Justin Spangler finally got the record he came back for. Racing the 44th edition of the LoToJa Classic on Saturday 12 September 2026, the Salt Lake City rider crossed the line at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in 08:14:45, breaking the men’s course record of 08:18:29 set by Spencer Johnson in 2018.
It was Spangler’s second consecutive overall win on the 203-mile route from Logan, Utah, through southeastern Idaho and into Wyoming’s Star Valley and Snake River Canyon. Twelve months earlier, he had taken the 2025 title in 08:29:28 and publicly set his sights on the record for this year’s race. The 35-year-old delivered, finishing 1 minute 45 seconds clear of Denver Howard Perry, with William Joseph Hatch, Tyler Metten and Supe Dursteler rounding out a tightly packed group just over 22 minutes back.
In the women’s field, Bailey Irene Hinz, 40, of Las Vegas also repeated as champion, riding to victory in 09:34:27, just short of the 09:20:45 women’s record she set last year. Mackenzie Lemieux finished second, 9 minutes 20 seconds behind, with Micah Fredrick completing the podium.
Now in its 44th year, LoToJa remains the longest sanctioned single-day road race in the United States, drawing riders from across the country to tackle three mountain passes over the course of a single day. More than 600 volunteers and course marshals supported a field that, as always, ranged from professional-caliber racers finishing before noon to recreational riders still on course well after dark, as well as multi-person relay teams raising money for charity. Since 1983, the event has raised more than $3 million for the Huntsman Cancer Institute and other charities.
Photo Credit: A.J. Merlino
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