Field of U.S. and international cyclists to race 203 miles from Logan, Utah, to Jackson, Wyoming
LOGAN, Utah (August 26, 2024) — Nearly 1,400 U.S. and international cyclists will race 203 miles from Logan, Utah, to Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in the 42nd annual LoToJa Classic on September 7.
Hailed as one of the most popular bicycle road races in America, LoToJa’s scenic 203-mile course rolls over flat, hilly and mountainous terrain. Ridden entirely in one day, LoToJa challenges the core of every cyclist’s endurance and mental stamina.
“Many cyclists want to ride and win it,” said Brent Chambers, LoToJa’s race director since 1998. “And many have ridden it — more than 23,000 since the race’s first year in 1983. But only the strongest win. For most, crossing the finish line is a personal victory that lasts a lifetime.”
Entrants include USA Cycling licensed racers, who will compete in specific age and experience categories, and unlicensed cyclists who will ride the non-competitive cyclo sportive. In all there are 28 separate categories that will depart from Logan’s Sunrise Cyclery in four-minute intervals beginning at 5:30 a.m. On average each category will feature 40-50 riders.
The fastest licensed racers reach the finish line at the ski resort by early afternoon. The current men’s record is 8:18:29 and the women’s is 9:35:00. But most cyclists take 10 to 13 hours to complete the course.
Winners take home cash and/or merchandise, and commemorative medals go to all who finish. But for many entrants the day’s biggest reward is seeing the grandeurs of 13,776 foot-high Grand Teton and the Jackson Hole area.
The race course passes through northeastern Utah’s Logan and Cache Valley, southeastern Idaho’s Preston and Montpelier, and western Wyoming’s Star Valley and Snake River Canyon before reaching Jackson Hole. There are also three mountain passes that total 35 miles and almost 10,000 vertical feet of climbing.
LoToJa is recognized as the longest, one-day USA Cycling sanctioned road race in America. It is also one of the oldest, joining ranks with the 52-year-old Iron Horse Classic in Durango, Colorado, and the 79-year-old Tour of Somerville in New Jersey.
LoToJa’s popularity, scenery and finish at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort fuels its prestige and longevity. Several thousand riders register online every April, but only about 1,800 are accepted for safety and to minimize congestion on the course. This year there are cyclists coming from 39 states, Canada, Mexico and Norway.
The event’s fundraising for worthy causes is also a big draw. LoToJa is a major fundraiser for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation and other health-related organizations. Over the years nearly $3 million have been contributed to Huntsman alone by cyclists and sponsors.
LoToJa was founded in 1983 by two Logan cyclists. They wanted to create a tough and long one-day road race like European professional cycling’s Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen. Logan-Jackson was born, and given the acronym, LoToJa.
In that first year, seven cyclists competed and crossed the finish line near downtown Jackson. The winner was Bob VanSlyke of Logan who finished the 186-mile course in nine hours. The race’s distance increased to over 200 miles when the finish line was moved to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in 1986.
Since then, LoToJa has grown to feature multiple categories for USAC license holders, plus non-licensed cyclo sportive cyclists, who are either competing against riders within their age group, or are riding just for fun. There are also multiple categories for tandem riders and relay teams.
Chambers said cyclists’ safety during LoToJa is a top priority. On race day the Idaho Transportation Department will restrict eastbound vehicle traffic on state Route 36 north of Preston between Riverdale and Ovid from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastbound traffic on US-89 between Montpelier and the Wyoming state line will also be restricted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Except for those two travel restriction areas, LoToJa is held on an open course with vehicular traffic. Motorists traveling on LoToJa’s course during race day are asked to use caution when approaching cyclists. Groups consisting of several riders may be present. Cautious passing is advised to ensure safety.
“Cautious passing is slowing down and giving at least three feet of space between the vehicle and cyclists,” Chambers said. “Motorists are also urged to patiently wait for oncoming vehicle traffic to clear before pulling around a cyclist or group of cyclists.”
LoToJa’s host cities of Logan and Jackson receive an economic boost from the race’s cyclists, support crews, event staff, volunteers and well-wishers. The total entourage is an estimated 4,000 people. Hotels and restaurants are the biggest benefactors.
Chambers emphasized that LoToJa is only made possible thanks to its 600-plus volunteers, and help from community businesses, civic leaders and public safety officials. Also making it possible are 130 HAM radio volunteers from the Bridgerland Amateur Radio Club. The club provides uninterrupted communication for event staff and cyclist safety from Logan to Jackson.
“Because of its long history and appeal, LoToJa continues to be a unique and remarkable bicycle race,” Chambers said. “It’s an honor for me to organize it, and a privilege for me to see the inspiring, life-changing joy in the faces at the finish line.”
LoToJa’s route and additional information about the race are available at lotoja.com.
LoToJa Facts and Trivia
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 — Always the first Saturday after Labor Day
How it all started: In 1982, David Bern and Jeff Keller, two avid cyclists from Logan, Utah, pioneered the LoToJa bicycle race. They wanted to give cyclists a racing experience that felt like a European road classic, such as the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. The first LoToJa Classic started on an early fall morning in 1983 when seven cyclists took off at dawn and raced northward to Jackson. The winning time was just over nine hours by Logan cyclist Bob VanSlyke. Today, LoToJa includes around 2,000 cyclists and about the same number of support people.
- LoToJa is the longest one-day USAC-sanctioned bicycle race in the United States (Race route: 203.3 miles; Ride route: 208.3 miles)
- The course features almost 9,800 feet of climbing — most of this is in the first 110 miles
- The event offers several “race” and “ride” categories for competitive as well as recreational cyclists
- In a typical year, LoToJa cyclists travel to Logan from 40 U.S. states and five foreign countries
- Most participants finish in 10-12 hours (On average, 80 to 85 percent of participants start and finish LoToJa)
- Fastest cyclists will average over 25 miles per hour
- It’s estimated as much as 15,000 calories are burned per racing cyclist
- Since 1983, more than 23,000 LoToJa cyclists have pedaled over 6.7 million miles to cross the finish line
- LoToJa’s average participant age in 2023 was 45
- Youngest individual finishers: Male – 13 (several years); Female – 13 (2013)
- Oldest individual finishers:
- Male – Larry Peterson, 79 (2023)
- Female – Diane Tracy, 67 (2018)
- Oldest individual category winners:
- Male – Larry Peterson, Centerville, Utah, age 79 (2023)
- Female – Celeste Liljenquist, Bountiful, Utah, age 56 (2016)
- LoToJa course records:
- Men’s individual: Spencer Johnson, Riverton, Utah – 8:18:29 (2018)
- Women’s individual: Melinda MacFarlane, Draper, Utah – 9:35:00 (2013)
- Tandem: Gary Gardiner and John Lauck, Centerville, Utah – 9:05:57 (2014)
- Two-person relay:
- Men’s team: Bryce and Jeffrey Olsen, Ogden, Utah – 8:45:01 (2018)
- Women’s team: Mary Emerson and Nina Madsen, Millcreek, Utah – 9:28:52 (2018)
- Mixed team: Theron Jeppson and Camille Stringham, River Heights, Utah – 9:27:22 (2017)
- Three- to five-person relay:
- Men’s team: M. Acosta, J. Crawford, C. Nielsen, T. Olsen, N. Starnes, Ogden, Utah – 8:47:55 (2013)
- Women’s team: M. Bennett, P. Bisbing, J. Delp, K. Harlan, L. Nelson, Gilbert, AZ – 9:47:05 (2021)
- Mixed team: Steven Burt, Jessica Hansen, Tom R. Kline, Tommy C. Cline – South Jordan, Utah – 9:20:13 (2018)
- King of the Mountain: D. Justin Daniels, Cedar City, Utah – 12:21.814 (2017)
- Queen of the Mountain: Marci Kimball, Salt Lake City, Utah – 14:19.37 (2018)
- LoToJa involves over 600 course volunteers; 150 are HAM radio operators who provide communications and neutral support
- LoToJa’s fundraising efforts for Huntsman Cancer Foundation (HCF) is nearly $3 million
- National Ability Center, ALS Foundation, Utah High School Cycling League, Bike Utah, and several community organization/youth groups also benefit from LoToJa
