2005 Mount Washington Road Race June 18, 2005 and Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb August 20, 2005
Presented by The Mt. Washington Auto Road

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Posted Saturday, 7 May, 2005

(Pinkham Notch, N.H., May 7, 2005)

Once again this summer, Mount Washington Auto Road will host two of the most challenging events in sports: the Mount Washington Road Race on June 18th and the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb on August 20th.

Now in its 45th year, the Mt. Washington Road Race brings 1000 runners to New Hampshire's storied auto road in June for the 7.6-mile ascent of the steepest continuously uphill footrace course in North America. Then, in the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb on the same course in August, 600 cyclists test themselves in what international pro cyclist and Tour de France star Tyler Hamilton has called "by far the toughest climb I've ever done."

With its average grade of 12 percent and its 7.6-mile climb, with no flat or downhill stretches anywhere on the course, the Mt. Washington Auto Road presents one of the most challenging roads to run or bike anywhere. The mountain's famous weather, which typically includes winds gusting to 50 mph. or higher and assorted forms of precipitation and fog, only adds to the challenge. The summit, at 6288 feet above sea level, is the highest peak in the northeastern United States.

Sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental, the Mt. Washington Road Race is held on the third Saturday in June. Defending champion Anna Pichrtova, the only woman to win this race four times, will return again from her home in the Czech Republic to try for a fifth title in as many years. She is expected to face some extraordinary competition in the person of Melissa Moon, of New Zealand, a two-time World Mountain Running Champion, and possibly another extremely strong uphill runner.

Moon's countryman Jonathan Wyatt, who last year smashed the men's course record at Mt. Washington, will not be entering this year's race, thereby leaving the door open for the mortal members of the mountain running community. The fastest of these may be Simon Gutierrez of New Mexico, who won this race in 2002 and 2003.

For several years the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb has been recognized as the race for upcoming professional riders who want to establish their credentials as climbers and secure a regular ride on a major team in Europe. The ground-breaker among these was Hamilton, who set a course record here in 1999. He led the way for Tom Danielson, who broke Hamilton's record in 2002 and went on to major competition on the European circuit, and last year's winner, Justin England, who rides with the premier Webcor team. The women's course record holder is Canadian cyclist Genevieve Jeanson; last year's winner was Aimee Vasse of Boston.

Built in 1861 as the Mount Washington Carriage Road, the auto road was one of the first commercial tourist attractions in the United States. Whether by 19th century carriage, 20th and 21st century automobile or bicycle, or on foot, the trip to the summit, 4650 feet above the road's base at Pinkham Notch, is an adventure.

Part of the adventure is the steepness of the climb, and part is Mt. Washington's famously unpredictable weather. The highest wind ever recorded on earth was recorded here in 1931, at 231 mph. In the Hillclimb, cyclists have actually been blown to the pavement, and even in the Road Race runners sometimes must lean forward or sideways to keep their footing on the upper slopes. Several varieties of precipitation, along with a naturally severe wind chill factor, add to the challenge, except for the rare year when the wind is light, the visibility good, and the view spectacular.

Despite the frequently extreme conditions, the footrace to the summit has taken place on schedule in 43 of its 44 years. The exception was 2002, when organizers had to shorten the course to half its distance because wind chill at the top threatened hypothermia and ice on the road posed dangers for support vehicles. In 1994 and 1995, severe weather forced cancellation of the bicycle Hillclimb, which was held in September. If weather should prevent the cyclists from making the ascent on Saturday, August 20 this year, the race will be held instead on Sunday, August 21.

August 21 is also the date of the Mt. Washington Century Ride, a scenic 100-mile ride around the base of Mt. Washington and other peaks in the Presidential Range. The VW Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb and the Mt. Washington Century both benefit the Tin Mountain Conservation Center in North Conway, N.H.

Sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental, with additional support from New England Runner magazine and Bridgton Academy, the Mount Washington Road Race will start at 10 a.m. on June 18. Runners come from all over New England, from the Rockies and elsewhere in the United States and Canada, and from several other countries. Entry is by lottery, with a few places reserved for elite runners.

For the footrace, the auto road will be open until 9:30 a.m. for race support vehicles only, then closing for the race and opening to the public at 12:30 p.m. Spectators may ride one of the Mount Washington Auto Road stages before the start or may hike up one of the trails to watch the race from any of a number of locations on the slope.

With Volkswagen as its title sponsor and Polartec as presenting
sponsor, the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb on August 20 will begin when the first wave of riders departs at 7:40 a.m. Subsequent waves of riders begin the ascent at 7:45, 7:50 and 7:55 a.m.

Entry to the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is first come, first served, with a waiting list maintained after registration is full. The cancellation deadline for entrants who must withdraw is June 1st. At that date, any vacancies in the field will be filled from the waiting list.

For more information on the Mount Washington Auto Road visit www.MtWashingtonAutoRoad.com.

For more information about the Mount Washington Road Race, visit the Web site of Granite State Race Services: www.gsrs.com.

For further information about the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, and the Volkswagen Mt. Washington Century Ride, visit the Web site of Tin Mountain Conservation Center at www.tinmtn.org, then click on "Hillclimb" or "Century."

For press credentials and other information about either race, phone or email John Stifler, Mount Washington Road Race and Volkswagen Mt. Washington Auto Road Hillclimb publicity, at (413) 585-0924 or jstifler@econs.umass.edu.

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