The 2024 Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda is now just a day away with the opening race of the Series – the Fuego XL 100k – taking place at the Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental on Friday, April 19.
Now in its third year, the Life Time Grand Prix is being taken to another level in 2024 with 60 of the world’s best off-road athletes set to compete for a record $300,000 prize purse, which will be split equally among the male and female riders.
Competitors from nine countries will be in attendance – two more than 2023 – with 12 athletes from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, New Zealand, South Africa, Uganda and the United Kingdom joining a US elite contingent that is 48-strong. Sixteen riders (seven men and nine women) will also compete for the very first time.
Fuego XL 100k Field of athletes is stronger and more international
Ahead of the Series, we’ve outlined some of the riders who we expect to animate the 2024 campaign:
Women:
Alexis Skarda (United States)
An uber-consistent rider, Skarda earned no-less than four Life Time Grand Prix podiums last season (at the Sea Otter Classic, Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Chequamegon MTB Festival and The Rad Dirt Fest), eventually finishing just six points behind Sofia Gomez Villafane in second place overall. It’s highly likely the two-time US National MTB Champion will be right up there again at the top of the standings
Haley Smith (Canada)
Smith’s name will be forever etched in history as the first-ever winner of the women’s Life Time Grand Prix. Her triumph at the 2022 Crusher in the Tushar played a huge part in achieving that success, and she backed up her overall victory with a third-placed finish last season. The 30-year-old Canadian has also enjoyed a fine start to the season, claiming second at the Belgian Waffle Ride and then sprinting to fourth place in last month’s Mid South Gravel.
Peta Mullens (Australia)
A new face for the 2024 Series, Mullens is one of the most decorated riders on the startlist having claimed an incredible 12 national road, track, MTB and cyclo-cross titles in her native Australia. The 36 year old claims the Life Time Grand Prix challenge will “surpass anything I’ve ever done before” and is looking forward to “an amazing journey and life experience”.
“Whilst the gravel scene is quite new in Australia, I’ve been racing criteriums in the US for eight years now. I’ve followed the growth of the Life Time Grand Prix closely because I’ve always been curious about the off-road racing scene here. Last year three Australians came over for the Series and it’s reputation is really gaining traction back home. I’ve been researching the riders on this year’s roster and studying the courses in a lot of detail, so now I’m really looking forward to getting out there and competing for real.”
Samara Sheppard (New Zealand)
The sole New Zealander on the 2024 lineup, Sheppard is another debutant aiming to impress. The 33 year old began her athletic career as a runner but since switching to cycling she’s notched up multiple New Zealand and Oceania titles as well as a victory on the UCI World Cup. Third place at last month’s Cape Epic alongside Sofia Gomez Villafane also means she should be in fine form for the Fuego XL 100k.
Sofía Gómez Villafañe (Argentina)
After missing out on the 2022 title by just four points, Villafañe proved unstoppable during the opening four rounds of the 2023 Series, claiming victory at the Sea Otter Classic, Crusher in the Tushar and the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. All eyes will be on the Argentine again as she battles to regain her place at the top of the standings, especially having recently wrapped up third place at Cape Epic with Samara Sheppard.
Men:
Alexey Vermeulen (United States)
The 29 year old from Boulder, Colorado, has finished runner up in the last two Series and will be aiming to make it to the top step this time around. Vermeulen ended last season on a high, winning both the Chequamegon MTB Festival and Rad Dirt Fest before taking second at Big Sugar Gravel, and his all-round abilities make him a force to be reckoned with.
“I love the Sea Otter Classic and this year I’ve been able to train more specifically for this event. Mountain biking’s not my forte but there’s enough climbing on this course that I think I can surprise people. I’m not doing UNBOUND Gravel this year as my brother is getting married, so it’s going to be more difficult for me to make a mark on the overall standings, especially as that was one of the races where I think I’d have been in contention. I’m going to take things one race at a time and hope to build on my four podium finishes from last season.”
Cole Paton (United States)
Paton ended the 2023 Life Time Grand Prix with no-less than five top-five finishes, making it onto the podium on three separate occasions. A victory in the Series has so far eluded the 26 year old from Durango, Colorado, but he’ll be looking to end that run in 2024 and will be sporting the iconic stars and stripes having won the Marathon Mountain Bike Marathon National Championship last September.
Keegan Swenson (United States)
The 30 year old from Park City, Utah, is attempting to achieve a hat-trick of successes this season after dominating the first two years. In both 2022 and 2023 Swenson won the first four Life Time Grand Prix events (Sea Otter Classic, UNBOUND Gravel, Crusher in the Tushar and Leadville Trail 100 MTB) and will be the man to beat again this time around.
Matthew Beers (South Africa)
The 30 year old earned himself a top-three finish at Crusher in the Tushar last season before claiming his first South African Gravel Championships title. Earlier this year, Beers also wrapped up his third Cape Epic title in the space of four years alongside fellow Life Time Grand Prix competitor Howard Grotts. If he can avoid bad luck, we expect him to be right in contention in 2024.
Petr Vakoč (Czech Republic)
Arguably the highest-profile newcomer this season, Vakoč impressed by crossing the line in second at the 2023 UNBOUND Gravel (not competing in the Life Time Grand Prix) and also claimed two UCI World Series victories. The two-time Tour de France finisher has one of the field’s biggest engines and his racecraft should mean he’s battling for wins again this season.
“It’s great to be here at the Sea Otter Classic. I’m really looking forward to seeing the festival and am stoked to be part of the Life Time Grand Prix. Other than this weekend, the race I’m most looking forward to this season is the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Last year it was a super painful race but also an amazing experience, and the vibe of the race was really cool. Once I passed the finish line I was already looking forward to doing it again this year.”
New for 2024:
Kimo Seymour (Life Time Senior Vice President and President Media & Events)
“We’ve made some exciting changes for the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix. We’ve reduced the field to 30 male and 30 female riders, which will make the events more competitive, introduced separate start times, and also increased the prize purse to $300,000.
“Although there are a number of fantastic races across the US, we believe this is the only Series that creates a viable opportunity for riders who are trying to make a career out of off-road cycling.
“Looking at the Fuego XL 100k, a fast start is going to be essential as I think the fields will separate quickly, and from turn five onwards it’s going to be fast. At the finish as well, the Lookout Ridge climb is also going to prove pivotal. It’s super rutted on account of the recent rains, and it’ll provide the riders with their last opportunity to make a break for victory.”
The Fuego XL 100k marks the first of seven iconic MTB and gravel events across the US which make up the Grand Prix. Sixty of the world’s best off-road endurance cyclists (30 men and 30 women) have been selected to battle it out for a record $300,000 prize purse, which will be split equally among the male and female athletes.I’m really looking forward to the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix.
- A revised scoring system, which will increase the points difference between the top six finishers of each race from one to two (i.e. the first place finisher will receive 35 points, second place 33, third place 31 points, and so on). This means there is even more to fight for at the very top of the standings.
- The elite men and women will have separate start times at all seven events, making each race more competitive and easier to follow.
- The first-ever Life Time Grand Prix Fantasy League has been introduced.
Impressive line-up of world-class talent:
- Keegan Swenson will attempt to achieve a hat-trick of successes in a packed men’s lineup that also includes 2023 Chequamegon MTB Festival and Rad Dirt Fest winner, Alexey Vermeulen. Joining that duo are a host of other formidable pros, including Russell Finsterwald, Cole Paton and former UCI WorldTour riders, Alex Howes and Lachlan Morton. Click for the full men’s field.
- Reigning Fuego XL 100k and overall series champion, Sofia Gomez Villafane, is part of an outstanding women’s roster that includes 2023 Red Dirt Fest winner, Lauren De Crescenzo, 2022 series champion, Haley Smith, and 2023 series runner up, Alexis Skarda. Click for the full women’s field.
- Competitors from nine countries will be in attendance – two more than 2023 – with 12 athletes from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, New Zealand, South Africa, Uganda and the United Kingdom joining a US elite contingent that is 48-strong.
- Sixteen riders (seven men and nine women) will also compete for the very first time, including two-time Tour de France finisher, Petr Vakoč, 2023 Gravel Worlds runner-up, Chase Wark, and Ugandan up-and-comer, Jordan Schleck. New faces on the women’s roster include multiple New Zealand and Oceania MTB champion, Samara Sheppard, one-time USA ski star, Cecily Decker, and former Australian road, MTB and cyclo-cross champion, Peta Mullens.
Who will be crowned 2024 champions?
- – To be eligible for the overall Life Time Grand Prix title, riders must start at least five of the seven events and compete at the season-concluding Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda, which also will serve as a points tiebreaker if necessary. Athletes who choose to start every Series event may drop their two lowest scoring rounds as winners are determined by the five best finishes in the overall standings.
- – 2023 male and female riders who finished in the top 15 overall were invited back for 2024 and additional riders were selected based on race resumes and past performances.
- – Prize money will be awarded to the top 10 highest-scoring riders over the course of the series.
- – While 60 riders have been selected to take part in the Series, other amateur and elite riders may compete alongside them during each individual race.
Photos courtesy Life Time
