Registration for the 43rd annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic tour from Durango to Silverton sold out in a record 10 hours this week.
That is 26 hours faster than last year, said Jeff Frost, event director.
“It keeps going quicker and quicker,” he said.
The tour had 2,200 slots available, and the road race had 200 slots. The road race sold out in 23 minutes, said Frost, who was named the Iron Horse director in October, taking over for Gaige Sippy, who held the post for seven events.
But those who missed open registration can still enter the tour through the Livestrong Foundation, Fort Lewis Road Scholars Program or the Davis Phinney Foundation charity ride options.
The Iron Horse sets aside 300 slots for those groups, which charge a higher price to raise money for their organizations.
Registration for the tour opened at 9 a.m. Tuesday and sold out by 7 p.m. that day.
Locals were given the opportunity to sign up Monday, a full day early, at Mountain Bike Specialists on Main Avenue. Almost 700 residents took advantage, Frost said.
The 2014 edition will feature a new event called the Mountain Horse, which will start at 10 a.m. May 24 at Durango Mountain Resort and goes to Silverton. It is for cyclists who don’t want to do the full tour, but also want bragging rights for climbing Coal Bank and Molas passes. Those riders will merge with the larger group that started in Durango.
Also new to the event, organizers removed 250 openings from the road race and added them to the tour, Frost said. The road race and the tour are almost identical, but the race counts as an official cycling event for riders looking to build their standings in the profession.
Tour riders are given bibs with a microchip that will keep track of their times, Frost said.
“The Iron Horse truly is one of the few – if not the only cycling event – that could and does sell out,” Frost said in a news release. “The ride from Durango to Silverton is epic and a life achievement.”
As of Friday, several other events remained open for registration, including the Quarter Horse, Mountain Horse, the mountain bike cross country race and several Sunday events downtown.
Last year, cyclists from 44 states and several countries, including an entrant from New Zealand, participated in the three-day event.
For more information, visit ironhorsebicycleclassic.com.
shane@durangoherald.com
