Bighorn Road Cycling Event Draws Over 100 Riders to Colorado River Road

Aspen —Over 100 riders. That is the turnout for the second annual Bighorn Road event held Saturday on Colorado River Road. For context, this is a road cycling race where the scenery often outpaces the traffic. The Vail Daily reported that the event offered 30-, 60-, and 80-mile routes, with podium finishers taking home cash prizes.

The route is not a standard urban circuit. It cuts through the Colorado countryside, passing rivers, ranches, and Mountain Valley Horse Rescue. Co-founder Jake Wells, an endurance coach and multi-time cycling national champion, designed the logistics to remove barriers. He said the goal was to control traffic and provide resupply areas so riders could tackle what he called “that all-time favorite loop.”

The field was a mix of competitive racers and casual cruisers. Dan Labs rode the 30-mile route, noting he has two new hips. He described the event as a “very nice, gentle” way to get back into things. On the other end of the spectrum, John Keller treated the 80-mile ride as a time trial. According to Wells, Keller completed the first segment in record time, beating local legend Josiah Middaugh’s previous mark for that stretch. Keller had just set a new record at the Mount Washington Hill Climb before rolling into this event.

Courtney Knott, a women’s 60-mile podium finisher, called the course “beautiful and quiet.” She was in town with a group from Aspen for her first road event in five years. She noted that having a race “in our neighbor’s backyard” feels unique to the region.

The event is part of a larger ecosystem on this stretch of road. The Bighorn Gravel event in June has been around for years and draws a larger crowd, but organizers now award a combined prize to top finishers who compete in both. Rick Sudekum, a local volunteer and frequent racer, said the location does the heavy lifting. “Once you get on the Colorado River Road, it just sells itself,” he told the Vail Daily.

Chip Chilson, an event promoter with deep roots in the cycling world, conquered the 60-mile route. The Vail Daily noted that while the road event is only two years old, it is gaining traction quickly. The infrastructure — side vehicles, EMS presence, and aid stations — turns a potentially isolated backcountry ride into a managed sporting event. The 80-mile route required three timed segments, meaning the logistics had to be precise. They were. The riders finished, the records fell, and the cash prizes went out. That is the practical result of a well-organized event on a road that most people only drive through.