The blur of hundreds of mountain bikers zipping through the Rib Cage at Phil’s World returned with the Mother’s Day weekend tradition, as 12 Hours of Mesa Verde entered its third decade as one of the premier endurance mountain biking races in the country.
Kicking off Saturday, May 11 with the starting cannon’s boom at 7 a.m., nearly 1,000 competitors spent the daylight hours traversing the 16.4-mile course through Phil’s World’s iconic single track, starting and ending their journey at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds.
Racers from 16 states descended on the Four Corners, filling one of the 10 classifications for competition, with a projected 100 racers planning on tackling the 12 Hours in the “solo” category. From professionals to recreational riders, 12 Hours draws a crowd, with the majority of competitors taking on the course in teams, either in duos or in teams of three or four, seeking to complete as many circuits as possible before the race’s conclusion at 7 p.m.
Weather shortened the race a year ago, and this year, riders braved wet spots in their ride to the finish.
As in past years, the 11-member organizing board leans heavily on a crew of volunteers to help make the event possible, and this year over 200 community members have stepped up to make everything from check-in to aid stations to the children’s races run smoothly.
Themed as “The Flintstones,” competitors and spectators were encouraged to wear costumes befitting of the prehistoric cartoon family.
The community support continues to be a driving force for the ongoing success of 12 Hours, with over four dozen area businesses supporting the facilitation of the various components of the race. Similarly, 16 community organizations receive proceeds from the race, as the philanthropy of 12 Hours of Mesa Verde has contributed approximately 700,000 dollars to the area over its 20-plus years in existence.
Race results will be available at https://my.raceresult.com/285866/, while Barak Naggan Photography will take action shots of the event at https://events.naggan.com.
