Race High: Montana Miller Takes Victory at 10,000'



WINTER PARK, Colo. In his first-ever race at elevation, Speedgoat's Montana Miller bested 10 other racers in the single-speed category at yesterday's Mary Jane Circuit race way up in the Colorado Rockies.

The 21-mile, mountaintop circuit featured advanced technical riding on some of the least-ridden trails in the Winter Park/Fraser Valley, and boasted the longest sustained descent of the entire six-race series. To acclimate, Miller arrived a few days before the race to test out his lungs up there in the thin air. The first few days hurt for sure but if nothing else, Miller is determined to suffer for the sake of personal self-fulfillment.

In between gasping for breath (just kidding, he was doing fine today), Miller remarked about racing "above average" (both fig. and lit.)

How'd your first race at elevation feel?

Miller: I felt surprisingly decent. It was harder to breathe, but I just raced at my hundred miler pace and that seemed to work out great. I never felt like I was going to blow up.

How'd the race break down for you?

Miller: I sat in fourth for the first lap because I had no idea what to expect from the guys I was racing. Once I felt comfortable, I started making passes on the climbs and opened up a nice gap. I ran into the back of the open/pro field (who started two minutes ahead) on the third lap and got around as many of them as I could. Russ Cappius almost caught me on the 8-mile downhill finish, but I sprinted away as soon as I saw him behind me.

What worked best?

Miller: I had planned on using a low-knob Race King on the front of my bike for riding out here, but I had no confidence descending on that thing. I put my big knobby Mountain King back on, and it felt great ripping down the mountain.

Although a girl single-speeder looked at me like I was a moron when I told her I was from Pennsylvania and riding a 38x20, most of the time the big gear is actually easier to push here then it is back east. The soil in Colorado is hard-packed and there's almost no rolling resistance, so the power I put down pushes me forward. Back home, most of my effort is sucked up by the loamy soil.

What's your plan for this next week, prior to the Breck Epic?

Miller: I'm going to try to get some rides in around Breck this week. I really need to figure out what gear I'm going to use during the race, but none of the mountains I've ridden so far have had me wishing for something lower than the 38x20 I always use. Other than that, I'm going to rest up. Racing 40 miles a day at elevation is gonna' hurt me.

Stay tuned to the blog in the coming days where Miller's Breck Epic set-up will be posted along with any changes that he reveals this week.