Think of it as the longest Fourth of July parade in Colorado. Maybe even the bicycle parade national championships. Or you could call it by its real name: the Firecracker 50.
Now in its eighth year, the Firecracker 50 mountain bike race will mark the start of Breckenridge’s Independence Day parade. And for the second year in a row, it will crown the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Marathon national champion.
Established by local riders Jeff Wescott and Mike McCormack, the “50” has grown into Breck’s big-time biking event.
“The marathon discipline has gained popularity over the years, and I have always admired the athletes for their toughness,” said Durango’s Shonny Vanlandingham, 2007 Mountain Bike Marathon national champion and member of the Luna Chix race team.
“A four- to five-hour race can be as much a mental challenge as a physical challenge.”
While open-category winners in Friday’s race will don the jersey of national champions, other race categories are available from junior and beginner to sport and expert, where participants can enter as a two-person relay team.
“The course was one of the best I’ve raced, with super fun singletrack and challenging climbs,” Vanlandingham said.
The race begins at 11 a.m., with a course taking riders on two 25-mile loops with a total of 10,800 feet of climbing on backcountry singletrack and narrow-gauge railroad grade beginning and ending above 9,500 feet.
For registration information and and more details on the event, go to .
