Lotoja Bicycle Classic – History and Course Records

The LoToJa Bicycle Classic is a 200-plus mile, one-day amateur bicycle road race from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It is always scheduled in September, the first Saturday after Labor Day, and attracts national and international participants. LoToJa is one of the longest one-day road cycling races in the U.S, and is the longest one-day race sanctioned by USA Cycling, the sport’s governing body based in Colorado Springs, CO. The race began in 1983 and will mark its 43rd edition in 2025.

LoToJa is pronounced “low-to-juh” by some and “la-toe-juh” by others. It starts at the Sunrise Cyclery bike shop in Logan, Utah and heads north into southeastern Idaho and winds north up through western Wyoming. The finish line is near the base of the Grand Teton at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (Teton Village, WY), one of America’s top ski destinations. Along the incredibly scenic course are three mountain passes, plus hilly to rolling terrain that results in nearly 10,000 feet of vertical climbing.

LoToJa attracts a variety of male and female riders, from top-level amateur racers who are licensed by USA Cycling, to recreational cyclists who just want to cross the finish line and live to tell the tale. LoToJa offers 31 different start groups and includes tandems and relay team categories. All categories and classes leave Logan in timed intervals.

To win or even place in a respective LoToJa category is a prestigious achievement. Some past winners have gone on to professional cycling careers, such as Levi Leipheimer and Marty Jemison. Other big name amateur winners over the years include Scott Moninger and John Frey. In addition to being a bicycle race, LoToJa is a fundraising resource for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, ALS Foundation, National Ability Center, Utah High School Bicycle League, and Bike Utah. To date, LoToJa has contributed almost $3 million to these LoToJa was created by two avid cyclists, David Bern and Jeff Keller in Logan, Utah who wanted to give Utah racers an idea of what it would be like to compete in a one-day European spring classic like the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix or Liège–Bastogne–Liège. From 1983 to 1985, LoToJa’s distance was 186 miles and the finish line was in the town of Jackson. In 1986, the distance was expanded to over 200 miles and the finish line was moved to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.and other great causes.

How It All Started

In 1982, David Bern and Jeff Keller, two avid cyclists from Logan, Utah, created the LoToJa bicycle race. They wanted to give cyclists a racing experience that felt like a European road classic such as the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, or or Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The first LoToJa Classic started on an early fall morning in 1983 when seven cyclists took off at dawn and raced 186 miles northward to Jackson. The winning time was just over nine hours by Logan cyclist, Bob VanSlyke. From 1983 to 1985, LoToJa’s distance was 186 miles and the finish line was in the town of Jackson. In 1986, the distance was expanded to over 200 miles and the finish line was moved to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Today, LoToJa includes around 2,000 cyclists and about the same number of support people.

LoToJa Statistics (as of August 2025)

General Race Facts

• Longest one-day USAC-sanctioned race in the U.S.

  • Race Route: 202.3 miles

  • Ride Route: 207.3 miles

• Total Elevation Gain: ~9,800 ft (most in first 110 miles)

• Categories Offered: Competitive race and recreational ride divisions

• Participants’ Origins: Cyclists from 40 U.S. states and 5 foreign countries

• Volunteers: 600+ total, including 150 HAM radio operators for communications and neutral support

Rider Performance

• Average Finishing Time: 10–13 hours

• Finishing Rate: 80–85%

• Fastest Cyclists: Average speed >25 mph

• Calories Burned (per racer): ~15,000

• Cumulative History (since 1983):

  • 22,000+ cyclists

  • 8 million+ miles ridden

• Average Rider Age: 45

Youngest & Oldest Finishers

• Youngest Finishers:

  • Male: 13 (several years)

  • Female: 13 (2013)

• Oldest Finishers:

  • Male: Larry Peterson, 79 (2023)

  • Female: Diane Tracy, 67 (2018)

• Oldest Category Winners:

  • Male: Larry Peterson, Centerville, UT — age 79 (2023)

  • Female: Celeste Liljenquist, Bountiful, UT — age 56 (2016)

Course Records

Individual

• Men: Spencer Johnson, Riverton, UT — 8:18:29 (2018)

• Women: Melinda MacFarlane, Draper, UT — 9:35:00 (2013)

• Tandem: Gary Gardiner & John Lauck, Centerville, UT — 9:05:57 (2014)

2-Person Race Relay

• Men: Bryce & Jeffrey Olsen, Ogden, UT — 8:45:01 (2018)

• Women: Mary Emerson & Nina Madsen, Millcreek, UT — 9:28:52 (2018)

• Mixed: Theron Jeppson & Camille Stringham, River Heights, UT — 9:27:22 (2017)

3–5 Person Race Relay

• Men: M. Acostra, J. Crawford, C. Nielsen, T. Olsen, N. Starnes (Ogden, UT) — 8:47:55 (2013)

• Women: M. Bennett, P. Bisbing, J. Delp, K. Harlan, L. Nelson (Gilbert, AZ) — 9:47:05 (2021)

• Mixed: Steven Burt, Jessica Hansen, Tom R. Kline, Tommy C. Kline (So. Jordan, UT) — 9:20:13 (2018)

Climbing Titles

• King of the Mountain: D. Justin Daniels, Cedar City, UT — 12:21.814 (2017)

• Queen of the Mountain: Marci Kimball, Salt Lake City, UT — 14:19.37 (2018)

Fundraising Impact

• Huntsman Cancer Foundation (HCF): Nearly $3,000,000 raised

• Additional Beneficiaries: National Ability Center, ALS Foundation, Utah High School Cycling League, Bike Utah, plus numerous community/youth groups, and other great causes