The Leadville Race Series features two brutal races through the mountains of Colorado. The original race is a ruthless 100 mile out-and-back ultramarathon featuring 18,000 feet of elevation gain and reaching a highest altitude of 12,600 feet above sea level.
The other race, beginning in 1994, is a monster of an endurace mountain bike race. Once again traversing 100 miles with a peak elevation of 12,600 feet, the Leadville Trail 100 MTB pushes riders through rocky terrain and stunning views. They call it the “granddaddy of all endurance MTB races”, and you’d probably have a hard time arguing against that.
This past summer in 2024, the Leadville Trail 100 MTB featured had a separate women’s start for the first time in its history, marking a pretty historic moment for professional women’s cycling. Rapha Films followed professional cyclists Sarah Sturm, Alexis Skarda, and Ellen Campbell as they trained for and compete in the beastly race.
“A meditation on sacrifice, ambition and unity, On the Up follows pro cyclists Sarah Sturm, Alexis Skarda and Ellen Campbell as they prepare for the 2024 Leadville Trail 100 MTB race in Colorado, one of the most formidable off-road events in the world. Leadville – known as the Race Across the Sky – was established in 1983 and is ridden at extreme altitude. 2024 is the first year Leadville has had a separate women’s start, a historical moment captured by the film.“
The 2025 Leadville Trail 100 MTB is set to go down on August 9, 2025. The lottery to compete is not yet open, but those hoping to get in can enter starting on December 1st, 2024 at 10 am MST. The lottery will run until December 15th, 2024 at 11:59 PM MST and results will be announced on January 7.