Alexandera Houchin Just Set the Tour Divide Women’s Singlespeed Record

If you read this site regularly, you may recognize Alexandera from last year’s Bikepacking Awards. Well, she did it again. Twenty-nine-year-old Alexandera Houchin from Cloquet, Minnesota, just took the women’s Tour Divide win and bested her personal record with an unofficial time of 18 days, 20 hours, and 26 minutes (18:20:26). In fact, she became the first woman to win the Tour Divide in back-to-back years. She also won the women’s Tour Divide title last year with a time of 23 days, 3 hours, and 51 minutes (23:03:51). And, this is her fourth time pedaling along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

The fact that she broke her own record is even more impressive considering that she nixed the gears this year and rode the Tour Divide on a singlespeed. In addition, Alexandera broke the current women’s singlespeed record by a full day, formerly held by Alice Drobna in 2015 (19:22:04).

The shots here with bags are from her touring to the start of the Dirty Kanza XL race from Iowa. The bike is a CHUMBA Stella Titanium Boost 29er set up singlespeed with a 36T chainring and 19T cog. The only change from these photos for her TD rig was the gearing, with an Oval Absolute Black chainring and Wolf Tooth Stainless steel cog. Other gear on the bike came from Wanderlust Gear, Industry Nine, Kogel, and MRP.

The main photo here is by Eddie Clark; check out more photos and details from his encounter with Alexandra on Carnero Pass just a couple days ago. Other photos courtesy of Tomas Jonsson (at finish) and CHUMBA USA (bike photos). Also, check out this afternoon’s podcast with Alexandera on Bikes or Death…

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