Volunteers put in hours shoveling snow to make event possible
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships men’s varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
PURGATORY – After forest fires and a global pandemic forced cancellations of the last two attempts to host the collegiate mountain bike national championships in Durango, a snowstorm wasn’t going to stop the action this year.
With snow blanketing Purgatory Resort, however, a big effort from volunteers with shovels was needed to get the courses race ready.
“It was a huge effort,” said Fort Lewis College cycling team member Connor Gizinski, who spent hours digging the cross-country course out with a shovel. After working on the trails Wednesday, the team put out a post on social media asking for help, and about 50 people showed up Thursday ready to work.
“It was just cool to see everyone come together,” Gizinski said. “And not just bikers; people from Durango came up to support the Fort Lewis cycling team.”
Fort Lewis College riders Michaela Thompson, right, placed second; Natalie Quinn, center, placed third; and Ruth Holcomb placed seventh in the USA Cycling Collegiate MTB Championships women’s varsity cross-country race on Friday at Purgatory Resort. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
With the national championships taking place in October, snow isn’t uncommon at the mountain bike championships. Durango Devo Executive Director Levi Kurlander said there was snow at two of the three national championships he raced in for FLC, calling it “par for the course.”
The national championships are arguably the biggest races to take place in Durango since Purgatory hosted a UCI World Cup race in 2001. Purgatory was also the site of the first-ever UCI cross-country mountain bike world championships in 1990. The hope, said race director Dave Hagen, is that this is the start of big races coming back to Durango.
FLC cyclists also appreciated the support they received from the home crowd.
“It was amazing,” said Durango local and FLC freshman Ruth Holcomb. “I saw teachers and family and friends. It was amazing all of the people calling my name and cheering. Being at home is the most amazing feeling for racing.”
Riders take off at the start of the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships men’s varsity cross-country race on Friday at Purgatory Resort. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
While the event is the collegiate national championships, cycling isn’t an NCAA-sanctioned sport. Instead, USA Cycling is the governing body. Instead of divisions I, II and III, cycling is broken into varsity and club divisions. FLC competes in the more competitive varsity division, along with traditional Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado.
The University of Colorado, Colorado State University, University of California Berkeley and Colorado School of Mines, meanwhile, all race in the club division.
Teams from all over the country, however, are taking part in the national championships.
The championships consist of both cross-country and gravity races. There will be five different races contested at the event, including cross-country, short-track cross-country, a team relay, dual slalom and downhill.
Points from all of the events, both men and women, will be added together to decide the team omnium champions. FLC and Colorado Mesa dominated the top-10 places in Friday’s cross-country races to pull away from the competition. The team title will likely come down to the team relay on Sunday.
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike Championships men’s varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Mud and ice, however, are also factoring into the results with bikes getting clogged and equipment breaking. FLC’s Michaela Thompson, who finished second in the cross-country race, said she felt like she was running up the slippery climbs more than riding during her race. Racing at home, however, she said she loved it.
“To be at our home mountain is special,” Thompson said. “We’ve been working our (butts) off to get it here.”
Tyler Clarke with Brevard College in North Carolina called the venue “awesome.”
“The long descent (in the cross-country race) is a ton of fun,” Clarke said. He did say, however, that he had hoped to ride earlier in the day when the course was more frozen than muddy.
After Friday’s cross-country and dual slalom championships will be short-track on Saturday and the downhill and team relay finals on Sunday.
colivas@durangoherald.com
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A riders competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A Fort Lewis College rider competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Aleah Austin of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders take off at the start of the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders take off at the start of the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Tyler Orschell of Brevard College wins the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders take off at the start of the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Nathan Colavolpe of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's club cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Toby Hassett of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Sam Brown of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's club cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's club cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Ruth Holcomb of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate MTB Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Natalie Quinn of Fort Lewis College takes off at the start of the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Liz Wallentine cheers on Fort Lewis College riders during the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michaela Thompson of Fort Lewis College crosses the finish line for third place in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Natalie Quinn of Fort Lewis College rides up the fly over during the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michaela Thompson of Fort Lewis College placed second in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michaela Thompson of Fort Lewis College placed second in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Fort Lewis College cycling head coach Dave Hagen congratulates one of his riders in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Madelyn Roberson of Fort Lewis College competes in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Liz Wallentine cheers on Fort Lewis College riders during the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A Fort Lewis College rider makes his way up the fly over while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Guy Leshem of Fort Lewis College placed fourth in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Natalie Quinn of Fort Lewis College sprints to the finish line for third place in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Fort Lewis College riders Michaela Thompson, right, placed second, Natalie Quinn, center, placed third, and Ruth Holcomb, placed seventh, in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Ruth Holcomb of Fort Lewis College talks with her coaches Dave Hagen, left, and Chad Cheeney after placing seventh in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships women's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders had to deal with a lot of mud on the trail while competing in the USA Cycling Collegiate MTB Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Riders compete in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships men's varsity cross-country race Friday at Purgatory Resort. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to our policies
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
