Triple Crown Challenge

The Triple Crown of Bikepacking represents one of the ultimate challenges in ultra-endurance cycling: completing three of the world’s most demanding self-supported bikepacking races in a single season. Alex Kowalski is pursuing this feat with the additional goal of setting a new single-speed FKT (Fastest Known Time) and becoming the first Venezuelan to complete the Triple Crown.

For Alex, this challenge is about more than speed. It is about pushing personal limits and inspiring others to pursue adventure with determination.

THE RACES

Tour Divide

The Tour Divide is widely considered the ultimate challenge of all bikepacking races. A 2,700+ mile route following the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Banff, Alberta, to the U.S. and Mexico border. Riders climb over 200,000 feet of elevation while navigating remote mountain passes, rapid weather shifts, wildlife encounters, and long stretches without services.

The race is completely self-supported, meaning riders must rely on public resources and their own strategy to survive the journey.

Alex completed the Tour Divide in 2024, earning a first-place singlespeed finish and a top-15 overall placement on his rookie run.

Colorado Trail Race

The Colorado Trail Race is often considered the hardest pound-for-pound race in the Triple Crown. The route covers nearly 540 miles from Denver to Durango, almost entirely on rugged singletrack, with over 75,000 feet of vert at relentlessly high altitude.

Riders face steep hike-a-bike sections, remote wilderness zones, challenging resupplies, and alpine storms that can build in minutes. The terrain is technical and demanding, requiring focus and finesse, especially on a singlespeed.

Alex raced the CTR this year and delivered a standout ride, finishing 2nd in the singlespeed category and 5th overall. His performance reinforced not only his technical skill and endurance at altitude, but also his ability to stay consistent during multi-day efforts on challenging terrain.

Arizona Trail Race

The Arizona Trail Race is the final and often most brutal chapter of the Triple Crown. The full 800-mile version snakes from the Mexico border to Utah through scorching desert, exposed ridgelines, rock-littered singletrack, and waterless stretches that test even the most seasoned riders.

A defining element of the race is the Grand Canyon portage, where riders must carry their bikes across roughly 21 miles of rugged canyon trail. This is a mandatory hike that cannot be bypassed or rolled. It’s one of the most iconic and physically demanding sequences in all of bikepacking.

For Alex, the AZTR represents an entirely fresh experience. He has not ridden any section of the Arizona Trail before, making this race a true unknown in his Triple Crown season. Despite that, he brings confidence, preparation, and a strong engine into the challenge.

THE MISSION

Time Goals

I’ve set some rough time goals for each of the races based on my previous finish times on the Tour Divide and Colorado Trail Race. The Arizona Trail Race is an unfamiliar beast, but I’m making an educated guess by comparing times from other singlespeed racers who have finished the route and have held a similar pace to mine during other races.

Cumulative Time Goal to Set New Singlespeed Fastest Known Time:

32 days 0 hours 0 minutes

Current Singlespeed Fastest Known Time:

33 days 18 hours 22 minutes

  • 16.5 days for 2,745 miles and 200k feet of elevation gain

  • 5 days for 550 miles and 75k feet of elevation gain

  • 10.5 days for 800 miles and 80k feet of elevation gain