Howard Grotts leading the early sections of stage 6 of the 2024 Breck Epic. Image: Devon Balet

World Tour rider and Breckenridge local Lasse Konecny leads group 1 of Epic’s 10-rider wave time trial starts during Stage 6 of the 2024 Breck Epic. IMAGE: Jace Stout

By Shauna Farnell

The 2024 Breck Epic’s final stage met with an unfortunate shakeup when race leader Howard Grotts crashed hard about a mile before the finish line on Friday.

The pro men’s field collectively decided to neutralize Stage 6 in fairness to the Durango endurance star and to the many riders who stopped to help.

“I could hear him behind me,” said Matt Pike, the only rider ahead of Grotts on the final stretch of singletrack of the 29-mile Gold Dust course and whose winning Stage 6 time – 2 hours, 3 minutes and 32 seconds – was marked for every ride in the men’s pro field.

“There were a couple raised rocks and I heard what I thought was a pedal strike, which it very well could have been,” Pike said. “I figured we had a gap and he sat up and rode it in, but I guess not.”

Robbie Day and Lasse Konecny came across Grotts shortly after he crashed.

“I pulled up and Robbie said, ‘go find somebody.’ He was wrapped around a tree and not moving. I knew there was a marshal nearby,” Konecny said.

Matt Pike leading Howard Grotts through the woods on the way to Baker’s Tank and Aid 1. IMAGE: Devon Balet

Course medics and paramedics were on the scene in moments. Racers who came by a few minutes later said Grotts was conscious and talking.

Pike, who won Stage 6 in last year’s Epic, said he and Grotts were riding together for most of the course until the Longmont rider pulled ahead with a few miles to go.

“From the start, Lasse set a pretty good pace. Robbie joined the fun. Then Howard went right through our group,” Pike said. “Turning onto Baker’s Tank, it was Howie and Robbie, then it was the two of us. Lasse came back and started pulling the gap but we were able to distance him. We ripped down Gold Dust, had a good time. We battled the headwind on the way back in. Howie started to raise it near the top. I led into Broken Wheel. I got a sizable gap on the pavement before getting onto the Blue River Trail. I thought I was going to hold that, then I started hearing him back there. We were pushing pretty hard.”

Grotts in pursuit of Matt Pike. Image: Eddie Clark

Breck Epic first timer Robert Britton of Victoria, B.C. built a reputation this week for setting a brutal pace out of the gate.

“The thing is, I hit it off the starts, but that’s the only time I can have fun and be in the mix,” said Britton, a former road racer. “The minute it starts going downhill or steeper uphill, those guys just punch my ticket. Today was the only time the entire week I actually rode with anyone. All week, I’ve been by myself the entire day. When I saw Howard, he had at least two guys with him. They were there well ahead of me.”

Britton took a minute to take in the scenery at the Wheeler stage and said he’d definitely consider racing in the Epic again.

“Ever since I stopped racing road, I wanted to do as much new stuff as I possibly can. This is one of the few mountain bike stage races in North America that’s prestigious, rated highly. I wish I’d done a bit of altitude training beforehand. Today was the first day I felt like a human being,” Britton said. “At the top of Wheeler yesterday, I took a moment to stop and look around. All these races, you pin it so hard. You’re just chewing the stem. I was at the top and I was like, this is amazing. Just stunning.”

Riders queuing up for Epic’s Stage 6 TT start. Image: Jace Stout

Matt Bird, from Kensington Park, Australia, also wrapped up his first Breck Epic experience on Friday and echoed similar sentiments.

“I had a pretty fun day. It was nice to not have to go super high or super long. The climbs weren’t like rock climbing. I did plenty of hiking yesterday,” Bird said. “It was a bit of a dampener to end what’s been a good week to see Howard down. I hope he’s OK. This is my first Epic. I’ve never heard a bad thing about this race. It would have been nicer if I could have breathed all week, but I have crossed thresholds in terms of how alive I feel. It’s been a good week of mental fortitude training. I’d do it again. It’s been really fun.”=

Going into Stage 6, Grotts, who won Stages 4 and 5, had more than a 22-minute overall lead on Yeti Cycles’ Zach Calton. With all pro men allotted the same time in the neutralized final stage, Calton takes the GC with a total time of 16 hours, 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Bear National Team’s Robbie Day is second in 16:15:52, followed by Kona Bikes’ Cory Wallace in 16:26:14.

Bear National Team teammates Robbie Day (left) and Cayden Parker setting up the 180-degree turn out of the stage 6 date before entering the woods. IMAGE: Jace Stout

Zach Calton (Yeti) descending the Gold Dust Trail. IMAGE: Devon Balet

Howard’s competitors vacate the top step of the podium in a show of respect and solidarity at the suggesti0n of Zach Calton, Epic’s 2024 Pro Men’s Champion. IMAGE: Eddie Clark

Ikeda heading down Boreas Pass Road as the main field’s leaders head out in the other direction. Image: Devon Balet

By Breck Epic

Three riders signed up for the inaugural Breck Epic, and as the week proved time and time again, there’s always something new to learn. We took a flyer on this category mainly because it seemed like fun and also like a challenge that would appeal to the solo, self-supported community. To them, this is SSS-lite. Which doesn’t even make sense.

Chase Caughey swung by our ops room the evening prior to the start to pick up his tracker. He was accompanied by both of his parents and his coach. His parents? Yes. Chase is young. His coach looked at the rain falling outside, then turned to me and asked, “Is it ok if we help him out there a bit?”

I’m the father of two. Like most things in life, parenting is a lifelong pursuit. But some things remain consistent; you protect the cubs. So I did what I hope another race director would do, were our positions reversed and it was me asking that question on behalf of my child. I said “Yes.”

I’m an adherent to the doctrine and purity of solo self-supported efforts. I have a lot of respect for the well-worn rules that govern these efforts. But we had BIG weather moving in, and in my defense, Chase looked and spoke like a shy 17yo. He’s quiet. Which I love. And I’m a gargantuan softie, which I don’t always love. I also sign (and pay for) the insurance policy. Which basically means, thank you for your input. I’m gonna do what I think is safe.

With that in mind, I made the decision that I felt was in Chase’s best interests. In doing so, I literally split the race into two categories. Not Men and Women, but Supported and Unsupported (traditional). I would make the same decision again, in fact, I think we’ll offer BOTH categories next year.

Chase crossed the line the day prior. He won the Mege Epic (Supported) race. And the unqualified respect of his fellow racers. That young man has some Lachlan Morton in him. Yuki, along with Jesse Harodetsky from New Jersey, relied only on what they could carry with them. They raced in the traditional style.

Harodetsky later told me that he started cramping at mile 20. He headed into town after loop one and 7-11’d himself the F out with some roller grill’d items. Yuki rode on. Through darkness, rain and thunder.

Upon finishing in first place, Yuki told me, “I’ve been training for this for a year…and that was fucking HARD!” You all know how gentle Yuki is. Hearing him giggle and swear was among the highlights of the week.

In the chaos that then unfolded shortly afterwards, my day became condensed and complicated. I bungled the awards ceremony by not explaining all of this to the fans and riders attending the banquet. I wish very much that I could have that moment back, along with just a few more remaining brain cells so that could give all three competitors, but especially Yuki, the recogition they so richly deserve.

You’re always learning. Painfully, sometimes.

Congratulations to Yuki (1st Place, Mega Epic-unsupported), Chase (1st Place, Mega Epic-supported,) and Jesse (2nd Place, Mega Epic-unsupported). That course is a monster to tackle in 6 days. let alone in one crack. Chapeau, gentlemen.

Ikeda on his way to some well-earned rest. Yuki owns the solo, self-supported Mega Epic record (until someone takes a shot at the title).

Kaysee Armstrong payin’ the cost to be the boss. IMAGE: Eddie Clark

By Shauna Farnell

Kaysee Armstrong held the dominant spot for six days to win the 2024 Breck Epic among the largest pro women’s field the event has ever seen.

The 34-year-old Team Juliana racer from Knoxville, Tenn., has hammered all week, finishing with a final time of 20 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds.

“I was not feeling good today,” Armstrong said after the race, toasting champagne with Stella Hobbs, who led the race Friday along with Durango rider Ellen Campbell, the latter trailing Armstrong by about 8 minutes in the GC going into the final stage. “I started OK, then couldn’t hang. On this last climb, I told myself, OK, just keep them in sight and you’ll be able to keep your 8-minute gap. Then there were all these signs for me and Evelyn – a banner and champagne. It was so sweet. I’m crying and like, this is not helping me go faster.”

Editor’s note: heh.

The Epic crew led by Rebecca Gross created signs and banners up for Armstrong and fellow Juliana rider Evelyn Dong, both of whom are retiring following the Epic.

As for the final stage, Armstrong led from the gate until Hobbs and Campbell pulled ahead. The three frontrunners took a moment for a beer and champagne toast at aid station 2. A headwind kicked up and Hobbs and Campbell worked together down the last road descent. After that, Hobbs began to peel away on the last singletrack until abruptly stopping with about a mile left at the area where paramedics were tending to men’s race leader Howard Grotts, who had crashed.

“I jumped into the last bit of singletrack before Ellen. I said, do you want to go? She said, no, you go. Show me your teeth. Let’s race this thing!”  Hobbs said. “I was punching every climb. We were yo-yoing around. Then we came around the corner and stopped when we saw Howard. End of race right there. It was hard to see, but I think he’ll be OK.”

Homemade banner? CHECK. Cheap champagne? CHECK. PBR in a janky Gatorade cup? CHECK.
…SILLY STRING?! Big check.
Epic’s crew says g’bye to Evelyn Dong, one of its faves. Long live the queen. IMAGE: Jace Stout

The three frontrunners crossed the Stage 6 finish line together and along with Cutaway’s Andrea Dvorak, who came upon the scene a couple of minutes later and after pausing, crossed the line first. In the spirit of fairness four were given the same 2:41:19 Stage 6 finish time.

Armstrong, who was runner-up to Erin Huck in last year’s Epic and was on a mission for the overall victory this week, maintained her nearly 8-minute lead over Campbell. Her week was sprinkled with a few obstacles – a tip into a cold stream, a crash that skinned up her knee and a flat near the top of Wheeler Pass, forcing her to crank up the jets to prevent her from losing the GC lead. Campbell, who rides for Specialized Rapha Tailwind Domestique Coffee, was the second overall finisher with a total time of 20:27:01. Hobbs rounded out the podium in 20:40:08, followed closely by Dvorak in fourth with a time of 20:40:55.

Although she is retiring as a pro, Armstrong did not discount the possibility of coming back to the Epic in some capacity.

“It was fucking hard, but I loved riding with these ladies,” Armstrong said after the race.

About one-half of the 2024 Breck Epic Women’s Tour. IMAGE: Eddie Clark

Dong. Rocking the #1 Plate. Having a moment at Epic’s LEGENDARY Boreas Pass/Section House aid(?) station. IMAGE: Jace Stout

It’s not a roast if you only say sweet things about each other. Not a dry eye in the house at the final awards banquet. Chapeau, ladies. What a mark you’ve made on mountain biking. IMAGE: Eddie Clark

Starla Teddergreen (Distance to Empty / Eliel) wrapping up her week with a smile. IMAGE: Eddie Clark