Video: Living the Legend - The Leadville Trail 100 MTB

The goal for Topeak Ergon Racing Team at the 2015 Leadville Trail 100 MTB was clear and precise from the start: cover the 100-mile course in a record breaking time of less than 6 hours. Lead by current Marathon World Champion, Alban Lakata (Austria), he would be joined by teammates Jeremiah Bishop (USA), Kristian Hynek (Czech Republic), and Sally Bigham (UK). With preparations taking 2 weeks, all that was left to do was go full-gas for 100-miles.

The Colorado High Country is hard land for hard men and women. Mining relics of the years gone by are still a reminder of the hard times.

Topeak Ergon Racing Team soaking in the American West.

Priceless insight. Team member, Dave Wiens, is a crucial part of the team success at the Leadville 100.

The team bikes receive countless spa treatments leading up to race day.

Custom tuning the racer bikes for every speed advantage at the Leadville 100.

Every bolt on the bikes see a wrench prior to race day making sure the riders have a mechanical free ride.

Alban Lakata is meticulous with his race preparations.

Going for an aerodynamic advantage, Alban covers the vents of his Limar helmet with packing tape.

Nearly 2,000 other riders have the same goal of crossing the finish line in Leadville, Colorado.

6:30 AM racers head out to the freezing shadowed valley west of Leadville.

5 riders quickly set the tone for the day, including Alban, Kristian, and Jeremiah.

Shadowed by 13,000 ft and 14,000 ft peaks, the leaders push the pace to increase their lead.

Alban Lakata would come out victorious in the end, catching teammate Kristian Hynek only yards from the finishing line.

Finishing in 5 hours and 58 minutes, Alban broke his old course record and met the team goal of sub-6 hours. A feat once thought unimaginable.

Kristian Hynek buried himself all day, just to come up short of the win, but still finished in sub-6 hours.

Sally Bigham fought hard all day, hard enough for second place.

Gunslingers of the Wild West are a thing of the past. This is the modern day mountain bike gunslinger.



Goosebumps of the Champion show the excitement and the exhausting effort needed for the day.

Go deeper into the Leadville 100 with Topeak Ergon Racing Team at Living The Legend