June 24 saw the 96th edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) unfold, with riders and drivers ‘racing to the clouds’. Ducati made a victorious return by reclaiming the heavyweight title it lost to KTM last year, with Carlin Dunne astride the 2018 Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak. Dunne set a winning time of 9:59.102 min which is considerably slower than the 9:52.819 min time he set on a Multistrada Pikes Peak back in 2012.
Taking second place in the heavyweight class was Rennie Scaysbrook on a 2017 KTM 1290 Super Duke R with a time of 9:59.794 min. The difference between Dunne and Scaysbrook was just 0.692 seconds. Ducati’s second rider Codie Vahsholtz, also astride a 2018 Mutistrada 1260 Pikes Peak, took third in the heavyweight class with a time of 10:12.703 min.
In the middleweight class, it was Chris Fillmore who took first place on a 2018 KTM 790 Duke, setting an impressive time of 10:04.038 min. Interestingly, this is a faster time than Vahsholtz’s heavyweight class run astride the more powerful Multistrada. Following him in the middleweight class was Davey Durelle, (riding a 2007 Aprilia SXV) who set a time of 10:36.010 min. Not far behind, with a time of 10:38.380 min was Rafael Paschoalin on a 2017 Yamaha MT-09.
Another impressive climb was from rookie rider Tyler O'Hara in the lightweight class. He secured the top spot with a time of 11:04.342 min on a 2016 Yamaha YZ450F. Following him was Travis Newbold astride a 2005 Honda CRF with a time of 11:13.945 min. Darryl Lujan completed the podium with a time of 11:39.620 min. His motorcycle of choice was a 2013 Honda CRF450R.
In the electric motorcycle class, it was Jeremiah Johnson who took first place on a 2018 University of Nottingham UoN-PP-02. Following him and taking second place was Robert Barber riding a 2018 Buckeye Current RW-3x. Times for the electric motorcycles have not yet been announced.
Vishal Venugopal
Ved Janve
Azaman Chothia
