The 2024 Breck Epic ended on a somber note for all cyclists involved in the race.

After five days of high-energy racing, the sixth and final stage August 16 came to an abrupt halt when Durango’s Howard Grotts crashed into a tree a mile from the finish line.

Grotts, who was leading the Pro Men’s overall and chasing Matt Pike for the final stage win, hit the tree with such force that it wrapped around him and was subsequently knocked unconscious.

Shortly after the accident, several cyclists, including Lasse Konecny ​​of Breckenridge, mounted Grotts and found him not moving.

Recognizing that the situation was dire, cyclists on the men’s professional field then stopped their races so they could assist in the emergency by performing life-saving techniques, informing race organizers or receiving first responders in the area.

Thanks to the quick response from all involved, Grotts was airlifted to a Denver hospital for further care. With the race results shaken by the mid-race emergency, the pro men’s group came together and decided that the results of Stage 6 should be neutralized in fairness to Grotts and the riders who stopped to lend a hand.

In the hospital, Grotts discovered he had broken his collarbone; dislocated his right ring finger; suffered compression, transverse and tear fractures to numerous vertebrae; he fractured his first and second ribs; he fractured his scapula and suffered a severe concussion.

Because of the extent of his injuries, Grotts spent a week in hospital, where he went under the knife twice. Grotts underwent spinal fusion surgery at T4 and T11 vertebrae and then had a plate inserted into his collarbone.

Once all the surgeries were completed, Grotts spent a week in a rehabilitation hospital, where he learned how to deal with all of his injuries while in a neck brace. Three weeks after the accident, Grotts then returned to Durango.

“I was in the neck collar for another six weeks and I was doing (physical therapy) occasionally when I was still in the neck collar,” Grotts said. “Now I do (physical therapy) twice a week. It’s just slow. Obviously, I can look back and see where I’ve been and realize I’ve come a long way.”

One of the most frustrating things Grotts had to deal with in his recovery was not being able to move as much as before the accident.

As a Specialized-sponsored professional mountain biker, Grotts has spent his career hitting the trails and pushing his body on a daily basis. Suddenly not being able to train and move like he had for years took a bit of adjustment and mental speed.

“I started with quarter-mile walks and then went from there,” Grotts said. “Now I’m faced with the fact that I’m nowhere near as fit as I was before the accident.”

Despite knowing he has a long way to go before he makes a full recovery, Grotts doesn’t feel overwhelmed or frustrated.

“As long as I have enough energy, my mind stays pretty good,” Grotts said. “Obviously I have a way to go, but it’s not overwhelming. When I’m really tired, the mind space goes down a bit. It was good to distract myself with books I wanted to read and go out for short, really gentle activities.”

More than two months after the accident, Grotts allowed himself to get back on the bike for light bike rides. Although the ride was not recommended by Grotts’ doctors, the short trips provide a moment of happiness for the lifelong cyclist.

“I’ve been cycling for 25 years or so, so I feel like I have a lower risk of falling than the majority of the population,” Grotts said. “I will commute to (physical therapy) by bicycle. About three months is when I can really get into more serious training, but it will still feel very low-key.”

Making steady progress in physical therapy sessions, Grotts plans to return to racing but is hesitant to crash again. With his long-term health on the back of his mind, Grotts also considered stepping away from mountain bike racing to focus on other cycling-focused projects.

“The head injury could get a lot worse, and the bones take a solid year to fully heal,” Grotts said. “I thought about other projects I could do outside of racing – like fastest known times or king of the mountain attempts to keep me healthy and make me feel involved. Help the team and be a professional athlete in a different way.”

After weeks of recovery, Grotts is still amazed by the strength of the mountain biking community and its response to his crash at the Breck Epic.

“It’s extremely special,” Grotts said. “It’s the world I’ve been in for so many years, so you don’t take it for granted, but you don’t realize how close-knit the community is and how many people you can influence by being a professional athlete until you really need to. that help. I was just amazed and extremely grateful to everyone who showed up in one way or another. … It gives me a new appreciation for the cycling community.”

Breck Epic founder Mike McCormack even organized it a relief fund for Grotts following the frightful accident. In recent months, the cycling community has contributed more than $105,000, helping Grotts pay for his recovery expenses.

“Mike McCormack and the entire Breck Epic team have been absolutely admirable when things have been going,” said Grotts. “It’s a really great race and they show up when it counts. There probably isn’t a good race to crash at, but I’m glad it was that one because the entire Breckenridge community did what needed to be done. I am truly grateful for Breckenridge.”