After 2017 cancellation, more than 4,000 come out for Triple Bypass 30th anniversary
With the Ten Mile Range's iconic Peaks 1 and 2 in view in the background behind Lake Dillon, a cyclist ascends Swan Mountain Road during Saturday's Triple Bypass event. The annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists returned this year after wildfires, including one on Peak 2, cancelled the tour in 2017, riders pedaling up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
With Buffalo Mountain and the Gore Range in view in the background, cyclists pedal through Dillon on Swan Mountain Road during Saturday's Triple Bypass event. The annual 120-mile bike ride formore than 4,000 cyclists returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017, with participants traverssing over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
Cyclists ride into the checkpoint at Copper Mountain Resort as part of Saturday's Triple Bypass event, an annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon. The event returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
Cyclists ride through Copper Mountain Resort as part of Saturday's Triple Bypass event, an annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon. The event returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
A rider signals to the camera during Saturday's Triple Bypass event, an annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon. The event returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
Bicyclists check out the pop-up tents at Copper Mountain Resort during Saturday's Triple Bypass event, an annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon. The event returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
A line of cyclists ascend part of the Triple Bypass course during Saturday's Triple Bypass event, an annual 120-mile bike ride for more than 4,000 cyclists that takes them up and over several mountain passes east to west, from Evergreen to Avon. The event returned this year after wildfires cancelled the tour in 2017.
Courtesy Byron Swezy, Dragonfruit Media | Special to The Daily
The Peak 2 fire prevented the 2017 Triple Bypass tour from passing through Summit County. Though this summer has been scarred with several dangerous fires and an ongoing Stage 2 ban throughout the mountains, the 2018 Triple Bypass went off without a hitch on Saturday.
This time more than 4,000 riders took part.
Under partly cloudy skies and pedaling in beautiful dry conditions in the sixties, the full 120-mile ride traversed from Buchanan Park in Evergreen before reaching the first of the original three bypasses for which the event is named, Squaw Pass, at 16.2 miles. Riders then climbed to the second checkpoint at 38.7 miles, the Georgetown Easter Seals Camp. This was also the five-mile mark for those competing in the Double Bypass, a shorter, 75-mile excursion from Georgetown to Avon.
Cyclists then targeted the Continental Divide and the second of the three traditional passes, Loveland Pass, reaching the event’s third checkpoint at 56.1 miles and 12.8 miles from the event’s Georgetown start.
Riders then descended into Summit County and down toward Sapphire Point for an immaculate view of Lake Dillon and both the Ten Mile and Gore Ranges, reaching the fourth checkpoint 74.6 miles into the ride and 31.3 miles from the Georgetown start. The riders circled the backside of the lake via Swan Mountain Road before arriving at the fifth checkpoint, Copper Mountain Resort, at mile-marker 87.5.
It was at Copper Mountain where those partaking in the 30-mile Single Bypass from Copper to Avon began pedaling up and over the full Triple Bypass’ mile-marker 92.7 at the summit of Vail Pass.
After re-fueling one final time at Vail Pass, all riders descended the hill to the finish line at Nottingham Park in Avon.
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