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Fourth of July Firecracker 50 mountain bike race in Breckenridge quadruples pro purse

BRECKENRIDGE — The men’s and women’s champions of Thursday’s Firecracker 50 mountain bike race will take home $2,000 each — four times as much as pro/open race winners won at last year’s event.

The Firecracker 50, a 50-mile mountain bike race that has kicked off Fourth of July celebrations in Breckenridge since 2001, was able to up the purse thanks to working with the town of Breckenridge, the Breckenridge Restaurant Association and Rocky Mountain Underground, race director and Breck local Jeff Westcott of Maverick Sports Promotions said in a news release.

This year’s second-place finishers will receive $1,000, third place will receive $500 and fourth will take home $250. These are all marked increases from previous races. Last year, top finishers received $500, $350, $250 and $175, respectively.



The Firecracker 50 course will take riders up and into the mountains east of Breckenridge. The race starts the town’s Fourth of July parade in a neutral start format by wave. The first section of the race is the climb out of Breckenridge on the old narrow-gauge railroad grade. From there, the course sends riders into the backcountry.

This year’s route will be two laps over a 24.48-mile course, including 3,951 feet of total elevation gain. Aid stations will be around mile markers 5.4 (Baker’s Tank), 11.2 (Wirepatch Mine), 19 (Extension Mill Road) and back at Carter Park near mike marker 25. The course will top out around mile marker 10 at just over 11,000 feet.



Last year’s pro champions were Larissa Connors (two-time women’s champion) and Payson McElveen (two-time defending men’s champion).

For more and information and to register, visit MavSports.com/firecracker-50.


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