We caught up with Russell Finsterwald, reigning Marathon MTB National Champion, this week and enjoyed talking about the upcoming PIkes Peak APEX and where to
find a good burger in his hometown.
APEX: What does having an event like The Pikes Peak APEX presented by RockShox mean to you?
Russell: These are the trails that I grew up riding and fell in love with the sport of mountain biking on. Colorado Springs has some truly world class trails and I am really excited for others to get to experience what we have to offer. Whether it's getting deep into the backcountry or a simple lunch loop in one of the city parks, there is something for everyone and every type of ride. I’m also really excited to be able to sleep in my own bed each day.. that’s something pretty rare for me to get to do during a race weekend!
APEX: Which stage are you looking forward to the most?
Russell: That’s a tough question. Pipeline is one of my all time favorite trails so I’m obviously pretty excited to race down it. However, I think the stage I am looking forward to the most will be the Rampart stage. There are some sections of riding that I have never been on so seeing some new terrain will be pretty neat.
APEX: Any recommendations for a good post-race hamburger in Colorado Springs?
Russell: Skirted Heifer gets my nod.. make sure you ask for the burger to be “skirted!”