There's a little ol' 10-mile bike ride that's held every October in Central California that draws hundreds of bicyclists. In spite of the ride's short distance, it takes the fastest rider more than 45 minutes to reach the finish line; for others it can take more than two hours.
It's the Mount Diablo Challenge, a 10.8-mile slog up a San Francisco Bay Area landmark that gains 3,240 feet. Cyclists suffer a 6.9% gradient over the last four miles.
On Sunday, 976 bicyclists made it past Devil's Elbow and all the way to the summit. I tip my helmet to all of them, from Christopher Phipps, 37, of San Francisco who finished in 45:48 (14.1 mph) to Paul Phillips, 41, of Alamo, who crossed the finish line in 3 hours 5 minutes.
Youngest/Oldest
This bike ride is all about superlatives: Youngest rider — Peter Hillen, 6, Orinda; oldest rider — Charles Tyler, 78, Pleasanton. Fastest female, for at least three years in a row — Jennifer Slawta, 43, Medford, Oregon, in 54:38.
Last year's winner, Robert Anderson of Mill Valley, finished in 5th place this year. The 52-year-old finished in 48:34, about a minute slower than last year.
See all the results from the Mount Diablo Challenge bike ride and see if you know any riders.
1 comments
Hi, Who do I contact to register for the Mt. Diablo bicycle ride this Jan 1st 2013. Thank You very much. Hm Ph (510) 581-7799.