Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM) is on the verge of securing a 3rd total title within the Life Time Grand Prix offered by Mazda off-road collection, which he can seal with a victory Saturday at The Rad Grime Fest in Trinidad, Colorado. However there are 113 miles throughout 10,613 ft of climbing that the US rider has not seen earlier than, and a stable males’s discipline attempting to increase the battle for a share in a $300,000 prize purse to late October at Huge Sugar Gravel.
“It is my first time in Trinidad. It is form of an identical vibe to Steamboat [SBT GRVL], however extra turns and fewer lengthy straightaways, with some punchier climbs close to the tip. It is a good change from the Midwest gravel we have executed the final bit,” the three-time SBT GRVL winner mentioned after a pre-ride on the course Thursday.
“I believe the race will blow up a good bit. It could be a giant group for the primary half, then I believe it would slowly turn into a smaller bunch. It positively will not be a dash end like the previous few races. There’s a few brief, steep climbs in the previous few kilometres, so it could possibly be teams of 1 and two on the end.”
A packed late-summer schedule saved Swenson away from the southern Colorado race the previous two years. In 2022 he was a late addition to Crew USA for the UCI Highway World Championships and headed to Australia, the place he was the second-best positioned US males’s rider within the street race behind Neilson Powless. In 2023 he traveled to Italy to compete on the UCI Gravel World Championships, the place he was the highest US rider in sixth total.
Regardless of lacking The Rad Grime Fest, he nonetheless gained the Life Time Grand Prix total each years. Not a lot ought to change this 12 months, once more.
“It has been an identical season to final 12 months when it comes to the calendar. It has been enjoyable to have a pair new occasions, Valley of Tears was an awesome race. Leadville was good. It was enjoyable to return there and defend that title, attempt to go quick,” he mentioned with a small snort. “From Steamboat to Gravel Nats and Chequamegon and now we’re right here. Simply have a pleasant, constant journey right here and fewer stress at Huge Sugar.”
Whereas Swenson dominated the vast majority of races he entered this season, together with Leadville for a fourth time, however he didn’t repeat because the US nationwide champion, Brennan Wertz (Mosiac Cycles) taking the stars-and-stripes jersey away. Wertz is headed to the Gravel World Championships subsequent week, and Swenson mentioned he’d attempt to watch the printed of the race, having declined a wildcard invitation to make the trek to Belgium between Grand Prix occasions.
“I have not appeared firstly record. I do know there is a handful of WorldTour guys racing and a bunch of the gravel guys. If it is out there within the US I am going to attempt to watch it, see the way it performs out. It appears very comparable [the course] to a one-day Belgian Basic.”
The previous US gravel nationwide champion presently leads a 29-rider discipline within the Life Time Grand Prix standings by sweeping the three various kinds of mountain bike occasions on the calendar – Fuego XL 100K MTB at Sea Otter Basic, Leadville Path 100 MTB and Chequamegon MTB Pageant.
Swenson hopes to coast throughout the white rocks of northern Arkansas on the sixth and last occasion for a $30,000 first-place examine, the winner’s share in a $300,000 prize purse, break up evenly amongst women and men. However earlier than then, McElveen is among the prime contenders who desires a win at The Rad too.
“Technically, Keegan does not have it locked up, which is why he has to go to Trinidad. There’s 20 guys who may nonetheless end within the prime three [of the Grand Prix]. It is nonetheless very thrilling,” assessed Payson McElveen (Allied Cycle Works-Pink Bull), who’s third total within the standings.
“The factors are getting fascinating. My ambitions for this race modified after Chequamegon, as a result of sadly I picked up COVID proper after the race, attempting to get well being. I am in an awesome spot to complete second total, however have to play some protection.”
The Rad Grime Fest will separate elite fields by 5 minutes firstly for the primary time. A stacked males’s discipline with Swenson, McElveen, defending champion Alexey Vermeulen (Issue-ENVE), and Cole Paton (Big) hit the hills within the distant and rugged Spanish Peaks at 9:00 MDT.
The ladies’s discipline is anticipated to incorporate former Rad winner Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue /The Feed/Maxxis/Castelli/PERC) and the highest two riders vying for the Grand Prix lead, Sofia Gomez Villafañe (Specialised) and Paige Onweller (Trek Driftless).
“The Rad may be very a lot a pure gravel occasion. It is also plenty of pedaling, there’s not plenty of sitting in even on the descending. So I believe pure energy and having the ability to climb properly goes to be essential. Moreover, the course is at altitude; it is a bit sneaky. So athletes have to deal with altitude fairly properly and tempo their efforts accordingly,” Onweller mentioned in regards to the course.
“Moreover, that is the primary 12 months that we’ve had a separate girls’s begin on the Rad, final 12 months was blended. And so I do really feel like we could have bigger teams of girls up till important factors, with a mixture for the race to be extra dynamic.”
There isn’t any reside streaming, however race protection can be supplied on Life Time Grand Prix social channels.
