Leadville Factoids

[From Outside Magazine (August 2009 edition)]

Tour de Suffer

This August, the 16th annual Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race kicks off in America's highest city. An expected record of 1,300 competitors will climb more than 14,000 vertical feet at an average elevation of two miles. Lance Armstrong says he's returning, and Levi Leipheimer has committed, too, both hoping to dethrone six-time winner Dave Wiens. But for most riders, the main goal is to not end up sucking air from one of eight oxygen bottles spread out along the course. [written by Kyle Dickman]

2,565
More vertical feet Leadville cyclists ride than Everest climbers ascend from Base Camp to Mount Everest.

2,500
People who applied for this year's entrance lottery, which fills the race's 1,400 slots, a 25% increase over last year.
[10,000, the number I heard in January was evidently highly exaggerated!]

$4,000
Twice offered to race director Ken Chlouber for a spot in the race (he declined)

25%
Portion of riders who do not finish

Eleven
Expected cases of post-race high-altitude pulmonary edema