Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) has big plans for his first race after the Tour de France, lining up for Leadville Trail 100 MTB on Saturday.
It has been seven years since he last competed at the 100-mile mountain bike endurance race in his home state of Colorado, when at 18 years of age he finished second to three-time winner Howard Grotts. That race was eventful, as Simmons started well back in the field, overcame a flat tyre and crossed the finish line ahead of then-WorldTour riders Lachlan Morton (EF Education) and Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo).
Prior to the 2019 debut at Leadville, Simmons had won the US time trial title and was the first US rider to win the Junior Gent-Wevelgem, riding for the Lux Cycling development programme. He would go on to win the men's junior road race at Road Worlds in Harrogate to signal his arrival on the global stage.
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On Saturday, Simmons will again face Morton, as well as recent WorldTour competitors Michael Woods and Chad Haga, who have transitioned to off-road and alternative endurance racing.
The rider to mark will be Keegan Swenson (Specialized Off-road), who targets a sixth consecutive Leadville victory, which would tie the mark held by David Wiens.
Simmons last climbed on a podium at the Tour de France, where he was part of the Lidl-Trek squad that won Best Team honours at the Grand Tour. He was also recognised for the second year in a row as Best Teammate of the Tour by the race jury.
During the three weeks, he exhibited his characteristic aggressive riding style, getting into several breakaways and going runner-up on stage 4 into Foix.
That aggressive style that is a trademark for the three-time USPro road race national champion was on full display at his Leadville debut seven years ago. He was in a lead group of elite men after the Powerline descent early in the race, but then flatted and had to ride his rim to an aid station.
At the Twin Lakes area before the Columbine climb, Simmons was more than 10 minutes behind the leaders. He clipped away three minutes on the climb and then another two on the return trip.
“To be honest, down at Columbine when I was about 10 minutes behind, I was about to pull out and call it a day," he told The Durango Herald after the race.
He would reconnect with a group of contenders once on the return on the Powerline climb, with its 26% gradient on the lower section, and fight in the sprint for second. Grotts was uncatchable with his third win, more than three minutes ahead, in a time of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 18 seconds.
This year's out-and-back course has been reconfigured due to recent wildfires, and the Powerline outbound descent and inbound climb had to be diverted. The climb for the turnaround of the 102-mile race remains at Columbine, but the often-decisive finishing climb at Powerline, as well as rough roads over Hagerman Pass Road and Sugarloaf Mountain, will not come into play.
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