The Leadville 100 mountain bike race is this weekend. Although not the hardest 100 mile mountain bike race in the country, The Leadville 100 is definitely the most popular. It's ranks are filled with famous and talented cyclists from all avenues of the sport. Last year disgraced 2006 Tour de France winner Floyyd Landis came in second to local superstar Dave Wiens who won his fifth Leadville 100 in a row. This year Lance Armstrong is adding his name to the list. He tried out two trick bikes for the race, a Trek Top Fuel 9.8 and a Gary Fisher Superfly 29er, my two-wheeled ride of choice. He chose the Trek.
Velonews Aug 4, 2008. Author: Steve Frothingham.
As of Monday, Armstrong had ridden parts of the 100-mile Leadville course two or three times and was doing daily road and offroad rides, said Trek spokesman Ben Coates.
"Lance is in Aspen with a couple of guys, one of them is a trainer that he is working with. He looks super fit when I saw him the other day, and he seems to be taking the race very seriously," Coates said.
Armstrong also has been testing equipment, choosing between a Gary Fisher Superfly 29-inch hardtail and a 26-inch Trek Top Fuel 9.8 full suspension.
Coates said both bikes were under 23 pounds with seat pack, bottle cages and computer. Coates told VeloNews on Monday that Armstrong has settled on the Trek. "
Here's the actual bike and specs below (also from the article cited above).
Coates provided the following specs:
Avid Juicy Ultimates with 140mm rear Stan’s rotor
Bontrager Race X Lite wheels with Bontrager Jones XR Team Issue Tubeless Ready Tires
Bontrager XXX Lite Riser Bar and Bontrager X Lite Stem
Bontrager Race X Lite Carbon Bottle Cage
Shimano XTR Cranks, Derailleur (rapid rise on rear), Cassette, shifters and Chain.
Crankbrothers 4 Ti Candy pedals
Nokon cable housingSID World Cup fork w/handlebar lockout
DT Swiss rear shock w/handlebar lockout
Bontrager Race Lite lock on grips
Not pictured is a new Bontrager Inform saddle
Obviously I'm biased, but I think he made a poor choice. Coming from years of road racing I think the Superfly and its 29 inch wheels would suit his strengths and the race course much better than the full suspesion Trek Top Fuel. The course consists of approx 14,000 feet of climbing on mostly dirt roads or double track. It lacks any major sustained tech sections or even much single track for that matter. Plus, you could easily shave a few pounds off an already anorexic stock Superfly with the components above making it more of a climbing machine.
Who am I to pontificate on what bike Lance Armstrong should ride in the most popular 100 mile race in the country? Wait I can answer that - someone who takes his racing too seriously and has way too much time on his hands! The answer of course is a no one, although I do bear a striking resemblance to George Hincapie. Either way, I standby my self-entitled opinion. I'm sure Lance will have no problem on the Trek, but think he should have chose the Superfly. I wish him, Dave Wiens, and locals Ryan Hamilton, Natt Ross, and Todd Carver a good race! Here's a follow up article posted today.
Velonews, Aug 7, 2008. Author: Steve Frothingham.
"I'm not in it to win it, as they say," Armstrong told reporters in a conference call from Aspen, Colorado, where he has been vacationing and training for the 100-mile race, which starts in the considerably-less-posh nearby community of Leadville.
Armstrong said he's been training on and off road, and also has been hiking and running a bit as he focuses on adjusting to the altitude in the Colorado high country. The Leadville race starts at more than 10,000 feet elevation and tops out above 12,000 feet.
He said he wasn't sure if he is fully acclimated. On race day he will have spent 14 days at altitude.
"It's hard to say because I've never spent more than two weeks here. I feel a lot better than I did the first week," he said. "I'm not sure anyone ever feels good at 12-five."
He said he's been training with an eye toward Leadville for the last five or six weeks.
"I don’t know how competitive I can be," he said. "It's a nice goal to have, it keeps me serious, keeps me fit."
He called five-time defending champion Dave Wiens "the odds-on favorite."
"Really, a race like this takes a lot of experience and a lot of endurance, too, and he has that."
Pushed to predict his finish time for Saturday's race, Armstrong said he thinks he'll come in in the neighborhood of eight hours, or about an hour behind the winner — which at Leadville equates to about fifth place.
"I fully expect to get beat up," he said.
He did, however, engage in a little trash talk with coach Chris Carmichael, a Leadville veteran who will compete again this year.
"I know I can beat Carmichael. I will be home and showered and probably three beers in by the time Carmichael makes it in."
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