Highlights:
- Thrilling two-up sprint with Matthew Wilson sees Keegan Swenson ride to his sixth straight win at the Race Across the Sky
- Melisa Rollins bounces back from injury at the start of the season to take first place in the women’s race
- Swenson extends his Life Time Grand Prix Series overall lead by 19 points.
- Sofía Gómez Villafañe retains her Series lead, just three points ahead of Cecily Decke
Leadville, CO (August 15, 2026): Keegan Swenson and Melisa Rollins triumph in the 2026 edition of the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik. Swenson storms to sixth-straight win while Rollins is crowned Queen of Leadville for the second time in her career.
Keegan Swenson beat Matthew Wilson to the line in a close two-up sprint after a tactical masterclass. Though Swenson held the lead at mile 42 approaching the Columbine climb, Wilson stayed close with the chase and caught him. After the descent, a seven-rider lead group formed, including John Gaston (who is not part of the Life Time Grand Prix Series), Bradyn Lange, Cole Paton, Simon Pellaud, Andreas Seewald, Swenson, and Wilson.
Gaston and Swenson went clear of the group at mile 86, establishing a one-minute, 48-second gap, but were ultimately brought back by Lange and Wilson, who joined the now-leading group of four riders.
Wilson put in the final attack of the day, taking Swenson clear of the group and going to the line with the six-time champion. Behind them, Lange edged Gaston to the line for third and fourth, respectively, with Andreas Seewald crossing the line shortly after to take fifth place.
In the women’s race, Cecily Decker showcased her strength early on, taking the lead alongside Sarah Lange over Carter Summit. Behind her, a chasing group featuring Hayley Preen, Lauren Stephens, and Alexis Skarda chased a one-minute gap. Melisa Rollins led the chase after fighting back from a crash in the opening miles.
Rollins dug deep, eventually closing the distance and catching Decker after the Columbine descent to set up a head-to-head battle for the lead. However, just as the battle for the lead intensified, Decker suffered a heartbreaking puncture, which allowed Rollins to solo to her second Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB success. Lauren Stephens secured third place, followed by Sarah Lange in fourth, with Hayley Preen rounding out the top five.
Women’s results:
- Melisa Rollins (5hr 58min 43sec)
- Cecily Decker (6hr 3min 30sec)
- Lauren Stephens (6hr 10min 14sec)
- Sarah Lange (6hr 10min 41sec)
- Hayley Preen (6hr 21min 51sec)
Men’s results:
- Keegan Swenson (5hr 20min 26sec)
- Matthew Wilson (5hr 20min 26sec)
- Bradyn Lange (5hr 20min 50sec)
- John Gaston (5hr 20min 51sec) (not part of the LTGP)
- Andreas Seewald (5hr 21min 45sec)
Click HERE for the full race results.
Men’s race winner, Keegan Swenson, said:
“It was a hard race today, particularly toward the end when we were ripping. The course changed how I raced, as we only had St. Kevin’s and Columbine climbs; it made for a very tactical race, but I was mentally ready.
“I had a small gap on Columbine, so I thought it would be best to wait for the other guys, roll with them and figure it out at the finish. It was a good day and fun to have a different race, and after the fire, I was stoked to be here.”
Women’s race winner, Melisa Rollins, said:
“I’ve had a lot of practice at resilience this year; this race is so special for me and my family, so I was never going to give in. The fact that we even got to have a race, so I felt it was my duty to really put it out there for all the people who could put the race on.”