MULHOLLAND CHALLENGE RIDE REPORT
116 miles - 13,375+ feet of climbing*
One of the toughest events in Southern California

The fifth annual KING OF THE MOUNTAINS CENTURY CHALLENGE is off to a great start! A record 459 riders headed to the hills and were treated to an epic day of climbing on a perfect day for cycling, with sunny skies and cool temperatures.

*Due to the new start/finish hotel, we have a slightly longer route with a bit more climbing than in the first four years (reports came in from 12,500' to 14,300').  We also changed the route from the start to avoid traffic lights through Agoura; instead rolling along on quiet Mulholland Highway.

Heartfelt thanks to the wonderful volunteers who helped make this event happen!
Rider Check-In (PM):  Brian Bowling, Deborah Bowling, Alan Darnell, Gary Ward, Martin Ward, Vern Medeiros
Rider Check-in (AM):  Chris Abbadini, Blaire Babcock, Clem Bartolai, Cat Bastarache, Brian Bowling, Deborah Bowling, Jim Brewer, John Clare, Paul DeFeo, Marcus Edvalson, Isis Macias, Sabrina Palmeri, Cathe & Wick Waltmire
Water Stop on  Mulholland: Jim Bollinger, Jacob Crummy, Mike Wapner, Gary Ward
CP at Peter Strauss Ranch -  Clem Bartolai, Marcus Edvalson, Lynn Katano, Ken Kistinger, Tom Parkes, Cathe & Wick Waltmire
CP at Little Sycamore -  Cat Bastarache, Jim Brewer, Carol Davidson, Paul DeFeo, Charles Griffice, Paul Haussler, Isis Macias
Mini CP Deer Creek -  hosted by Bicycle Johns: Sue Bergeron, Scott Johnson, Ginger Kuhn, Raelynn Milley, Preston Orgel, Linda Thompson
CP at Decker Fire Station - Marcus Edvalson, Kris & David Jones, Saralie Liner, Frank Neal, Mike Wapner
CP at Top O' Stunt: Chris Abbadini, Teri Boykins, Kevin Morningstar, Tina Waitzman, Gary Ward 
Roving SAG: Jim Bollinger, Brian Bowling, Rick Burneson, Jacob Crummy, Paul Haussler, Gregg Kishida
Finish Line: Blaire Babcock, Deborah Bowling, Cat Bastarache, Jim Brewer, John Clare, Paul DeFeo, Gregg Kishida, Isis Macias, Bill Meadows. 

As usual, we're not going to comment now on the standings, as some riders may or may not be riding the 2010 Stage Two, Breathless Agony. But heartfelt congratulations to all of the riders who completed this super tough course.

We feel we must comment briefly on the results as it pertains to either the 15-minute time penalty given to several riders who didn't get all the stickers (each of whom had someone vouch for their having ridden every mile), or the 6:30 start time given to those who didn't check out with the time keeper. Not to be harsh, but our general policy is to DQ riders who violate the rules, in fairness to those who play by them. That said, 2010 will be the last year that penalties are given. Starting in 2011 and beyond, the penalty for violating any of our simple to follow rules will be a DQ in the results. We do expect riders who participate in Planet Ultra events to read, understand and agree to abide by all of the rules.

We know some folks think the sticker stops are silly. But the truth is, they're absolutely necessary; because a few folks will cheat if we don't impose the sticker rule (and in fact, some folks cheat even with it). The King of the Mountains jersey would have no meaning if we didn't make a big effort to ensure that only folks who actually finish the rides are recognized as finishers who earn and may wear the jersey. Successfully completing the three super challenging events is a huge accomplishment for those riders who set this goal and work hard for many, many months to achieve it. The King of the Mountains jersey is a symbol of great achievement - and we want to keep it that way! We're genuinely proud and impressed with the effort extended by the riders who earn it, and think they should be proud too!

Big THANKS to Hammer Nutrition and Bonk Breaker for providing the great products that helped riders do their best on this tough course

HUGE THANKS to Bristol Farms for the delicious post-ride sandwiches, fruit and pasta salad. Bristol Farms is the premier gourmet and specialty food store in California with 15 stores featuring fresh, prepared and gourmet items from around the world prepared and served by knowledgeable experts. Bristol Farms offers full service meat and deli departments featuring over 400 hand made soups, entrees and desserts, plus fresh sushi, coffee bars, and cafes. Guaranteed to be the highest quality available!

Just a small sampling of the totally unsolicited, but greatly appreciated, rider feedback:

"We want to thank you both for putting on such an outstanding event. The volunteers were terrific and the snack selection was great at the checkpoints especially the Bonk Breakers. We heard several riders remark about how good the sandwiches from Bristol Farms tasted at the end of the ride and we agree." Carol & Bob Davidson, Riverside, CA

"Superb organization and execution of an extremely fun, challenging and memorable ride.  Once again, Planet Ultra and each and every volunteer exceeded all expectations!  No better way to ride 116 miles with +12,500ft of climbing! Heartfelt congratulations and thanks for everything!" -Mauricio Leon de la Barra, Marina del Rey, CA

"Thank you for putting on an excellent and challenging event. The aid stations, volunteers and finish line reception were exceptional. You deserve much thanks and appreciation for your hard work putting together a great ride for all of your participants" - Mary Dannelly, Irvine, CA

"I wanted to give a word of gratitude to all of your staff and volunteers at the Mulholland Challenge. They were very friendly and supportive plus knowledgeable about the route ahead of us. I truly appreciated that. In addition, the hotel was great and the rate you negotiated more than reasonable. The lunch box provided by Bristol Farms was an enormous improvement. So thanks for that to. Lastly, to your sponsor Hammer Nutrition, while I discovered them during one of the rides you organize, it makes your events more attractive to me to know I will get the same fueling products I use during my non-organized rides. Cheers to your organization!" -Dider Ryser, Irvine, CA

"Thanks for making this a success!!! The volunteers, checkpoint personnel, ongoing information about the ride, staff and clearly marked route
made this an incredible ride, plus post-ride meal, was all awesome!!! I will share this with my cycling friends for next year!" - Bryan Ryles, Westlake Village, CA

"Thanks for putting together such a wonderful event.  I did the Mulholland Challenge a couple of years ago, and after a shattered collarbone in a biking accident, I came back for more.  The Renaissance Hotel is a really good launching point for the event, having multiple timekeepers is a real plus, and the lunch was delicious.  But what's always great are the friendly people." - Carol Schreder, Topanga, CA

"Thanks for another great edition of the Mulholland Challenge. The weather was ideal, the course was well marked, the volunteers were TERRIFIC and the aid stations were well stocked. Many, many thanks for a job well done." - Randy Wilcox, Henderson, NV

"What a great job Planet Ultra did yesterday in putting on stage 1 of the King Of The Mountains Challenge in the Santa Monica Mountains. Very well organized with plentiful fuel (liquid and solid) at the rest stops and enthusiastic well-trained staff. Almost enough to mask the screaming agony in my legs! The sandwich lunch at the finish was great and one could request veggie, ham or turkey. How often do you see that at an event?" - Frazier Hazlett, Santa Barbara, CA

Click here and here to view the fantastic photos taken by Paul Harold of RockStorePhotos.com.

Click here to view photos taken by event spectator, Tom Rafalovich.

2010 MULHOLLAND CHALLENGE RESULTS:
STAGE ONE OF THE KING OF THE MOUNTAINS CENTURY CHALLENGE
459 Started the Challenge; 382 Completed the Challenge; 77 Riders completed distances other than the full Challenge; and 1 riders was DQ'd for Private SAG
Please folks, we realize that because timekeeping was done manually, there may be some errors in the results, even though we did our best to be accurate. We'd very much appreciate if you'll not email us to make changes unless your time is off by more than 15 minutes, or you're in the top 20 (or would be if your time is corrected). Remember, this is all supposed to be in good fun - and is not "really" racing... We're in the process of purchasing an RFID chip timing system that we hope to have in place beginning with Heartbreak. Next year these results should be flawless!

Official Finishers: