Updike Conquers Evans, Sets High Bar at the top of the World

Tuesday, 27 July 2010 19:43

Evergreen, CO
July 26, 2010

Matt Updike of Denver, CO became the first handcyclist to officially conquer the Bob Cook Memorial / Mt. Evans Hill Climb Saturday, when he completed the 14 mile climb to the top of the highest paved road in the world.

Photo: Ashley Leavitt

"Obviously, that road is intimidating, but I felt a lot better than I thought I would the whole way, and I'm really happy with my ride." said Updike following the race. Conditions were perfect with very little wind, sun, and cool temperatures as Updike started just after 8:00am from Echo Lake. Although Updike is not the first handcyclist to ride to the top successfully, he is the first to compete in the Bob Cook Memorial race, which is run by Colorado cycling club, Team Evergreen.

The previous fastest time by any handcyclist – albeit unofficial – was set by a group of recreational riders in 2007. They also started at Echo Lake and finished in approximately 2:40:00. With a time 42 minutes faster, and an average speed right around seven miles per hour, Upike's achievement shows just how fast he is as he prepares for the UCI Para Cycling World Championships in Canada this August. "Matt is one of the most underrated handcyclists on the international scene, and he has a lot to prove after a disappointing ride at the Paralympics in Beijing. His performance on Evans is evidence of his fitness going in to Worlds this year, and looking forward to the games in London, 2012." said Ian Lawless, Executive Director of U.S. Handcycling.

Lawless hopes the ride by Updike will pave the way for more handcyclists at the event in future years. "The willingness of Team Evergreen to include a start for Matt this year shows the inclusive nature of the event – and of cycling in Colorado. Like many of the events U.S. Handcycling is involved with, the Mt. Evans Hill Climb showcases the ability of its participants to overcome any and all challenges. Now that there is an official handcycle result on the books, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the top names in the sport – even from Europe – tackle the race."

"Matt's participation in this year's event was quite an inspiration for a group that is already highly motivated. The inclusion of handcyclists in the Bob Cook Memorial Mt. Evans Hill Climb is certainly something that I hope will continue. This event has seen Olympic athletes compete to the top in the past, and Team Evergreen was thrilled to have a Paralympian in our midst." said David Newcomer, Team Evergreen Executive Director.

You can find our more about the Bob Cook Memorial / Mt. Evans Hill Climb through the Team Evergreen website: http://teamevergreen.org. Learn more about handcycling through the U.S. Handcycling website: http://www.ushandcycling.org and you can follow the exploits of handcyclist Matt Updike, through his website: http://www.denverloanracer.com