| Bob Cook Memorial Mount Evans Hill Climb | |
| Date: | July |
| Region: | Mount Evans, Colorado, USA |
| English: | Bob Cook Memorial Mount Evans Hill Climb |
| Nickname: | Mt. Evans Hillclimb |
| Discipline: | Road race |
| Type: | One-day race |
| Number: | 54 |
| Firstwinner: | Stuart Baillie and Adolph Weller (tie) |
| Mostwins: | (6 times) |
The Bob Cook Memorial Mount Evans Hill Climb or Mount Evans Hill Climb is a bicycle race situated on Mount Blue Sky near Idaho Springs, Colorado. Begun in 1962,[1] the race has been held every year since except for three cancellations. In 1981, it was renamed in honor of five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of 23.[2] The race is 27.4 miles (44.1 kilometers) in length and ascends .
The race takes place on the highest paved road in the United States, starting at an altitude of 7,540 feet (2,298 meters) and terminating at 14,130 feet (4,306 meters), 130 feet (39 meters) below Mount Evans' summit.[3] Due to the altitude, the event is sometimes marked by inclement weather.
Over the years, the race has attracted significant professional riders. Riders come from all over the United States and in the past the race has had riders from France, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia compete. The age range of the participants is from nine to eighty-five years. The race is also supported by volunteers from the Colorado cycling community who help marshal, drive support, officiate and work the picnic. The event includes categories for all levels of racing and encourages riders of all abilities. Between six hundred and a thousand riders compete each year in a number of categories.
In 2024, the name of the race changed to Blue Sky Hill Climb, due to the name change of Mount Blue Sky. The race will not occur in 2025 due to road construction.[4]
Bob Cook held the course record from 1975-1980. The first three years he held the record he was a junior. The present men's record is held by Tom Danielson, set in 2004 with a time of 1:41:20.[5] The women's course record is held by Jeannie Longo of France at 1:59:19.
The race was canceled three times: twice due to snow and once when the race director was in Atlanta at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Women competed in the race beginning in 1976.The winners of the race are:[6]
| Year | Men's Winner | Time | Women's Winner | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Stuart Baillie/Adolph Weller | 2:28[7] | ||||
| 1963 | Stuart Baillie | 2:24 | ||||
| 1964 | Stuart Baillie | 2:08:07 | ||||
| 1965 | Michael Hiltner | 2:09:55 | ||||
| 1966 | Stuart Baillie | 2:14 | ||||
| 1967 | [8] | |||||
| 1968 | Mike Dennis | N/A | ||||
| 1969 | Stan Justice | 2:19:23 | ||||
| 1970 | Kalman Halasi | 2:22:49 | ||||
| 1971 | Kalman Halasi | 2:14:35 | ||||
| 1972 | Bob Poling | 2:11:41 | ||||
| 1973 | Jack Janelle | 2:05:32 | ||||
| 1974 | Jack Janelle | 2:05:09 | ||||
| 1975 | Bob Cook | 2:02:55 | ||||
| 1976 | Bob Cook | 1:57:50 | Robin Deily | 2:44:58 | ||
| - | 1977 | Bob Cook | 1:55:43 | [9] | ||
| - | 1978 | Bob Cook | 1:54:27 | Margaret Nettles | 1:18:44 [10] | |
| - | 1979 | [11] | ||||
| - | 1980 | Bob Cook | 1:54:55 | Margaret Nettles | 2:41:10 | |
| - | 1981 | 1:57:36 | Martha Stafford | 2:29:54 | ||
| - | 1982 | Don Spence | 1:58:12 | Jan DeYoung | 2:28:33 | |
| - | 1983 | Todd Gogulski | 1:53:43 | Ann Chernoff | 2:24:37 | |
| - | 1984 | Alexi Grewal | 1:47:51 | Denise Yamagishi | 2:23:45 | |
| - | 1985 | Ned Overend | 1:49:53 | Barb Dolan | 2:15:58 | |
| - | 1986 | Ned Overend | 1:49:22 | Catherine Porter | 2:22:58 | |
| - | 1987 | Todd Gogulski | 1:54:07 | Vanessa Brines | 2:26:03 | |
| - | 1988 | Tom Resh | 1:51:56 | Darien Raistrick | 2:19:46 | |
| - | 1989 | [12] | ||||
| - | 1990 | 1:46:29 | Darien Raistrick | 2:13:59 | ||
| - | 1991 | Mike Engleman | 1:51:41 | Darien Raistrick | 2:23:10 | |
| - | 1992 | Mike Engleman | 1:45:30 | Linda Brenneman | 2:15;24 | |
| - | 1993 | Mike Engleman | 1:56:57 | Jan Bolland | 2:32:21 | |
| - | 1994 | Mike Engleman | 1:50:35 | Eve Stephenson | 2:25:43 | |
| - | 1995 | Mike Engleman | 1:46:32 | Linda Jackson | 2:13:28 | |
| - | 1996 | [13] | [14] | |||
| - | 1997 | Jonathan Vaughters | 1:53:54 [15] | Julie Hudetz | 2:18:22 | |
| - | 1998 | Scott Moninger | 1:52:16 | Jeannie Longo | 1:59:19 [16] | |
| - | 1999 | Jonathan Vaughters | Emily Robbins | 2:09:58 | ||
| - | 2000 | 1:49:42 | Kimberly Bruckner | 2:09:00 | ||
| - | 2001 | Scott Moninger | 1:46:56 | Karen Bockel | 2:22:15 | |
| - | 2002 | Scott Moninger | 1:50:20 | Kimberly Bruckner | 2:05:31 | |
| - | 2003 | 1:49:29 | Allison Lusby | 2:09:29 | ||
| - | 2004 | Tom Danielson | 1:41:20[17] | Ann Trombley | 2:19:03 | |
| - | 2005 | Scott Moninger | 1:52:50 | Mara Abbott | 2:20:10 | |
| - | 2006 | Scott Moninger | 1:49:52 | Mara Abbott | 2:11:55 | |
| - | 2007 | 1:43:04 | Michelle Steiner | 2:22:04 | ||
| - | 2008 | Kevin Nicol | 1:53:21 | Jeannie Longo | 2:10:10 | |
| - | 2009 | Tom Danielson | 1:42:09 | Jennifer Slawta | 2:15:58 | |
| - | 2010 | Peter Stetina | 1:50:20 | Tammy Jacques-Grewal | 2:15:07 | |
| - | 2011 | LeRoy Popowski | 1:57:36 | Tammy Jacques-Grewal | 2:13:24 | |
| - | 2012 | LeRoy Popowski | 1:51:02 | Tammy Jacques-Grewal | 2:08:08 | |
| - | 2013 | Christopher Carr | 1:57:16 | Annie Toth | 2:19:30 | |
| - | 2014 | Fortunato Ferrara | 1:51:22 | Mara Abbott | 2:14:12 | |
| - | 2015 | Lachlan Morton | 1:48:05 | Mara Abbott | 2:19:16 | |
| - | 2016 | Chris Butler | 1:50:19 | Annie Toth | 2:17:40 | |
| - | 2017 | Chad Haga | 1:43:39 | Mara Abbott | 2:16:35 | |
| 2018 | Gregory Daniel | 1:49:51 | Flavia Oliviera | 2:16:26 | ||
| 2019 | Keegan Swirbul | 1:43:53 | Annie Toth | 2:16:05 |