Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Congratulations to Justinas Leveika, who claimed first place at the 2024 Arizona Trail 800 (AZT800)! Completing the grueling 806-mile course through the Grand Canyon State, Justinas wrapped up his ride in an incredible 7 days, 19 hours, and 48 minutes. Read the details and find photos from his finish here…
On Friday morning at 1:48, to an awaiting audience of two, Justinas Leveika became the 2024 Arizona Trail 800 winner with a time of 7 days, 19 hours, and 48 minutes. It also marks Leveikas’ finish of his Triple Crown of bikepacking, having completed Tour Divide — with a new FKT — and the Colorado Trail Race earlier this year. His first words once at the end of the Arizona Trail were, “What an idiot!” But his smile gave away his absolute elation at being there. “It’s done.”
Leveika rode the Arizona Trail the same way that he did the other two races of the Triple Crown: consistently, smoothly, and incredibly quickly. Whenever he came up in conversation with other racers over the past seven days, it was always in the context of how efficient he was with everything he did. And if it weren’t for the Highline Trail fire detour, which racers knew ahead of time would most likely be in play, this would have been a new FKT on the route. But alas, such is life, and a win on the AZT800 is a win on the AZT800.
Aside from the first day, Leveikas led for all of the race, using a strategy of minimal sleep and constant forward motion. It appears that his only two major sleeps were right after Picketpost and again once he crested the Mogollon Rim. While Alex Schulz stayed close for much of the race’s first half, Leveika opened up the gap for good around Sunflower in the central part of the state.
The fire closure of the Highline Trail took the wind out of his sails only temporarily. With no FKT to chase anymore and a significant gap on Schultz, he went to That Brewery in Pine for a beer before continuing. After the initial letdown, he said, “I started to find joy again.”
Dotwatchers came out throughout the Flagstaff area to help pass the miles.
Dropping into the Grand Canyon at sunset and emerging at sunrise, Leveika got the best of what the Big Ditch has to offer for golden light while minimizing the silly comments that inherently come when you’re carrying your bike across the Grand Canyon in the daylight. Of the bike, he told people, “It’s taken me places, now I’m taking it places.”
In his Instagram story of emerging from the Canyon, he seems almost a little bit manic and definitely happy to be done with the portage. Afterward, he asked of the carry, “Is there anything more stupid you can do in a bike race?”
Snow on the north rim slowed progress, and Leveika mentioned that thru-hikers were completely unreliable in giving accurate snow reports about what was ahead. After four hours of trudging through fresh snow with soaked feet, he finally hit dirt again and made short work of the last miles to the border. Of the experience of the Canyon and the final miles, he said, “I was learning new things about myself.”
Leveika finished on what can only be described as a beautiful, relatively warm, and clear night. The final switchbacks are absolutely glorious. He said, “As I was descending, I was thinking: this is not bad. I’m going to remember this for a while.”
His assessment of the event of, “It’s so stupid, this race, that it’s beautiful,” seems so spot on,
And then he said, “If I were to do it again, seven days is not impossible.”
But for now, Justinas, we hope to take the rest you’ve earned. Congratulations on a fantastic summer redefining what is possible in bikepacking.
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- Arizona Trail 800: 7 days, 19 hours, and 48 minutes
- Colorado Trail Race: 4 days, 7 hours, and 17 minutes
- Tour Divide: 13 days, 2 hours, and 16 minutes (Mike Hall’s previous record of 13 days, 22 hours, and 51 minutes)
- Triple Crown: 25 days, 5 hours, and 30 minutes (2d:13h:3m ahead of Jay Petervary’s record from 2015)
Check out the Arizona Trail Race 2024 Tracker page to follow along on the live tracking map, watch for ongoing race updates, and tune in for more event coverage. Find it here.
Further Reading
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