'24 Breck Epic

Photos by - Eddie Clark, Devon Balet, Jace Stout

Breck Epic is a race for the unhinged; for those who dare to push themselves to the limit, both physically and mentally. The six day, 240+ mile stage race leads riders through formidable, high exposure trails with insane grades, sprinkled with some mandatory hike-a-bike sections, and no shortage of ‘baby-head’ battlefields.   

Periodically following routes laden with old mining equipment from the heydays of the Colorado Gold Rush, each stage holds its own personality with idyllic alpine views, agonizing climbs, and spirited, brake-burning descents. And with each stage anywhere from 25 to 42 miles in length, perched at 10,000 to 12,000+ feet above sea level, The Breck Epic rightfully earns its distinction as one of the world’s most difficult, gut-punches of a mountain bike race. There is arguably no race that serves up the ‘type 2’ fun like the Breck Epic.

Enter the Yeti Cycles crew. A rag-tag bunch of local legends, elite racers, BMX brats and Yeti employees. A true motley crew of mountain bikers showed up to toe the line for Yeti Cycles this year. All piloting their personal ASR’s (a bike born and bred for these types of events), they set out to take names, hold no prisoners, and show the 500+ riders what they were made of.

Zach Calton, fresh off the heels of a 10th place finish in the Leadville 100 just a few weeks prior, had sights set on a podium, going toe-to-toe with some of the fastest and fittest in the game, including multiple Olympians. Queueing up in the same rider category was Jimmy Smith and Nate Vacura, two Pro / Elite level Colorado locals vying for a spot on the podium alongside Calton.  

Rounding out the Yeti crew was Logan Connell, Will Litty, and Garrett Davis – three Yeti employees whose hidden talents include laying waste to long mileage rides, and crushing KOM’s on and around the Colorado Front Range.  

In typical Colorado high alpine fashion, nearly every day brought periodic but intense, hurricane-like conditions between windows of sunshine. Separating the wheat from the chaff, the Yeti crew soldiered on throughout every stage, navigating the work roads, ravines and ditches that weave their way up, down and around the Tenmile Mountain Range.  

Long days in the saddle gave way to nights in the team house dedicated to stretching, sharing Jimmy’s Normatec boots, watching old movies and refueling in preparation for the following day.  

By the end of the final stage, podiums were dripping in Turq. The rag-tag Yeti squad was able to secure Top 10’s in each category they had entered. Calton nabbed the overall win due to the Pro Men's field leader, Specialized athlete, Howard Grotts crashing on the final stage. ** 

Participation in a masochistic race spurred by the simple love of the sport, and resulting in medals around necks - a fitting embodiment of Yeti Cycles as a “Ride Driven, Race Bred” brand.

 RESULTS

Pro Elite Men
Zach Calton – 1st – 16:02:10 
Jimmy Smith – 10th – 17:42:38 
Nate Vacura – DNF – 08:52:10 (crashed in Stage 4 & retired from competition) 

Men 30+
Logan Connell – 7th – 20:49:00

Stages 1-3 Men Open
Will Litty – 2nd – 11:10:36 

Stages 1-3 Men 40+ 
Garrett Davis – 3rd – 11:13:27