Strong Pro Field Expected in Colorado Springs for 3rd Annual Pikes Peak APEX Presented by RockShox

September 15, 2022

APEX Draws Olympians, National Champions & Other Notable Riders to the 4-Day MTB Challenge Next Week

Colorado Springs, CO, September 15, 2022 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Sports Strategies announces another stacked race for the 4-day mountain bike challenge on the slopes of Pikes Peak. $25,000 is up for grabs, split evenly between the men and women’s top finishers.

With defending champ Keegan Swenson having to withdraw after being selected for the UCI Road World Championships, the men’s field has opened up. 2020 APEX Champion Russell Finsterwald from Specialized will be trying to fend off the returning EF Education-Easypost duo of Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes. Lachlan just finished setting a FKT on the Colorado Trail, and Alex is just recovered from an injury at the Leadville 100. Durango, CO will be well represented by two-time Olympian Todd Wells and World Cup U23 standout Riley Amos who have had great seasons so far.

On the women’s side, Juliana-SRAM rider Evelyn Dong will attempt her third podium at The APEX having attended the first two. She will have her hands full with five-time national champion and Olympian Erin Huck toeing the line. Both of these top American cyclists will also have to hold off the Canadian duo of Lex Albrecht and Emilly Johnston, who have taken very different paths to the APEX. Lex is a veteran of the UCI Road World Tour and has just taken on some big mountain bike races this year while Emilly is a well-known U23 rider on the World Cup circuit.

Racing begins at Palmer Park near downtown Colorado Springs on Thursday afternoon and then heads to Cañon City and the Royal Gorge on Friday morning. Saturday The APEX continues in Woodland Park and Rampart Reservoir and finishes on Sunday with a loop in Cheyenne Canyon.

Spectators are encouraged to come out for all of the stages, but Sunday’s final stage is a must! Everyone is invited to America the Beautiful Park in downtown Colorado Springs to watch the cyclists ride out and send the runners off for the 50K trail run into Cheyenne Canyon and the 10K and 5K. Then, the party starts at The APEX Outdoor Festival & Expo with outdoor brands, concerts by WireWood Station and Dirty Kings, beer from the FatTire Beer Garden, food trucks and other activities – all free to the public. Racing starts at 8am and the festival starts at 10am and goes until 7pm. A schedule of activities and details about the festival are posted on PikesPeakAPEX.com, where it will be updated as new information is available. Details about the Expo and opportunities to participate as a vendor or exhibitor are also available on PikesPeakAPEX.com.

ABOUT PIKES PEAK APEX

The 2022 Pikes Peak APEX presented by RockShox will take place from September 22nd through 25th. The world-class mountain bike challenge draws pros and amateurs for four days of riding on the slopes of Pikes Peak in Olympic City, USA. The APEX features new trails each year, along with some local classics that have made Colorado Springs a Rocky Mountain trail destination. Beyond the 4-day MTB challenge, athletes are also invited on the trails to participate for single days on the bike and 46k, 10k and 5k trail runs. The final day draws out the entire community as the event wraps up with The APEX Outdoor Festival & Expo in America the Beautiful Park.

The APEX supports Trail Stewardship and drives economic impact to the area in order to improve the trails and open space in the Pikes Peak region for the lasting enjoyment of its residents and visitors. The APEX, a Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance project, was developed and is operated by Sports Strategies, a division of Tourism Strategies, LLC. For more information about the event, visit PikesPeakAPEX.com.

For media inquiries contact Micah Rice, Executive Director of the Pikes Peak APEX and VP of Event Strategy & Operations of Sports Strategies. Email mrice@sportsstrategies.com or call 719.283.7577.