Bicycle races geared to every skill level

A long day — or two or three — of solitary suffering on the roads or trails is a pretty nice way to spend a race.

But sharing that hard work with a bunch of friends makes the miles go by a little faster and athletes in Utah — of the weekend warrior or hard core competitor varieties — are increasingly finding ample opportunities to cover long distances in relay format.

LOTOJA, usually a 206-mile, one-person race from Logan to Jackson, Wyo., has long been a favorite for relay teams looking to share the load. But with competition for a spot in the extremely popular race more intense each year, cyclists are finding new options around the state and beyond.

"We are excited to offer a new type of road event to the Utah cycling community," said Dan Stewart, founder of the new Rockwell Relay, a 516-mile race from Moab to St. George. "Our focus is on giving the rider the best experience possible, so they will want to make our race a tradition and come back year after year."

The new races complement LOTOJA, which has been around for nearly 30 years and now give cyclists an opportunity to race either competitively or casually.

"In addition to being able to ride to Vegas, participants get to hang out with friends and create memories together at the different transition points and all along the way," said Steve Tew, whose Saints to Sinners race covers 517 miles from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas.

One of the toughest is the Hoodoo 500.

Though relay teams are welcome, the Hoodoo 500 has solo riders who cover the 519-mile loop around southern Utah with little sleep.

Doing the longer races as a relay team is a way for less-experienced cyclists to work their way up to solo efforts.

"Some relay teams do it as a way to get their feet wet," LOTOJA race director Brent Chambers said. "Instead of doing all 206 miles, they just kind of get a feel for it. And then a year or two later, they do the full distance."

Rockwell Relay: June 11-12

Route: Moab to St. George

Distance: 516 miles

Leg Lengths: 45 miles on average

Number of legs per rider: three and pre-set ride order

Exchanges: Pre-set location

Team Composition: 4 person teams can be mixed men or women, various age cumulative age categories