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MTB marathon nats set to explode July 4 at Firecracker 50

by VeloNews.com

• July 03, 2007
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By Fred Dreier

Seated at the foot of Colorado’s rugged Tenmile range, the Summit County town of Breckenridge will once again host its marquee fat-tire event, the July 4 Firecracker 50 mountain-bike race. For 2007 the event serves as USA Cycling’s national marathon cross-country mountain-bike championships.

The race traces its roots back to 2000 when current race director Jeff Westcott and Mountain States Cup organizer Mike McCormack thought of ways to spice up Breckenridge’s Independence Day parade.

“We were hanging around on July 4 watching the usual parade of real-estate agents and commercialism,” Westcott remembers. “Both of us thought an athletic event could fit in pretty well.”

The race debuted in 2001 with 120 participants. This year race organizers are expecting close to 700 riders.

Since 2004, USA Cycling had run the marathon national championship in conjunction with its five-day national mountain-bike championship week. However, course restrictions prohibited USA Cycling from holding a marathon race at this year’s national championship July 17-22 in Mount Snow, Vermont. Because of its popularity and organization, the Firecracker 50 got the nod to award 10 national marathon championship jerseys for 2007 and 2008.

The race begins as part of Breckenridge’s Independence Day parade. Racers enjoy a neutral, paved rolling start in front of cheering crowds before heading out onto the 25-mile lap, which they complete twice. Each lap includes 5400 feet of climbing, and begins with a lung-busting haul out of Breckenridge beside an old narrow-gauge railroad track. The loop also includes a handful of long, technical descents in the rocky, dusty Colorado backcountry. Each lap tops out at just over 11,000 feet elevation.

Naturally, climbers and high-altitude riders have excelled at the Firecracker 50 race. Previous winners include Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee Dave Wiens, British climbing sensation Liam Killeen, two-time marathon national champ Gretchen Reeves and 2000 U.S. Olympian Travis Brown.

Brown (Trek-FRS), who took the marathon stars-and-stripes in 2005 and 2006, will be back and looking to defend his jersey against a long list of endurance regulars. Among those hoping to topple Brown are Vail, Colorado, locals Jay Henry and Mike Janelle (Tokyo Joe’s), 2006 Firecracker 50 champ Brian Smith (Trek-Volkswagen), 24-hour solo regular Nat Ross (Subaru-Gary Fisher) and endurance icon Tinker Juarez (Cannondale).

Noticeably missing from the men’s field is six-time 24-hour solo champion Chris Eatough, who is competing in the July 23-29 B.C. Bike Race.

On the women’s side, all eyes will be on three-time NMBS cross-country champion Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna). Vanlandingham did not compete at the Québec World Cup rounds in Mont-Ste-Anne and St. Felicién, and will be looking to score her first victory since the June 2 Teva Mountain Games cross-country in Vail. Challenging Vanladingham will line up against a pair of Tokyo Joe’s teammates, current marathon U.S. champion Melissa Thomas and mountain-bike/cyclo-cross star Kerry Barnholt.

The Firecracker 50 kicks off at 11 a.m. MST from Breckenridge, Colorado. Stay tuned to www.velonews.com for news and updates from the race.