Life Time’s event, The Rad Dirt Fest presented by Wahoo, will feature three brand new courses this year. All three will start and finish in downtown Trinidad and include a section in Trinidad Lake State Park. Riders will have to bring their climbing legs for all three distances offered. The 111-mile ‘Stubborn Delores’ features more than 10,000-feet of elevation gain, while the 67-mile ‘Anteloop’ and 45-mile ‘Frijole’ course distances offer 6,300-feet and 4,100-feet of climbing, respectively.
All three courses are brand new and totally re-imagined from the 2021 and 2022 editions. The courses head into the hills west of Trinidad in contrast to the previous years’ events that used gravel roads east and north of town. The 111-mile Stubborn Delores course will be the route used by the elite field and those contesting the sixth round of the Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda.
“After two incredibly successful years of the Rad Dirt Fest, we couldn't be more thrilled to announce our brand new race courses in Trinidad,” said senior marketing manager Ryan Cross. “This year, we're taking our gravel riding experience to new heights with unseen terrain in the Spanish Peaks countryside and a roller-coaster ride along the gravel in Trinidad Lake State Park. Our continued collaboration with the vibrant community of Trinidad has paved the way for us to explore uncharted territories and unveil hidden gems that will take participants on an unforgettable journey.”
Trinidad is quietly growing into a gravel destination, attracting gravel cyclists from all over the country to experience the Spanish Peaks. Life Time is grateful to be working with local leaders and businesses who make this such a successful event.
Also new this year, The Rad will attract 70 of the world’s top off-road athletes as the wild card event and stop No. 6 in the Life Time Grand Prix presented by Mazda. The invitational series highlights seven of the nation’s most challenging gravel and mountain bike races in which the athletes compete for a $250,000 total prize purse.
Several Durango cyclists are competing in the Grand Prix, including Sarah Sturm, Howard Grotts, Ellen Campbell, Cole Paton and Sofia Gomez-Villafane. Payson McElveen has yet to race this in the Grand Prix this season.
After the first two events in the series, the Sea Otter Classic and UNBOUND Gravel, Villafane is first in the women’s overall standings with 70 points, Sturm is second with 66 and Campbell is sixth with 48.
In the men’s standings, Paton is sixth (50) and Grotts is ninth (47) while Keegan Swenson leads the group with 70 points.
The third stop of the Grand Prix will be the Crusher in Tushar July 8 in Beaver, Utah.
More information on The Rad Dirt Fest at https://www.theraddirt.com/
