Quinn Simmons returns to his roots at gruelling American mountain bike race

Many riders have taken some time off after the Tour de France, with the final stretch of the season just around the corner. Some will ride the Vuelta a España, while others are focusing primarily on the Italian autumn racing season. Quinn Simmons is taking it a step further. He’s swapping his road bike for a mountain bike and racing in his home country.

Simmons rode a rock-solid Tour de France for Lidl-Trek. He was one of the driving forces behind Mads Pedersen’s stage victory, and he also helped the Dane secure the green jersey. In addition, he was often part of the breakaway group and demonstrated excellent climbing ability. As a result, he finished 18th in the overall standings, while serving as one of the key support riders for team leaders Juan Ayuso and Mattias Skjelmose.

He was also named best domestique for the second year in a row. Simmons is, therefore, a true all-around talent who excels in multiple disciplines. And that’s not just on the road. He’s also quite skilled at mountain biking. For example, in 2019, at the age of 18, he competed in the Leadville 100 MTB, a mountain bike race in his home state of Colorado. For many Americans, that was the moment Simmons was discovered.

During the 100-mile (approximately 160-kilometre) race, the young talent had a lot of bad luck. He had a flat tire but still finished second, behind three-time winner Howard Grotts. He finished ahead of seasoned WorldTour pros Lachlan Morton (then EF Education First) and Peter Stetina (Trek-Segafredo). It was a fantastic performance by the youngster and showed what was to come.

Later that year, he went on to become the junior world champion in Yorkshire, England, after which he signed with the Trek-Segafredo pro team. He has since become one of the team’s most valuable riders and one of the most recognisable faces in the peloton, thanks to his long hair, distinctive beard, national champion’s jersey, and aggressive racing style.

Seven years after his first Leadville 100, Simmons is returning to Colorado to line up again. This coming Saturday, he’ll be competing against former pros Michael Woods and Chad Haga, among others. Dfending champion Keegan Swenson will also be on the start line, aiming for his sixth consecutive victory in Colorado.

Simmons has not yet announced what he plans to do after the mountain bike race. This year’s World Cycling Championships are in Montreal, where he finished third in the 2025 GP Montreal. He then wrapped up his season at the Tour of Lombardy, where he finished an impressive fourth after breaking away early in the race.