Preview: 9th Crusher in the Tushar Set to Roll from Beaver, UT July 13th

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World Tour Pros, Gravel Crushing Joes Gear up for a Huge Day in the Saddle at the 9th annual Crusher in the Tushar. 

Col d' Crush
Col d’ Crush. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.

BEAVER, Utah (June 27, 2019) –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 el 10,500 finish line.

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.”

Billed as “road + dirt”, the 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

For more information visit http://tusharcrusher.com.  

Single speed racers have more fun. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Crustache station. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
A little spritz’n. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Ali Tetrick, Rebecca Rusch and Lauren De Crescenzo. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Final Push. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Racers tried to warm up after riding through a hail storm over the last few miles of Crusher 2017. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
2017 had an epic finish – Janel Holcomb was the winner of Pro Women. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Neil Shirley grabs some cash at the KOM. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
2016 winner Robbie Squire climbs with a smile. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
Crusher announcers fuel up for race day in Beaver, Utah. Photo by Catherine Fegan-Kim.
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