Rebecca’s Private Idaho (RPI) Queen’s Stage Race winners are crowned after 1,500 riders complete final race of four-day event. Rebecca’s Private Idaho wrapped up its ninth year on Sunday, September 5, with three gravel races (102-mile Baked Potato, 56-mile French Fry and 20-mile Tater Tot).
Rebecca Rusch, founder of the event, reflected on the power of bikes to affect personal transformation: “I truly believe you grow when you do something hard. Watching people cross the finish line with dirt on their faces and tears in their eyes means more to me than any podium I have been on. Cycling can change the world, and this is an example of that.”
The Baked Potato event provided a dramatic finale to the four-day Queen’s Stage Race, with surprise winners Griffin Easter and Rose Grant emerging victorious after 102 miles of gravel, heat and climbing in the Idaho backcountry. Rose cemented her overall victory in the stage race, as did Pete Stetina after his third place finish on the day. RPI also awarded winners in Non-Binary and Femme/Trans/Women (Apollo Leonard), as well as Para-Cycling (Megan Fisher). Sunday’s racing included, for the first time, three hand -cyclist finishers.
Bethel Steele, Non-Binary cyclist podium finisher, said, “RPI hit a home run by creating an inclusive atmosphere and equity for the Non-Binary category. Rebecca followed through with all of the important steps like call ups before the race and a podium ceremony alongside the pro men and women. We got the same visibility and respect as all of the other categories. Now the seed has been planted for having a Non-Binary division at all gravel events. I give credit to Rebecca and RPI for stepping into this space of discomfort that has been historically overlooked in cycling.”
Baked Potato 102-mile Race Results
- Women: Rose Grant
- Men: Griffin Easter
- Non-Binary/Femme, Trans, Women: Apollo Leonard
- Para-Cycling: Megan Fisher
Queen’s Stage Race overall Results
- Women: Rose Grant
- Men: Peter Stetina
- Non-Binary/Femme, Trans, Women: Apollo Leonard
- Para-Cycling: Megan Fisher
