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Starting line, 2007 LOTOJA

The LoToJa Classic is a long distance one-day amateur bicycle road race from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY, USA. It is held in September on the first Saturday after Labor Day.

History

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LoToJa was started in 1983 by two Logan cyclists, David Bern, a student at Utah State University, and Jeff Keller, the owner of Sunrise Cyclery.[1] The two men wanted a race that resembled the difficulty of a one-day European classic like Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders. LoToJa's first year featured nine cyclists racing 192 miles from Logan to a finish line in Jackson's town square. The winning time was just over nine hours by Bob VanSlyke.[2][1]

2006

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Kirk Eck was won the 2006 LOTOJA Classic with a 9:16:56 time.[3][4] This was his second win.[3]

2007

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The 2007 race included roughly 1,400 people from 40 different states in the United States. The fastest time in the 2007 edition of the race was posted by Mark Zimbelman, a resident of Provo, Utah, who won the masters 45+ category.[5] His time of 9:06:44 was also good for a course record with Mark Schaefer finishing less than a wheel length behind.[5] Schaefer and Zimbelman led the race alone for the last 100 miles (160 km). The winner of the Men's Pro Category 1 and 2 race was Cameron Hoffman of Clearfield, Utah with a time of 9:24:18.[5]

2009

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Zimbelman's course record held during 2008 but was beaten in the 2009 race by Cameron Hoffman of Clearfield, Utah with a time of 9:02:52.[6] This was Hoffman's third year in a row winning the Men's Pro Category 1,2,3 race. Hoffman, David Francis of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Robert Lofgran of Salt Lake City, Utah had to chase racer Dave Botchek (Colorado Springs CO) who had been out in front 190 miles before being caught due to a puncture 13 miles from the finish. Dave Botchek had previously won the event in the 90's. They finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively with less than a second between Hoffman and Francis and Lofgran finishing about five seconds later.[6]

2010

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Cameron Hoffman's 2009 course record time of 9:02:52[7] was broken in 2010 by Alfred Thresher with a time of 9:01:44.[8]

2012

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Rob Verhaaren crashed and died during the final stages of the race in Wyoming. [9]

A new LOTOJA course record was set by Leon Bergant from Slovenia, with the time of 8:57:19. [10]

2017

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Kai Applequist from Boise, Idaho set the new record in the men's division in 2017 with a time of 8:42:31.[11][12]

2018

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The current course record was set in 2018 by Spencer Johnson, of Riverton, Utah, with a time of 8:18:29.[12] The women’s course record, 9:35:00, set in 2013, is held by Melinda MacFarlane from Salt Lake City, Utah.[12][13]

2023

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Over 1,500 cyclists participated in the 2023 race.[14][15]

Course

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The race starts at the Sunrise Cyclery in Logan, Utah and heads north into southeastern Idaho and winds across western Wyoming.[14] The finish line is near the base of the Grand Teton at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (at Teton Village), one of America's ski destinations.[14] Along the 203-mile (327 km) course[14] are three mountain passes, plus hilly to rolling terrain that results in more than 7,000 feet (2,100 metres) of climbing.[16]

Notable winners

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Charitable fundraising

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LoToJa is a fund-raiser for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, Autism Spectrum Disorder Connections and other medical research foundations. By 2014, the LoToJa organizer, Epic Events had raised over US$250,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.[20][dead link] As of 2023, over $2.7 million has been raised through sponsors and cyclists.[21][14]

Past winners

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Year Men Women
2020  Cameron Hoffman (USA) 9:02:48  Amy Heaton (USA) 10:02:16 [22][23]
2021  Nathan Spratt (USA) 8:31:18  Melissa Aitken (USA) 9:44:15 [24][25]
2022  John Borstelmann (USA) 8:41:43  Aileen Pannecoucke (USA) 9:58:00 [26][27]
2023  Seth Steed (USA) 8:42:53  Elizabeth Edwards (USA) 9:57:07 [15]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Logan to Jackson — Cyclists eager to tackle grueling LOTOJA Classic". Deseret News. 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  2. ^ http://www.lotojaclassic.com/ Official LOTOJA Website
  3. ^ a b Plothow, Brad (2006-09-10). "Eck by a blink, unofficially". The Herald Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  4. ^ "LoToJa - 2006 Results". lotoja.com. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  5. ^ a b c "Hoffman, Halladay win 25th Anniversary LoToJa Classic But Zimbelman really wins the day with new course record" (PDF). Cycling Utah. 15 (8). 2007.
  6. ^ a b "Clearfield cyclist gets 3rd LOTOJA win, sets record". Deseret News. 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  7. ^ http://results.milliseconds.com/participants/final_list/overall/142094
  8. ^ http://results.milliseconds.com/participants/final_list/overall/143578
  9. ^ http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=22068813 KSL News story
  10. ^ "5 questions with LOTOJA Classic winner Leon Bergant". Deseret News. 15 September 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014.
  11. ^ Harrison, Shawn (2017-09-09). "Eck shines again at LoToJa". The Herald Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  12. ^ a b c Bern, David (2019-04-08). "Spencer Johnson Wins LoToJa, Shatters Men's Course Record; Lindsey Stevenson Takes Second Straight Win". Cycling West - Cycling Utah. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  13. ^ "Challenging 206-mile LoToJa Classic has cyclists of all ages excited for Saturday's race". Deseret News. 2023-12-26. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  14. ^ a b c d e Bern, David (2023-09-05). "41st annual LoToJa Classic will roll on September 9, 2023". Cycling West - Cycling Utah. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  15. ^ a b Leverone, Kyle (2023-09-13). "After 203 miles, 2 agonizing steps up". Jackson Hole News&Guide. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  16. ^ "Elevation from LoToJa Race on Map My Ride". www.mapmyride.com. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  17. ^ a b c Ward, David (1997-10-01). "Jemison Battles Elements to Claim Solo 1997 LoToJa Win". Cycling West - Cycling Utah. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  18. ^ Bern, David (2019-09-08). "Tetrick and Arnell win 37th annual LoToJa". Cycling West - Cycling Utah. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  19. ^ "Arnell, Tetrick prevail at 37th annual LoToJa Classic". Deseret News. 2023-12-23. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  20. ^ http://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/giving/huntsman-cancer-foundation/?pid=357 Page 5 of 2014 Cumulative Giving Report
  21. ^ Boam, Rod (7 September 2023). "LoToJa will bring in 1,400 cyclists and thousands of supporters for this Saturday's race". Cache Valley Daily. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  22. ^ "LoToJa - 2020 Results". lotoja.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  23. ^ "Cameron Hoffman wins the 38th Annual LoToJa Classic". Deseret News. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  24. ^ "LoToJa - 2021 Results". lotoja.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  25. ^ "Nathan Spratt, AileenPannecoucke win 39th-annual cycling race". Deseret News. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  26. ^ "LoToJa - 2022 Results". lotoja.com. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
  27. ^ "LoToJa crowns new winners in 40th annual bike race". Deseret News. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
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