The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic recently was featured in National Geographic’s “Ten Great Races in Amazing Places.”

The list, under the adventure section of the National Geographic website, features places of “world class beauty and adventure,” including dates of races and ways to plan. (Those wanting to race the train to Silverton in the Iron Horse likely will have to wait until 2013 because the citizens tour and many racing slots are sold out.)

“For road cyclists in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, there’s nothing more motivating than the sonorous whine of a faraway train whistle. That’s the sound of their top competitor: the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad,” the article said. “Enjoy the cheers of locals on the roadsides and ogle the views of 13,000-foot snowcapped peaks.”

Also on the list of 10 were Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland, the Mont Tremblant Ironman in Canada, the Patagonian Expedition Race in Chile and the Quicksilver Waterman’s Hoe in Hawaii, among others.

The feature can be found at http://on.natgeo.com/yL8g2x.