To race in Europe is a heavy lift for any rider from the
USA. Travel and jet lag alone pose a challenge for athletes, not to mention the
language barrier and cultural differences. The racing is different in Europe
too. The riders are generally more aggressive, the race is organized
differently and there are different social standards amongst the athletes.

“This course was worthy of being a World Cup. I believe that if we want to discover who the best marathon racers in the World are, we must challenge them on some of the toughest courses we can find. This course was only 100K (63 miles) which in the scheme of marathon racing feels relatively short, but it had a whopping 15,000 feet of climbing! To fit that much climbing into those few miles meant that the course had to be extremely steep. It would take nearly 7 hours to complete. We all lined up at 6 am in the morning with the Alps towering above us, looming with what waited ahead. As we rolled out of town, the climbing started immediately. Straight up the mountain we went. Despite the parade of jerseys from the European Champion, the World Cup leader, and many different countries’ National Champion colors, I wanted to animate the race. I took to the front of the group and immediately set a strong pace. I think I may have caught some by surprise as it took them a minute to react to me increasing the pace. They followed soon enough and with even more pace than my initial ramp.

A few girls passed by me. “That’s ok,” I thought. It’s a long day and I’m confident in my pace. Then a few more came up from behind. As I fell back to 5th place, I started to feel a sense of panic.

The course consisted of three major climbs and descents. As we began the 2nd climb, I was sitting in 5th place, but 4th through 8th were all within about 30 seconds. As we began the 2nd climb that would last over an hour, I felt dread with the girls breathing down my neck. Then, as I rode next to one of them, I could hear her short and labored breaths. I thought, “There’s no way she can maintain that for an hour.” That’s when it hit me. None of us will be able to ‘fake it’ for this hour-long climb. It’s all going to sort itself out by the top anyways. I took a huge exhale, I narrowed my focus, and I ignored everyone around me. I found my own rhythm, I said a prayer, I settled into my own pace, and next thing I knew, I was out of sight. I had found myself in a convincing 4th place. At the top of the climb, I couldn’t see anyone behind me. I was starting to look ahead.

As I descended down the 2nd mountain of the day, I saw the European Champion’s jersey come into view. She had flatted and I was gaining time fast. I quickly overtook her and began to ride in podium position. When I reached the bottom of the descent, the now 4th place girl, had gained some time back on me and my podium position was being threatened.

As we started the final climb, I committed to absolutely shelling myself. I rode with my whole body, rocking back and forth on the bike to use my weight into the pedals on the 30% gradients. Every muscle was screaming, but I knew I had to get out of sight. The time gap grew and soon I was in 3rd place with no one in sight behind, but I kept pushing. My muscles were cramping. It hurt to just turn over the pedal stroke, but I just kept focusing on doing just one more. As I came around the final corner and could see the top of the climb, the World Cup Leader’s jersey came into view. All of my pushing and suffering had been with good purpose. She had suffered a flat and was trying to limp it to the finish, but I was coming up from behind fast. As we began the descent down to the finish, I moved into 2nd place and rode crazy all the way to the line.

When I came into town and the finish came into sight, I said a prayer of thanks to God. I still couldn’t believe that I had secured 2nd place. It just goes to show what never giving up and never letting off the gas can do.”

Additionally, her remarkable performance on the Kokopelli Trail earned her the Fastest Known Time (FTK). Currently, Finchamp stands strong in 3rd place overall for the Life Time Grand Prix series, highlighting her exceptional capabilities and determination throughout the 2024 season. 

Kenda Rush

Hannah Finchamp’s tire choice has played a crucial role in her 2024 success, with the Kenda Rush proving to be the perfect fit for her racing needs. Offering exceptional speed, traction, and protection, the Kenda Rush has enabled her to tackle diverse terrains and challenging conditions with confidence. This reliable tire choice has been instrumental in her ability to perform at the highest level across all her races, from XC victories to gravel sprints and trail records.

You can read more about Hannah's feats and challenges on her personal blog here.

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Contact Information

For Any questions, please contact:

Name: Roger Hernandez

Phone: (562) 714-4071

Email: Rhernandez@kendausa.com

Photos by Moritz Sauer ( IG- @moemoemoritz )