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Sippy calls Sunday a success

It seemed as if the sky would open up at any moment and pour as it did during much of week leading up to Durango’s famed cycling event, a production that so many invest in and so many depend on.

But for this year’s Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, a window opened up, and stayed open, and oh how sweet it was.

For most of the weekend, blocks of Durango’s downtown business district were packed, especially around Seventh and Ninth avenues, the epicenter of the daily events. Eateries and shops overflowed as crowds at times filled sidewalks so full it was hard to move.

A slew of events, kids races, road criteriums, cross country racing, the cruiser crit, all initiated and terminated smack downtown, and word on the street is the whole weekend was a smash hit.

Gaige Sippy, Iron Horse race director, finding a still moment late Sunday afternoon, said he couldn’t be happier with the way things played out.

“It went excellent,” he said at the cruiser crit –a comic relief as a full house of cards pedaled by on a bicycle built for five. “Very well done. Everyone was in good spirits, less injuries. It was wonderful for everybody.”

A fuzzy rabbit chased a giant carrot around the crit, as well.

Local businesses enjoyed a catapult into summer’s selling season, too. At Mountain Bike Specialists, the floor buzzed with visitors, and John Glover said that was vital.

“It’s really a kickoff for the entire season,” he said. “Most of these people are from out of town, and they’re getting introduced to Durango and to us. It’s a time to be able to stroll the sidewalks and show people how unique and interesting Durango is.”

Excited to race in the cross country event, Jayson Robertson and Brain Kleinman were here from Prescott, Arizona. But they didn’t come alone, they both brought their entire families.

“This is the main draw, but we’re doing a little family vacation,” Kleinman said. A dentist, he said his family is staying at Purgatory and then camping.

“We always wanted to get back to Durango and ride more, so we might stick around a few more days.”

Robertson, a pharmacist, agreed.

It was a common story.

At Grassburger, after two group rides into the Animas Valley, Ed Kileen, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Jessie, called the IHBC one of the best things for Durango’s economy.

“There’s nothing but people walking around downtown,” he said. “So to me, that says it all.”

An earlier version of this story misspelled Ed Kileen’s last name. bmathis@durangoherald.com

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