Boulder open space board: Allow mountain bikes on Anemone Hill

By Mitchell Byars Camera Staff Writer
Posted: 08/17/2011 10:58:45 PM MDT

The Boulder open space board is recommending a new trail on Anemone Hill that would be open to mountain bikes.

"This is an area of huge recreational benefit," said Open Space Board of Trustees member John Putnam. "Right now, we don't have a good opportunity for cyclists and no good trail access. Despite impacts, the benefit outweighs the potential harm."

Plan ahead! CDOT has published their road closure due to the race and Bicycle Colorado provided some useful info the those tour campers.

Where are these stages anyway

• Prologue | Start List | Map " Specators Guide | Velo News coverage
• Stage 1 | Route Commentary
• Stage 2 | Video preview
• Stage 3
• Stage 4 | Route Commentary
• Stage 5 | Route Commentary
• Stage 6
• Stage 7From Jeffco officials

Stage Two – The Colorado Trail - Powered by Panache CycleWear

Pictures

• Six Degrees To Slush

For other stage information, photos, results and other media outlets check out our 2011 Breck Epic page

08.15.2011 – (Breckenridge, CO) A bit of overnight cloud cover again brought warm temps to the start. The precipitation that rolled through in the evening was just enough to compact the soil a bit with the result being luscious dirt that was super-grippy. In local parlance, “hero dirt”. The kind that lets you rail your bike through a corner, trusting that the rules that govern the physical universe that we all occupy have been temporarily and somehow benevolently altered for your personal benefit.

Photo Credit: Devon Balet Photo

As luck would have it, the weather conditions coincided with one of the most fun stages in the event, “The Colorado Trail”. Summit County is home to several sections, the most popular being the North, Middle and South Forks of the Swan, “Swan” in this case referring to the Swan Drainage, home to a massive 2000-acre open space purchase painstakingly negotiated between local city, county and federal land managers and the B&B Mining Company.

The CT is simply a thing of beauty, and for the most part, at least in Summit County, it seems to be purpose-built for mountain biking. Long rhythmic climbs lead riders to endless narrow descents, ones that make your face hurt from smiling so much. And did we mention that the soil was also tacky? Brothers and sisters, Stage Two of the 2011 Breck Epic was MTB Valhalla, and each rider was a golden, thundering omnipotent god, if only for a day.

Bringing this long rambling preamble (that almost never happens around here!) to a merciful close, we saw a bit of a shakeup in the mens’ single stage standings. Out front for most of the stage, local billy goat Josh Tostado (Bach Builders/Santa Cruz) led La Ruta champion Lico Ramirez for nearly three-quarters of the stage, getting reeled in on the second-to-last climb of the day. Tostado said that Lico seemed to pull him in effortlessly and “then just sort of dropped a gear and steadily walked away.” Cameron Chambers rode put in a strong effort, crossing the finish line a bit more than 2 minutes in arrears of Tostado.

On the women’s side in the 6-day event Sonya Looney (Ergon-Topeak) continued to put her CTR prep to good use, punching out the stage in 4:11, nine minutes ahead of Bicycling Magazine’s “The Fit Chick”, Selene Yeager, who’s definitely wrestling with altitude issues, but seems to be getting it under control. In third was Steamboat Springs rider Katie Lindquist, riding an incredibly strong race and keeping both Sonya and Selene on their toes.

Stage One – Pennsylvania Gulch - Powered by Panache CycleWear

For other stage information, photos, results and other media outlets check out our 2011 Breck Epic page

08.14.2011 – (Breckenridge, CO) Moderate temperatures greeted the field for the first stage of the third annual Breck Epic MTB Stage Race. On tap for the day was a classic Summit County route noted for both its proximity to town and for its rugged nature.

At roughly 40 miles, stage one didn’t look like much on paper, but as the day played out it proved itself a likely player in the final standings as race favorite after race favorite fell by the wayside, their tire sidewalls victim to the route’s unforgiving character.

Photo Credit: Devon Balet Photo

Race favorites Josh Tostado (Bach Builders/Santa Cruz) and Travis Brown (Trek) fell victim to stage one’s rocky underbelly, Tostado relinquishing the lead just seconds after its gain to eventual stage winner multiple-time La Ruta de los Conquistadores champion, Lico Ramirez. Brown’s misfortune came just 5 miles from the finish and saw him drop five spots in the overall. Local neo-pro Kevin Kane (Rocky Mountain) held on for second, finishing just 8 minutes off the pace set by Ramirez.

On the women’s side, Sonya Looney (Ergon) showed up fresh from her CTR attempt with fitness to spare, putting 14 minutes into second-place finisher Katie Lindquist (Ericksen). Jen Tilley (Honey Stinger/Trek) rounded out the podium in the women’s open category.