The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Takes B-68 title
It came down to the final turn to the finish line. After 71 miles of riding, complete with 18,500 feet of vertical gain, Team Griggs Orthopedics (Team GO) rider Bryan Dillon took the inside line on the last turn to the finish line to take the B-68 mountain bike race title by one second, with a time of five hours, 22 minutes and one second.
Dillon led the charge of an impressive showing from Team GO in Breckenridge on Sunday, July 14. While Dillon took the B-68 overall title, teammate Brian Smith was close behind, finishing in fourth place; Zach Guy placed sixth and Dave Ochs took 13th place. Rising Team GO young gun Josh Gallen posted a time of six hours, 11 minutes and 45 seconds in the B-68 to win the 19-29 year old age group.
Stewart Gross was the lone local to tackle the 100-mile option, placing seventh with a time of nine hours, 34 minutes and seven seconds.
Dillon has had a stellar season on the endurance racing circuit. After taking the Fat Tire 40 title three weeks ago, he headed to Sun Valley the very next weekend to compete in the Marathon National Championships and placed ninth.
“That was a good race,” says Dillon. “Those are some of the fastest guys from around the country—the best race I’ve ever had against a field like that.”
Back-to-back 40-milers can take its toll though, so when he lined up for the B-68 bike race in Breckenridge on Sunday, July 14, expectations were mixed.
“You never know how you’re going to feel until you start racing,” says Dillon. “There wasn’t any pressure because if I didn’t do well, I would know why and if I did do well, I would be psyched.”
Dillon followed the same strategy that has worked all season so far—stay conservative at the start while keeping the leaders in sight and maintain a steady pace the whole way through. Though, it’s not as easy as it sounds.
“I try to keep the same pace the rest of the day but it can be a challenge at mile 40 or 50,” says Dillon.
He let teammate Brian Smith and another rider go off the front and remained with a sizeable group on the initial climb of the first of two loops and by the time he finished the first big descent, Dillon had pulled into second place.
Dillon remained in second as he headed out for the second loop, with first place within striking distance. By the time he climbed to the top of Boreas Pass at 11,400 feet, the leader was in his crosshairs and Dillon reeled him in on the descent before they turned back to return to the top of Boreas Pass.
Then the rains came and the two riders remained together through the second climb up to Boreas Pass and back down the other side, holding off a brief challenge from the rider in third place.
While talk was limited, the two riders were cognizant of the situation, with neither one looking to shift gears and put the hurt on the other.
“There’s a mutual understanding that you’re both in pain,” says Dillon. “It helps to have someone there with you, pushing each other. It keeps you a little more focused then if you’re out there alone.”
The race finished in Breckenridge on pavement and as they made the final right-hand turn towards the finish line, Dillon saw a window.
“He kind of blew the corner and went a little wide,” says Dillon. “I took an inside line, and put the hammer down as much as I could.”
It’s now time for Dillon to rest and recuperate, at least for the next couple of days, before he turns his attention and training to the Leadville 100 mountain bike race on Saturday, August 10.
“Leadville’s a big one—there will be a lot of strong riders there,” says Dillon. “I’d like to do well. A lot can go wrong in 100 miles, but a lot can go right.”
