Local riders attack Breckenridge bike race

Sampey takes 100-mile title

This may have been the most prolific weekend for local bike riders on the endurance-racing scene. In addition to success at the Leadville Silver Rush 50 and the Crested Butte Classic group ride, a handful of Gunnison Valley riders jumped into the Breckenridge fray on Saturday, July 12 coming home with some hardware.
The women led the charge in the 100-mile race as Heights Performance/Team Griggs Orthopedics (Team GO) rider Liz Sampey won the women’s 100-mile title with Team GO athlete Amy Nolan joining her on the podium in second place.
Scott Leonard carried the Mountain Flyer Magazine colors to a second place finish in the men’s 100-mile race with Team GO rider Stewart Gross placing fourth and Team GO powerhouse Bryan Dillon won the men’s Breck-68 title.
Sampey’s win was especially sweet. In October of last year, Sampey suffered serious shoulder injury in a crash during a race leaving her on the long road to recovery. With the 2014 race season approaching, Sampey laid out a schedule with the Breck 100 as her ultimate goal.
She opened the season with an admittedly shaky start at the Whiskey 50 in April.
“That first race I was terrified and it showed,” says Sampey. “I basically forgot how to ride a bike.”
Yet, as time wore on and Sampey continued her racing season, things started to fall back into place for her. She finished fourth at the original Growler 64-mile race and then placed fifth at the Firecracker 50 gaining steam as she prepared for the Breck-100.
“I knew I was getting better and better, more confident in my riding, more confident in my descending,” says Sampey. “I felt like I was ready.”
The Breck-100 is laid out in a series of three loops with the first loop including a climb up and over Wheeler Pass. Wheeler Pass sits at 12,500 feet and thanks to a copious winter season, still had snow, forcing riders off their bikes for some hike-a-bike snow traversing.
“There were three significant snow fields we had to hike through,” says Sampey. “The last one was fairly steep and kept pulling my bike downhill. It was early in the day so it was still pretty slick and I had to kick steps in. I’m used to hiking through snow on skis with skins on, not in cleats.”
Following that, recent rains made for a slick and steep descent off the back side of Wheeler Pass but Sampey kept the “rubber side down” and rolled into the start/finish area after lap one with a five-minute lead.
Lap two includes a section of the Colorado Trail and while Sampey’s race was proceeding smoothly, it was not without some pain.
“The Colorado Trail climb on the second lap was steep and I almost cracked,” admits Sampey.
Fortunately, Sampey also has a tendency to gain speed and strength on longer races and after a phenomenal downhill on the second lap, she was back in her comfort zone.
“I love 100 milers. It’s my favorite distance to ride,” says Sampey. “I tend to get warmed up after three hours and I came in after the second lap feeling really strong.”
Thanks to a Team GO support crew including ultra-endurance rider/bike mechanic Jefe Branham, Sampey was able to get in and out of the final transition in two minutes with a clean chain and a fixed brake rotor and charge back out onto the third and final loop.
In addition, a friend who was racing in the 68-mile race joined Sampey on the final lap and the two worked together through the final stretch of the race as Sampey cruised to the title in a time of 10 hours, 54 minutes and 55 seconds.
“I rode with teammate Eszter and we pushed each other,” explains Sampey. “The last 30 miles of a 100-mile race can be tough and it was good to have a teammate there.”
With her main goal of the season reached, Sampey looks to carry her momentum into the Breck Epic, a six-day stage race in Breckenridge August 10-15.
“It’s all high altitude with lots of hike-a-biking so I’m going to do some trail running to train,” says Sampey. “I wouldn’t say I’m 100-percent but it feels good to be getting back on top.”