It was a 4.00am breakfast with strong coffee for Sally Bigham last Saturday, as she steeled herself for the world famous LeadvilleTrail100MTB. 

Set in the Colorado Rockies, the legendary “Race Across The Sky” with its 100mile distance and 10,000ft of climbing at an elevation in excess of 10,000ft over extreme terrain, commands serious respect, careful preparation and a meticulous nutrition plan. With an approximate race time of 7 hours, TORQ Fuelled Sally set herself a target of 90g of carbohydrates per hour.

With two previous wins in 2013 and 2014, Sally’s aim was not only to win a third title but also to break into the sub 7-hour race time. At the top of Columbine Mountain – the 50mile turning point at an elevation of 12500ft – Sally was on 7-hour pace, though she didn’t know it because her computer had stopped working! Sally told us, “My legs felt strong back up the notorious Powerline Climb and all the way to the red carpet back in Leadville town centre, but alas, the big clock showed 7 hours and 5 minutes. Upon seeing the time initial disappointment gradually gave way to pride at having won my third Leadville 100 title, finishing 14th overall out of 2000 riders and ahead of some pretty well know road riders”. 

Read Sally’s full race report here

Photos courtesy of Eddie Clark

Our congratulations to Sally on a fantastic ride!