There’s only a week left to get into the lottery for this year’s Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. I’ve decided not to try to get in since I haven’t figured out what I’m doing this year. Even before I got injured, I was really out of shape and had gained 25 pounds since RAAM. I hope to be in race shape before the Leadville 100 but there’s plenty of other races I want to do that don’t require me to put in money on the line until shortly before the race. I plan to do Leadville again in the future but this year doesn’t seem the right year.
If you want to get in your entry must be received not just mailed by January 31st. Exactly how the lottery works is a bit of a mystery but over the years I’ve learned some things about it. Some racers automatically get in. I’ve known that the few racers that have raced every year get in. Also those that are super-human or crazy enough to also do the run get in. Ken Clouber, the race promoter, always says you get preferential treatment the following year if you volunteer for one of the races. Everybody I’ve talked to that has volunteered had gotten in the next year.
I’ve also heard that if you’ve not been picked for 2 years in a row that you’ll get in the next year if you try. I didn’t get in the first 2 years I tried. The first time was the year before they started the lottery. I also volunteered the 2nd year I didn’t get in so the fact I got in the third year probably doesn’t prove that theory.
Now with all the attention the Leadville 100 has gotten because of Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis, I’ve learned a couple more things. In an article in the Herald Democrat on January 4th, Ken says there’s always been a lottery exemption for sponsored racers. He doesn’t say what the definition of a sponsored racer is and I’m sure it doesn’t include guys sponsored by their local bike shop. I think the sponsored athletes still have to have their entry in on time because I’ve heard that Dave Wiens didn’t get to race the first year he wanted to but he tried getting in after the deadline.
He also says the defending champion is automatically in which only makes sense. Another sure way to get in is to move to Leadville because locals don’t have to go through the lottery. Also those that have raced more than 5 years and are going for the 1,000 mile giant buckle. I had noticed that guys I know that have done Leadville several times always get back in so it was pretty obvious there was this exemption but I wasn’t sure how many years were needed. I did it 4 years in a row but haven’t done it the last couple years. It looks like that I will have to race one more year to automatically get in. Or is that 2 more since he said more than 5 years?
Related Links:
- Lance Armstrong Wimps out of Doing the Leadville 100
- Floyd Landis to Race Leadville 100
- Views from the Top of Columbine Climb
- Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race Pictures
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Tags: cycling, Floyd Landis, Leadville 100, mountain biking
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I think Ken Chloeber (sp?)(race director) is an ASSHOLE! No rhyme or reason to who he lets in. “It’s my race I can let in who I want”…
Obviously you haven’t spent any time around Ken if you have that opinion. He’s a fairly typical old-time mountain town guy. A little rough around the edges but a really great guy deep down. Why do you think the race is so popular that there has to be a lottery?
He was a miner for many years but I don’t know how long he’s been in Leadville but I’d guess at least as many years as I’ve been alive. I own some land a few miles from Leadville and I always tell my friends that Lake County is still the wild, wild west.