Vivé le Tour!

Note: I’ve decided to devote most (if not all) of my pink helmet posts over the next few weeks to Justin’s race. I hope this serves as an outlet for my anxiety and excitement—and, most importantly, a community of support for Justin. Stop by often and leave some love; Justin will be thrilled to read your comments once he's back home!


From the time Justin found out about Tour Divide, he was hooked. Who wouldn’t be? Hailed as mountain biking’s greatest race and one of the toughest competitions in all of sport, Tour Divide claims to be the longest, most challenging MTB race on the planet—2,745 miles from Banff, AB, Canada to Antelope Wells, NM, USA. By route's end each rider will have climbed just about 200,000 vertical feet—the same as summiting Mount Everest from sea level seven times.

In recent years, Justin obsessed over former Divide racers' blogs and flipped through race photos, marveling at the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Though he was in awe, he was determined to live his dream instead of chase it. He sent his letter of intent (reprinted below) to Tour Divide organizers and joined 41 other names on the 2009 start list—the largest field of Divide racers to date.

And now here we are. It’s midnight in Pennsylvania. Exactly 12 hours since Justin took his first Tour Divide pedal stroke in Banff this morning. (That is, if he started at 10 a.m. with everyone else. Over the weekend, my boy bruised his boys in a bike mishap involving a car. Four days of ice, Ibuprofen and time out of the saddle was hopefully enough to heal his damage down below…)

The leaderboard tells me Justin made it to Elkford, having covered 70.56 miles today (although I think it’s actually further). With fellow racers nearby, including Alan Goldsmith, Steve Wilkinson and Matthew Lee—two-time Tour Divide champion—I can rest (semi) easy on this first night knowing Justin is in good company.

Good night, and good luck!

{Justin's Letter of Intent}:

I would like to state my intentions to compete in this years Tour Divide. Through working at Princeton Tec I have had the opportunity to sponsor & work with endurance cycling greats like Matthew Lee, Jay Petervary, and Pete Basinger. Following their accomplishments along the Tour Divide/Great Divide race over the past few years has drawn me into the race, the route, and all things Great Divide. I can no longer resist my urge to participate so I will be on the starting line in Banff come June. I do not intend to challenge the masters of the divide, but rather follow in their dust. I will be out there to challenge myself, take in the majestic scenery, and experience all that the grand tour of mountain biking has to offer.

So I will see you all in Banff for a pre-race Kokanee, and hopefully in Antelope Wells for a celebratory Negra Modelo. Only time will tell what may happen in between…

Vivé le Tour!

Justin Kline