Castle Rock – Looking like a 6-year-old Lance Armstrong, Lars Rehner came charging across the makeshift finish line ahead of the field Sunday. But there was no first-place trophy for the Fort Collins native, just the satisfaction of a race well done.
That’s the way organizers of the 18th Elephant Rock cycling ride like it.
“There are no winners and losers here,” said Scot Harris, the founder of the annual cycling event. “It’s just a great springtime ride for people who want to participate. Actually, the youngest and last riders of the day get a free meal from us. That’s their prize.”
Rehner, who finished first in a quarter-mile race for children, was among an estimated 7,000 cyclists who participated in rides of various lengths – the longest being 100 miles. When Harris started the first Elephant Rock ride in 1988, he said there were 1,200 riders.
“We’ve noticed more and more people doing road course (cycling),” Harris said. “The other thing we’ve noticed is a demographics thing. We’re seeing a huge number of 30- to 60-year- old riders. People who used to be runners, maybe they’ve got some knee or foot problems now. Cycling is a nice alternative for them.”
Rehner, who likes to rock climb and play soccer as well as cycle, had his mother compete in the 100-mile “century” ride. His father, Jeff, kept tabs on both, showing a hint of fatherly pride at his son’s accomplishment.
“I wish his mother was here to see this,” he said.
Hokan Bergstrand, 36, of Boulder, finished his 100-mile ride in what he said was 4 hours, 45 minutes. A native of Norrkping, Sweden, Bergstrand moved to Boulder three years ago from New York, where he worked on Wall Street.
“It was to improve my lifestyle,” said Bergstrand, who is self-employed now. “I enjoy the outdoors, and it’s hard to beat Colorado for that.”
Although Bergstrand doesn’t consider himself a serious cyclist, he is training for an Ironman competition he hopes to enter in Hawaii later this year.
“I actually went for a little run after the bike ride,” Bergstrand said. “This is a nice ride out here, exactly why I came here. It’s a pretty hilly course, though. But pretty.”
Harris said Elephant Rock is a popular event for cyclists because the competitive season is just getting started.
“You’ll start seeing cyclists everywhere now,” he said.
Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
