time. The cut-off time to be an “official finisher” at Leadville is 12 hours. I’ve finished each year, typically between 10 and 10 ½ hours. My best finish was last year at 9:48. This year, riding my new Specialized S-Works Epic, I’m shooting for around 9:30.
The race has grown considerably since I started. The first year I did it, 1997, there were about 400 racers. This year, more than 1500 riders are signed up from 48 states and 21 countries. Some big names expected to be there this year are: Lance Armstrong, Dave Wiens, Matt Shriver (top three last year), Levi Leipheimer, Jeremiah Bishop, Ned Overend and Tinker Juarez.”
The starting line of the Leadville 2010 MTB race was a walk-of-the-stars of the sport at 10000'. Photo: Sally Irmiger
Now, with the race having been ridden and the surprises having been revealed, the stories as epic as the race itself are left to be told… and here’s Scott’s:
“Saturday, I finished my 14th consecutive Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race. I finished in 9:42, which was a PR for me. The course was probably in the best condition I’ve seen. Besides being a little warmer than usual, the weather was also favorable. Most of the day there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
Scott Ellis was the recipient of the silver belt buckle for finishing the Leadville 100 MTB race in under 12 hours. Photo: Velo Noise
“The number of people racing, crewing, and watching the event has grown significantly in the past couple of years. In 1997, the first year I did the race, there was somewhere around 400 racers. This year there were over 1300 lined up for the 6:30 AM start. With this many people, it gets crowded out on the course. It took about an hour for the field to spread out a little. Before that, unless you’re able to start in the front of the pack, you’re pretty much forced to ride the same pace as everyone around you.
The course of the Leadville 100 MTB is an out-and-back, with each 52-mile leg featuring nearly 7000' of elevation running two-way racing traffic.
“The 104 mile out-and-back course lies mostly over 10,000’ elevation and, depending on whom you listen to, consists of anywhere between 12,500 and 14,000 feet of total elevation gain. Racers that finish before the 12 hour cut-off get a hand-crafted silver belt buckle. Racers that finish in under 9 hours get the “La Plata Grande,” a bigger gold and silver belt buckle. Depending on the year, approximately two-third to three-quarters of the people starting the race finish before the 12-hour cut off. The course is not particularly technical, although there are some sketchy descents that cause carnage every year. This year was no exception.
The venerated "La Plata Grande," or gold-and-silver belt buckle awarded to contenders who finish the Leadville 100 MTB race in under 9 hours. Photo: Jeff Kerkove
“The Specialized S-Works Epic was a great choice for the course. Thanks to Dana Hood at our title sponsor, Peloton Cycles, for making sure it was ready for the race.
The leadout at the bottom of Powerline belies the loose, rutted treachery of what lies upslope. Photo: Linda Guerrette
My stats: I finished 270th overall out of 1300+ riders and 30th out of the 225+ in my category, M50-59. Ned Overend (venerated fellow rider for our title sponsor, Specialized Bicycle Components) was the first place finisher in my category.”
The elevation profile of the out-and-back Leadville 100 MTB course. The course peaks at the Columbine Mine turnaround point, elevation 12500'.
Congratulations to Scott for such a longstanding commitment to this race, and for his outstanding PR finish!
See Singletrack.com for a video of race highlights.