The Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda returns on Saturday, August 10th with the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik.
The renowned Colorado event, also known as the Race Across the Sky, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The race starts and finishes in the heart of Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America at 10,152 feet, and amasses 12,480 feet of elevation over 100 grueling miles
For the first time ever at Leadville, the elite men’s and women’s races have separate start times. The elite men will get going at 6:15am with the women commencing at 6:20am. The first amateur riders will then start 12 and a half minutes after the elite women, creating additional separation between the two fields.
Lachlan Morton, Hannah Otto, Payson McElveen, Haley Smith and Michelle Duffy all speak ahead of the 2024 edition
With just over a week to go until the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik on Saturday, August 10th, star riders Lachlan Morton, Hannah Otto, Payson McElveen and Haley Smith have all shared their thoughts along with Michelle Duffy, Senior Director at Life Time Events:
Payson McElveen (United States) said:
Winning the Leadville Stage Race last weekend hasn’t changed my confidence too much, if anything, it was a reminder of just how unbelievably hard the 100-mile course is, and it put a good dose of respect back in my mind. It was good to get back out there, and good preparation.
“Leadville is always a very honest race and I know it’s going to be a battle. The field is so strong and there’s probably 20 riders in the men’s field who could be in the top seven or eight.
Lachlan Morton (Australia) said:
I’m definitely excited for Leadville. It’s always a really interesting race, unique in lots of different ways, and you usually end up where you should be at the end of it. I’m excited to get there and give it another crack. It’s a race that draws you back year after year because there’s always something you can improve on.
“As for UNBOUND, it was really nice to win it, but my life hasn’t changed that much off the back of it, which I’m really happy about.
Hannah Otto (United States)
Leadville is my favorite race in the Life Time Grand Prix, so just by the nature of loving it, it makes me more motivated to prepare for it. I would love to be on the podium this year, but I think in every Life Time Grand Prix race we’ve had this season, we’ve seen the fastest times ever in the women’s field, and I think it will be the same at Leadville.
“This has been the longest time I’ve had at home since 2020 in preparation for the race, which has been really nice.
“I’m lucky enough that I live in Salt Lake City, so I’m at altitude and have access to a lot of elevation, but no matter what approach you take, very few people are used to racing at over 10,000 feet. You need to understand it’s going to be uncomfortable, and it’s more about you adapt to that situation which counts.
Haley Smith (Canada) said:
I’ve had a suboptimal preparation as I’ve been dealing with some health issues since April. I’ve spent a lot of time in and out of doctors’ offices trying to figure out what’s wrong, so I feel like I’m going into the unknown next Saturday, but I guess at a race like Leadville, everyone’s going into the unknown. That’s why this race is so engaging, so invigorating, and that’s why we do it.
“Like the men’s field, there are probably 20 women who can be contenders, which is really exciting, but also terrifying.
“That’s probably why I don’t spend much time thinking about my competition, as it doesn’t change what I have to do. I think it will be a very dynamic and highly competitive race.
Michelle Duffy said: “For the first time, we’ve got separate start times for Leadville [6:15am for the men, and 6:20am for the women], which we are really excited about, and the early, technical paved descent, should create that early separation between the two fields.
“We’ve also taken out the pavement section at the bottom of Power Line and added an off-road trail called Outward Bound that has been on the Leadville Trail 100 Run course for years. That pavement section was historically a very tactical part of the route where pace lines and groups would form, so by removing it and replacing it with rougher terrain, we should open up some new scenarios.
“In terms of the overall competition, the unfortunate cancellation of Crusher in the Tushar in July means the Life Time Grand Prix is now following a best four out of six format, allowing athletes to count their top four performances out of the six scheduled events. This has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the riders, so we’re very appreciative of that, and we’re looking forward to seeing the Life Time Grand Prix back in action.”
Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik
The Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik – also known as the Race Across the Sky – is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The race starts and finishes in the heart of Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America at 10,152 feet, and amasses 12,480 feet of elevation over 100 grueling miles.
Extended highlights will be available within 48 hours of the race finishing on the official Life Time Grand Prix YouTube channel. You can also watch extended highlights from the opening two rounds of the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix, and recaps of the last two editions of Leadville, now.
In addition to the pros, hundreds of amateurs will tackle the Leadville Trail 100 MTB, testing themselves against the world’s best riders to earn a coveted Leadville silver or gold belt buckle. Complementing the race is the free, outdoor and open-to-the-public Race Across the Sky Expo taking place on Thursday and Friday, 8-9 August, in downtown Leadville with a wide variety of vendors showcasing the latest and greatest cycling products whilst also providing a taste of that Cloud City magic. From free swag and product demos to live podcasts and beer tents, the Expo offers the perfect complement to the action.
