RESULTS
Congrats to our winners and to all that participated!
COURSE
A little less snow and drifting than last year.
More riding and less hike-a-bike, but definitely plenty of off-the-bike moments.
Gravel roads were very icy
Winds, dropping temps and keeping wamr were the most challenging parts of the day
WEATHER
Several of inches of snow fell the night before. the trails and roads were already icy before the snow.
Temps were a balmy 30 degrees at the start and by noon temps were 15 degrees, and by 3pm, temps were 10 degrees and 6 degrees by 6pm.
Wind speeds started at 30mph with sustained 50+ mph wind gusts (enough to blow a ride and bicycle clear across a gravel road and into the ditch!) wind-chills mid afternoon were -17.. Brr!
PHOTOS
See you next year!
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TRIPLE D - Race Coordinator's Recap
We held the Triple D Winter Race on Saturday, January 18th. Winter weather in the Dubuque area has been eerily similar to last year. We had mild weather throughout December, only to have winter show up right before the race. This year we got 4-5 inches of light snow with a thin crust of ice over the top. In addition, sustained winds were 35-40 MPH with gusts to 50! Things were really brutal between the first checkpoint at mile 17 and the midpoint in Dyersville. In this section, riders were most exposed and riding into the teeth of the wind while fighting through deep snow drifts. As a result, only three riders made it to the midpoint of the race in Dyersville, and two of three tapped out at that point. Our winner, Michael Maney, was the ONLY rider to complete the 70 mile Triple D Winter Race; doing so in about 9 ½ hours. It was definitely true to the original intention of being so tough that finishing is an accomplishment.
We had a great turnout for the running events from 5K to 50K, with over 100 signups. Lots of cyclists also enjoyed the 35 mile Double D and the Poker Tour. We welcomed back lots of familiar faces, and introduced many more to the circus that is the Triple D Winter Race. We were excited by a large number of crazies that signed up on race day despite knowing what the weather had in store for them. We had a full house for our post-race celebration and I can definitely say, “a good time was had by all.”
With the support of our great sponsors, we were able to raise over $5,000 to support the Tri-State Mountain Bike Riders (TMBR). In the last four years, Triple D has raised over $20,000 to further the goal of making Dubuque a Midwest mountain biking destination. In 2020 construction will wrap up on the trails at the Proving Grounds Recreation area near John Deere, and scouting for our next project will begin.
Link to pictures from this year’s event: https://www.bobedwardsphotography.com/Events/2020-Triple-D-Winter-Bike-Race