“World Tour Pros, Gravel Crushing Joes Gear up for a Huge Day in the Saddle”
“The sold out 9th edition of Crusher in the Tushar presented by DNA Cycling is set to roll out of Butch Cassidy’s hometown and into the Tushar Mountains on July 13th. More than 600 riders including defending champs Zach Calton & Lauren De Crescenzo; reigning Queen of Kanza Amity Rockwell, EF Education’s Alex Howes, and domestic pros TJ Eisenhart, Travis McCabe and recently crowned U23 National Road Champion Lance Haidet will take on the 69-mile route with 10,000 feet of climbing, which tops out at a lung-searing elevation of 10,500 feet at the finish line.”
All photos in this article by Cathy Fegan Kim
“One of the “monuments” of mixed-surface events, through the years Crusher has drawn the likes of active WorldTour pros Danny Pate of Team Sky and Dimension Data’s Ben King; Dirty Kanza winners Colin Strickland, Allison Tetrick, Rebecca Rusch & Ned Overend, Olympians and other notables. Yet whether pro or Joe, event director Burke Swindlehurst has never wavered in his dedication to every rider that toes the line.”
“I’m stoked on that so many active and former professional road, cyclocross and mountain bike racers are drawn to Crusher,” said Swindlehurst. “But it’s riders like 8-time finishers Josh McCarrel and Brandon Banks who come back year after year, that really makes me proud that The Crusher is a fixture of this cycling community. I view it as more than just a bike race, but an experience for each participant–regardless of ability level–to seek out their own personal challenge.”
Interview with Burke Swindlehurst
“Billed as “road + dirt” Crusher challenges not only one’s legs but the equipment choices they power. While best tackled on a modern gravel bike, riders have taken to the course aboard cyclocross rigs, road frames, mountain bikes and in some cases the seemingly illegitimate offspring of all three.”
“On-course aid is provided by First Endurance and Bonk Breaker. Premier event partners include DNA Cycling, Panaracer, Lauf, Beaver Country and Beaver City. All supporting partners can be found here.”
Crusher At-A-Glance
- 9th edition sold out with 600 registered riders
- 69-mile route with 10,000 feet of climbing. Peak elevation of 10,500 feet
- Departs from Beaver, UT, birthplace of Butch Cassidy, and ends at Eagle Point Resort
- Traverses Tushar Mountains and Fishlake National Forest
- Course highlight: the 8% average, 5-mile long Col d’ Crush KOM/QOM washboard climb that tops out just below el 10,000 ft
Crusher Images over the Years
JOM’s race video from the 2017 Crusher in the Tushar
For more information visit http://tusharcrusher.com
Honestly I got the chills when reading the headline and date for the upcoming Crusher.. ya see I did the Crusher in the Tusher once. And it crushed me so bad that every time the name comes up I get a bit of anxiety. Yes, it was that painful, smoking hot on the Col, windy and cold the last few miles, scary freakin fast down the Col on cantilever brakes!, slow in the seemingly bottomless sandy, washboard ridden climb out of hell. In the years since I have done a few BWR, a few Grizzly 100 mtb events and several other long distance, big vertical events to prepare myself for another shot at the Crusher and even with all the money spent on other entries, miles raced and lots learned I honestly don’t think I am ready for a rematch.
Crushed by the Crusher
That makes two of us. I too was crushed by the Crusher. I loved the descent of the Col (also on Canti brakes), but suffered like a dog in the heat of Sarlac’s pit, and cracked at least once ascending the Col… and felt the temperature change rapidly as I slowly drew close to the finish line… my Florida-based lungs are no match for this beast.
Crushed but I may return at some point 🙂
Between the desert heat then hail storm it was like being taken out of
the microwave then chucked into the freezer.
The takeaway is to bring a rain jacket. It helped me survive twice.