Lauren Stephens, despite feeling remorse for her error, remains proud of her competitive performance, as she was disqualified from the Leadville 100 after achieving the third-fastest time among elite women.
In a surprising turn of events, American cyclist Lauren Stephens has been disqualified from the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik. The six-day mountain bike stage race in Breckenridge, Colorado, saw Stephens participate with high hopes, but her journey took an unexpected turn.
Stephens, known for her competitive spirit, races not for results, but to be the best version of herself. However, during the Leadville race, she was disqualified due to taking aid outside of a designated crew location. Specifically, she was fed a 500ml bottle at the Carter Summit aid station, which is not a designated crew location in the race.
The official crew support locations for the Leadville Trail 100 MTB are at four key points where riders pass twice during the race. These locations correspond to aid stations with crew access: Carter Summit, Outward Bound, Twin Lakes Dam, and Columbine Mine. Crew members can provide support to riders at these points, and these stations are equipped with essential supplies such as water, energy gels, hydration mixes, bars, chews, and various foods.
Stephens' disqualification led to a shake-up in the race's standings. Cecily Decker was moved into third place, while all riders from position four to 36 were bumped one position higher. The race was eventually won by Kate Courtney with a time of 6:48:55.
Despite the setback, Stephens showed resilience. She finished the race with the third-best time for elite women. Stephens also missed three water bottle handoffs during the race, which might have contributed to her disqualification.
Looking ahead, Stephens plans to study the rulebook for future races to avoid such incidents. Her other targets later in the year include riding with Aegis at the Maryland Cycling Classic Women and going for a third US gravel national title.
Meanwhile, the Leadville race saw a fierce competition among top female riders such as Melisa Rollins, Sofia Gomez Villafañe, and Hannah Otto. The race was marked by strategic partnerships, such as the one between Stephens and Rollins during the Powerline ascent, aiming to catch up with Courtney. However, Rollins eventually passed Stephens with a few miles to go on Boulevard.
In light of this incident, it's a reminder for all participants to familiarise themselves with the race rules to avoid any disqualifications and ensure a fair competition for all.
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