Highway 550 until the top of Shalona Hill. The short course for road cyclists is about 37 miles with minimal climbing. There will be six rides to choose from, all leaving from the clock tower at Fort Lewis College that morning. “Guaranteed, there are 100 times more mountain bikes in this town than there are road bikes.” “Road is limiting our segment to the (road) biking population of Durango,” he said.
Hagen says that the aim is to attract more riders from the Durango community to partake in the new routes.
In previous years, the Blaze was only a road cycling event, but this year the event has expanded to offer rides for gravel cyclists and mountain bikers. The Fall Blaze is the cycling program’s annual fundraiser, where 100% of the proceeds support athlete scholarships as well as other operating costs of the national championship-winning program. “We'd really like to tell anyone and everyone who owns a bike, this event is for them,” said FLC Cycling director, Dave Hagen. The team is encouraging bike riders of all abilities to join the festivities, which include a post-ride party with food, local beer and live music. The Durango Fall Blaze is back this year with six different route options, ranging from road cycling in the Animas Valley to mountain biking in Horse Gulch. 25, cyclists will be seen dotting the roads and trails surrounding Durango, all in the name of supporting the Fort Lewis College Cycling Team.