from John Stonebarger of Crandic Racing Blog 8/18/22
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A constricting cyclocross season has left a lot of us with unexpected free time this Labor Day Weekend. (More on that later.) Fortunately for us, though, that Sunday is the original grassroots gravel adventure, the longest running gravel race in the Midwest, the breathtakingly beautiful and so-hilly-that-epic-doesn't-describe-it
Colesburg Back 40.
"It started 29 years ago with a group of mountain bikers in the Dubuque area," explained Race Director?Michelle Carithers. "They would go on an annualtrip to the Hayward-Cable Wisconsin area to compete in the Chequamegon 40 MTB race, with its Birkebeiner's rolling hills and sketchy, chunky fire roads. So to better prepare, they looked for the area that best mirrored the Chequamegon race."
"The climbs, views, and descents are some of the best in Iowa."
– Ryan Jacobsen, Corridor Devo Junior Cycling Team
"The Colesburg 40 has the biggest, nastiest climbs I've ever ridden in Iowa, gravel or paved." –Cole Ledbetter, Iowa Gravel Project
"The descents are windy and technical and will have you testing your skills."
– Nate Kullbom, Core4
"I love the paper-plate race number grassroots vibe."–Scott Sumpter, BIKEIowa
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