Each day through Sunday, The Durango Herald will look ahead to race weekend as well as back at some key moments in Iron Horse history.
Weekend forecast
For the first time in Iron Horse Bicycle Classic history, race organizers have hired a meteorologist to help them best prepare for all Memorial Day weekend activities. Joel Gratz of opensnow.com is providing daily reports to IHBC race director Gaige Sippy.
“On Saturday night into Sunday, precipitation will likely continue over many mountains,” Gratz said on the website. “The storm will move into northeastern Colorado, and wrap-around moisture will keep snow and rain falling from the sky. Monday will offer continued showery weather, though temperatures should increase by the afternoon, so snow levels will likely pop up to 11,000-12,000 feet.”
From the Iron Horse archives:
Three years in, the “Iron Horse Bicycle” race turned into the “Iron Horse Stage Races” – turning the one-day special into a weekend festival in 1974 with the addition of a criterium, a 100-mile road race called the Mining Country Road Classic and a time trial. It gained “International Development Race” distinction in 1979, the first year the women finished in Silverton, and in 1981, the event officially was billed the “Iron Horse Bicycle Classic” for its 10th anniversary, featuring a $5,000 purse of prize money. Mountain biking was introduced to the IHBC in 1984, and the event has been rolling out stages new and old ever since, including a circuit race this year to replace the traditional criterium.
Herald Staff
