Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Two weeks ago, over 50 riders showed up for the inaugural West Texas Showdown event in the Big Bend region. As promised, the challenging terrain, heat, and remoteness made for a difficult ride, with fewer than half of the starters completing the route. Find the winners’ podium for the Showdown and Lowdown routes and a recap from event organizer Patrick Farnsworth here…
Words by Patrick Farnsworth, photos by Ben Corda, Megan Maanao, and Nathan Khalsa
The inaugural West Texas Showdown (WTS) brought a small but determined group of riders into the rugged desert borderlands around Big Bend Ranch State Park, testing them on what became the most demanding route in the Texas Showdown Series. Of those who rolled out of Terlingua, only 32 percent reached the finish, a statistic that speaks more to the terrain’s ruthlessness than the field’s strength. Out here, completion isn’t expected. It’s earned.
WTS stretches roughly 395 miles through volcanic badlands, remote desert basins, and the high grasslands of the Chinati Mountains. The route wastes no time revealing its intentions. Riders immediately entered the jagged topography of Big Bend Ranch State Park, where slow, technical lava fields and rocky two-track set the tone for the days ahead. This section alone accounted for many scratches, as heat, terrain, and remoteness converged early.
Up front, the leaders rode with steady, deliberate pacing. Kyle Gilbert set the tone early and spent much of the race trading positions with Dennis Lastochkin, ultimately pulling ahead in the final state park segments and finishing in 2 days, 5 hours, and 44 minutes to become the first West Texas Showdown champion. In the women’s field, Hannah Simon delivered a standout ride—calm, methodical, and consistently in the mix—finishing in 2 days, 16 hours, and 17 minutes on a route where even small errors can compound quickly.
Those who reached Terlingua under their own power deserve special recognition. The finish rate may have been low, but the spirit among those who made it was unmistakable—equal parts relief, pride, and disbelief at what they’d just crossed. WTS demands careful management of long water hauls, volatile temperatures, isolation, and terrain that changes character every few miles. Finishers demonstrated not just fitness but composure and respect for the desert.
With WTS, the vision of a true Triple Crown “Star” Showdown—East, Central, and West—now comes into full focus, each event defined by its own ecosystem and riding style. But the West stands apart. The course has no interest in compromise; it gives riders wide horizons and deep silence, and asks for everything in return.
Whether they finished, scratched, or stood atop the podium, every rider who lined up helped shape the identity of this event. In a region where the landscape is both the main obstacle and the greatest reward, their efforts carried the spirit of what bikepacking is meant to be.
Note: What was once called the Triple Crown Showdown has now been rebranded as the Triple Star Showdown. We made this change out of respect for the already-established Triple Crown here in the U.S., while also tipping our cowboy hat to the Lone Star State, though in our case, it’s a three-star state. Complete all three events, in the same category, within a calendar year, and you’ll earn a handmade belt buckle designed and crafted by our West Texas Showdown Champion, Kyle Gilbert.
2025 West Texas Showdown Results
Showdown
1st – Kyle Gilbert – 2d 5h 44m
2nd (1st female) – Hannah Simon – 2d 16h 17m
3rd (2nd mens) – Robert Shine – 2d 19h 33m (DFL)
Slowdown
1st Women – Jennifer Real – 1d 18h 15m
1st Men – Chris Mountain – 1d 6h 27m
2nd Men – Tom Elliot – 1d 12h 0m
3rd Men – Cayden Boll – 1d 14h 39m
1st SS – Tyler Reynolds – 1d 15h 45m
2nd SS – Evan Lee – 1d 19h 12m
3rd SS – Victoriano Aguirre – 2d 10h 20m
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
