Joseph Glass of Manitou Springs competes in the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (PIKES PEAK COURIER file)
The first ever Pikes Peak APEX mountain bike race kicked off on Thursday afternoon with rides from across the country competing at Palmer Park. Sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s set the stage for an over 10 mile ride through the park.
Joseph Glass of Manitou Springs competes in the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (PIKES PEAK COURIER file)Matthew Bell (89), of Colorado Springs, takes off from the starting gate during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Competitors line up in a socially-distanced line before the start of the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. Riders left the starting line in 30 second intervals to allow for spacing between each other at the starting line and on the trail. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Keith Collins wears his face mask at the starting line as he prepares to race in the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Chloe Woodruff (2) takes off from the starting line during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Brett Billings (162), of Colorado Springs, takes off from the starting line during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Nick Gould (202), of Colorado Springs, adjusts his mask while waiting at the starting line of the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Racers in a socially-distanced line wait to be called up to the starting line during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Katherine Compton (30), of Colorado Springs, makes her way toward the first curve in the track during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Justin Barber (73), of Colorado Springs, reacts after almost losing control in the opening stretch of the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Chad Barentsen (114) negotiates a curve during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Collin Agne (136) competes in the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. The race has four stages at different locations across the Colorado Springs area and runs through Sunday. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Brandon Lawrence (105) rides though a wooded section of the course, surrounded by fall foliage, in the first stage the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. The race has four stages at different locations across the Colorado Springs area and runs through Sunday. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)CJ Coffey, of Colorado Springs, negotiates a tight turn during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (the Gazette file)Michael Martin (65) makes his way up a section of the trail surrounded by fall foliage during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Victor Rodriguez (148) rides through a technical section of the course during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. The race has four stages at different locations across the Colorado Springs area and runs through Sunday. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)A competitor makes their way past some fall foliage during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Carl Tucker (81) makes his way through a pair of trees on the trail during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Brayden Johnson climbs over a bar in the trail during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Caleb Swartz (151) negotiates a section of rocks during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Scott Cadwallader (184), of Colorado Springs, hits the brakes before coming into a rocky section of the trail during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki/The Gazette) (Forrest Czarnecki)Daniel Ives (321) passes Sean Vostatek (318) during the first stage of the Pikes Peak APEX mountain biking race at Palmer Park on Sept. 24, 2020. (Forrest Czarnecki, Gazette file)
