Tour Divide

23/06/2018

Bienvenidos a Mexico, Lewis Ciddor, age 28 from Melbourne, Australia, first hard man from the Tour Divide 2018 Grand Depart to reach Antelope Wells in 15 days 2 hours. This was just a couple hours behind last year's (also Rookie) fastest time. The elite riders sure do seem to be coming super prepared for the task these days! Lewis is at ease now chilling with Jeffery Sharp at his rancho para bicicletas in Hachita; (SouthWest Trailhead Hand / Bike Ranch). Enjoy the cervezas, Lewis!

03/07/2017

TD would like to give a warm, 100deg Fahrenheit welcome to Markéta Peggy Marvanová of Prague, Czech Republic, the first Woman from the 2017 grand depart to reach the MX border. Aged just 22 years and already a two-time veteran of Tour Divide; Peggy must be an old soul! She finished a very tough edition of TD in 22 days 18hrs. Blahopřejeme!

24/06/2017

This morning, 14 days 23 hours and 45min after leaving Banff, Alberta, Canada, Brian Lucido, age 41, from Atascadero, California, became the first hard man from the 2017 Tour Divide to reach the Mexico border. Brian overcame epic-weather, snowpack, and fire detours to win the 10th edition of TD...and as a rookie, no less. ¡Felicidades, Señor Lucido!

02/07/2016

Jackie Bernardi, of Melbourne, Australia is the first female to reach Antelope Wells from the TD Grand Depart in just under 20 days. We say, good on ya, Jackie, welcome to MX, and look forward to her 2nd TD run in a future edition, as she experienced mechanicals early on that cost her at least 24-36hrs overall. Enjoy the rest, Jackie.

27/06/2016

Rounding out the TD`16 men's podium in a gentlemen's tie were Kevin Jacobsen (MT, USA), and first ever Frenchman on the podium, Sofiane Sehili, a 34yr old bike messenger born and raised in Paris, France. Sofiane can proudly wear the white jersey as this year's top Rookie. Oh, and the duo strolled into AW in a leisurely 16 days, which not too many editions ago was an overall course record. Felicitations, gents!

26/06/2016

Yesterday afternoon in Antelope Wells, Chris Plesko, 2nd overall, smashed his own 7-year Tour Divide Single Speed record in a blazing ~15 days 8hrs. Congrats to his awesome Denver, CO posse. Behind every successful Divide racer is a loving support system. It takes a village!

24/06/2016

At sunrise on the 14th day, the Trail Gods created a new TD record holder named Mike Hall from the UK; part human, part beast. His ride time in ~13 days 22 hours 50min should stand for quite some time. Pictured at the finish below, Mike giggles, eyelids half-mast, wearing charcoal stealth black kit, singed upon re-entry to 'our' atmosphere. Chapeau, Sir Mike!

11/06/2016

Welcome back to another interesting edition of the Tour Divide. The 2016 engagement is well under way. Past champ, Mike Hall was first to the US border this morn in under 24hrs. He's into his hot cakes at Eureka's Cafe Jax now. As always, the best part of riding TD is Folgers in your cup.

25/08/2015

This is not a double-post! Alaska-grown Lael Wilcox, who set a new TD women's record just 7 weeks ago in the June Grand Depart, remarkably just finished a 2nd, true ITT run, smashing her own course record by 36hrs (gulp!). The new, pretty untouchable TD women's bar now sits at 15 days 11hrs. We are flummoxed and declare Lael the undisputed winner of this year's Presidential physical fitness award. Maybe by Winter Solstice she can give us a nice trip report here: https://laelsglobe.wordpress.com/

29/06/2015

Lael Wilcox from Anchorage, AK, is the first woman, and only the 6th rider overall to reach Antelope Wells from the grand depart. She rolled into the border in just over 17 days, shaving 2 days off the fastest ever Women's TD time. We are so impressed! We await a podium pic, and an official time, but something tells us she won't look much different than she did in this pic on day two, fun meter pegged. Felicidades Lael!

27/06/2015

At ease, Gents. The TD`15 Men's podium, gun belts off, Cerveza Tecate México nearby: (center) Josh Kato, posting a new course record w/ panache 14days 11hours 40min. To his left, previous record holder / most combative `15 rider, Jay Petervary clocked out a scant 20 min later; on right, 20min after Jay, Crested Butte, CO rookie sensation Neil Beltchenko pedaled in. Felicidades Hombres! Thanks Mitchell Clinton Photography & Mountain Flyer Magazine for the portrait.

27/06/2015

Wow, a shocker at this hour. 3rd placed rider, 'Comeback Kato', from Cashmere, Washington rounds the 5mi to go bend as race leader! Plenty of time to zip up the jersey and celebrate. His audacious attack with 125mi to go sends shockwaves thru the bikepacking ultra scene

26/06/2015

The final time trial across NM's Separ Desert has arrived for three TD hard men left standing at the front. Amazing 11th hour catch from behind by Josh Kato. Bottomless resolve from Neil Beltchenko to close gaps all race, and veteran poise from pacemaker Jay Petervary. 100 miles for these Continentalists to manifest destiny.

17/06/2015

Hard men of the Divide at this hour, clocking in for the Centennial Valley night shift. Top 6 separated by only 60 miles, and gaps holding. 4 Americans, 2 international. Jay Petervary isolated himself from breakaway companion Beltchenko on the Medicine Lodge Divide mudscape this eve. They both left Lima's Jan's Cafe in the last hour for some postprandial pedaling.

16/06/2015

2015 Tour Divide in full swing / saddles blazing. Race leaders Neil & Jay reach end of stage 1, Butte, MT; covering 750miles in 3.5days (on record pace). Women's race leader, Lael Wilcox is 200miles back in Ovando, fighting to stay on Eszter Horanyi's 2012 record pace.

06/07/2014

In 2011 TD watched Jefe Branham come within hours of an overall win on a Singlespeed, but this edition it actually happened in the Women's division. Amazing! We're proud to present the podium image of 39-year old Bend, Oregonian, Alice Drobna standing in AW triumph. Trabajo bien hecho, Alice! Elapsed time unofficially 22days 6hrs 36min on her Moots 32/19 ratio, which happens to be a new singlespeed course record as well.

04/07/2014

And last tonight, but not least, indeed, first of the Northbound grand depart riders, we tip our helmets to Big Dave Wilson representing El Paso, TX. He wrapped up his TD this eve in Banff NP with what appears to be a double salute to both the trail and the beer gods. Nice riding Dave, Top 10 overall.

04/07/2014

And, second tonight, placing third overall, is the first Tandem to race Tour Divide since 2009. Captained by Katie Newbury and stoked by Sam Newbury, of Durango, CO, these guys appear to have run a really smart race. Chapeau Team Newbury! Time unofficially 19days:07hrs:38min

04/07/2014

More props thru pics tonight. First, Congrats to TD14 runner-up, Calvin Decker, from Mendon, Vermont. Decker signed off in 18days 5hours. He also dons the white jersey for top-placed rookie. Calvin is just 21years young. We think he'll be back racing TD in the future.

30/06/2014

Alas, a podium shot from the 2014 Men's TD Champ. Sounds like he's safely back in CO. Congrats, Jefe Branham!

30/06/2014

Jefe sounds remarkably lucid in signing off following his 16day, 2hr cruise from Banff To MX. Extremely well done, Jefe, emphasis on extreme.

Jefe Branham called in with his finish call. He’s spent but happy he is done!

29/06/2014

Men's Leader Jefe Branham resupplies for the last time in bohemian Silver City, New Mexico tonight. Looks like he'll go under 16days to the border, which is a stellar time for the weather he saw in the top half of the route. The final leg (aka the lonely hwy) is all about one's thoughts and taking stock. Enjoy Jefe!

22/06/2014

Night of day 8, Sobo / Nobo race leaders Jefe Branham & Dave Wilson lace up the golden spoke at northern Colorado's Brush Mountain Lodge and Outpost 150mi south of the true halfway point on the route. Hard to believe with all the weather Sobos encountered in the first week it's barely halfway done. Way better physical and mental sensations lie ahead!

14/06/2014

Morning of Day 2, or shall we say, 24hrs into Stage 1, because race leader Jefe Branham hasn't been to sleep yet (rather, hasn't stopped riding) as he ascends the final pass in CA approaching the US border. Looks like he'll scan his passport just behind Mike Hall's pace from 2013. Meanwhile, the pack is spread across 175mi of trail in CA. Women's leader appears to be Sarah Caylor, sitting top 15 overall as she enters the scenic Flathead this morn. http://vimeo.com/61579554

A quick 2 minute video about why it is so important to keep the Flathead Wild