{"id":689453,"date":"2026-05-23T22:53:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T22:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/689453\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T22:53:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T22:53:30","slug":"cyclists-embark-on-durangos-55th-iron-horse-bicycle-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/689453\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyclists embark on Durango\u2019s 55th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Largest local cohort in years joined visiting riders in iconic cycling event<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyclists race the train in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events. The riders pedal roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Early Saturday morning, about 2,000 bikers, decked out in spandex or funny costumes, astride bikes of all shapes and sizes, amassed at the start line at 33rd Street and East Second Avenue in Durango to take part in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.<\/p>\n

The air was electric with excited conversation and the hum of bike hubs, and, following the staggered starts of the competitive Coca-Cola Road Race, riders in the McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour and Quarter Horse swarmed over the start, right onto U.S. Highway 550 and off toward the towering San Juan Mountains.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyclists line up at the starting line the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald’s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events in Durango on Saturday. The race takes riders across roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Riders had come from across the county, state and country to challenge themselves on the scenic, lung-busting 50-mile climb past Purgatory Resort, over Coal Bank and Molas passes and down through budding aspen glades to the mountain hamlet of Silverton.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s 2,000-rider turnout was huge, Erin Glenn, race organizer, said. It included around 800 cyclists who live in La Plata County \u2013 the race\u2019s largest local cohort in years, up from approximately 600 racers who signed up in 2025.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Riders in the women\u2019s 19-29 age category leave the start of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Coca-Cola Road Race on Saturday morning. They traversed 50 miles of Highway 550, over Coal Bank and Molas passes and down into Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Two of those local riders were high school students Ellie Bruckbauer and Jack Purcell, who were taking part in their second citizen tour. The two friends said they were excited to be riding together and planned to eat as much food as possible at the aid stations positioned along the race route.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a bit nervous for the ride down (Molas Pass) into Silverton,\u201d Bruckbauer said. \u201cBut I\u2019m excited to drink as much pickle juice as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ellie Bruckbrauer, left, and Jack Purcell, two local high school students who race Nordic skiing together in the winter, rode in Saturday\u2019s Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour. They said their goal was to eat as many snacks as possible at the aid stations positioned along the race route. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Durangoans Emily Hartley, Avery Matela and Emiliah Sawyer were all riding together in their first time competing in the race. The three friends had been training together ahead of the race, and said their goal was for all of them to make it to Silverton in less than four and a half hours, Matela said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna crush it,\u201d Hartley said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also want to have fun and not suffer too bad that it\u2019s not fun,\u201d Sawyer added.<\/p>\n

After the race, Hartley said they all made it to Silverton under their goal. Hartley\u2019s final time was 4 hours and 9 minutes, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a ton of fun,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was really hard, but it was fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her favorite part was seeing the spectators on the side of the road along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like (seeing the spectators) got me going faster, and it was fun to see all their smiles and cheers for us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Durangoans Avery Matela, left, Emily Hartley and Emiliah Sawyer have been training for their first time competing in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic\u2019s Coca-Cola Road Race. They said their goal was to get to Silverton in four and a half hours. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Iron Horse also drew riders from far and wide across the United States.<\/p>\n

John Temti came from Cody, Wyoming, to participate in the event with his brother, James, who lives in Durango. The brothers said they visit each other in their respective homes to compete in road races, and in September, James Temti would head to Wyoming to take part in the Fist Full of Dirt gravel bike race.<\/p>\n

James said his goal was to make it to Silverton around the 3 hour and 30 minute mark. His brother, on the other hand, joked that his was to simply survive the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping that I\u2019m alive at the end,\u201d John said.<\/p>\n

When asked if they would work as a team, James said no, and that as soon as they crossed the start line, it was every man for himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s dog-eat-dog,\u201d James said. \u201cMy brother\u2019s going down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both John and James made it to Silverton. James, the first brother to reach the finish line, said he completed the 50-mile ride in 3 hours and 4 minutes, and that his favorite part of the ride was the climb up Coal Bank Pass.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The other competitor in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic: the iron horse itself. Cyclists vie to see if they can beat the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad\u2019s train to Silverton from Durango. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought (the climb) was really fun,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was the biggest hurdle, so once past that crux, and then if you can make it up Molas Pass, then it\u2019s just all downhill to the finish.\u201d<\/p>\n

That reason is why Molas Pass was John\u2019s favorite part of the ride.<\/p>\n

\u201cI survived, and I did have fun,\u201d he said. \u201cMy favorite part was climbing Molas. It was just so beautiful. The weather was perfect. We had a little tailwind. The race was almost over. And the pain was over.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brothers said they planned to celebrate with a couple of beers and an early night of rest to prepare for the LaStrada LaPlata Gravel Race on Sunday.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Brothers John, left, and James Temti compete in bike races together. John Temti traveled to Durango from Cody, Wyoming, to compete with his brother in the Saturday\u2019s 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Coca-Cola Road Race. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Liam Simmons traveled from Boulder to Durango to take part in the road race for the first time with his team, Boulder Junior Cycling. Because it was his first go at the Iron Horse, he said his goal was to ride hard and see what happens \u2013 especially on the race\u2019s steep climbs, which he said wasn\u2019t as common on his home roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have no idea what to expect,\u201d Simmon said. \u201cA bit nervous about the climbing, which we\u2019re not really used to around Boulder. So that\u2019s gonna be interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he was most excited to ride Highway 550 while the road was closed.<\/p>\n

\u201cClosed roads on a pretty beautiful highway is an option you don\u2019t get very often,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n

Upon completing the race, he said he was glad to be done with the climbing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ride was really hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, there\u2019s way more climbing than we\u2019re used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Simmons said he planned to race in Sunday\u2019s Subaru Mountain Bike Race before heading back with his team to Boulder on Monday.<\/p>\n

Rider Lucy Harris, 32, from England, won the women\u2019s pro race category with a time of just over 2 hours, 44 minutes and 33 seconds. She beat the second-place rider by just under 55 seconds.<\/p>\n

On the men\u2019s side, Durango\u2019s Kai Lokey won with a time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 44 seconds, beating out the second-place rider by 1 minute and 35 seconds.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Colorado State Patrol said no crashes or car-bike conflicts were reported to state troopers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Liam Simmons traveled from Boulder to Durango to compete in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic on Saturday. He said he was excited to race on the closed-off section of U.S. Highway 550. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyclists gather at the starting line of the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events. The riders pedaled roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyclists race the train in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events. The riders pedaled roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cyclists race the train in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events. The riders pedaled roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A cyclist rides alongside the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train in the 54th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic McDonald\u2019s Citizen Tour, Coca-Cola Road Race and Quarter Horse events. The riders pedaled roughly 50 miles from Durango to Silverton. (Scout Edmondson\/Durango Herald)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

sedmondson@durangoherald.com<\/p>\n

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