From Melisa Rollins’ dramatic return to the top to Lauren Aggeler’s U23 victory, women of all ages showed up and showed out at Leadville.
The Women of Leadville
The women of Leadville came ready to race. On August 15, the 2026 Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik brought together some of the strongest women in mountain biking for one of the sport’s most demanding endurance races, with elite contenders, experienced endurance racers and the next generation of women all taking on the legendary high altitude challenge.
This year’s race looked different from the Leadville course riders have known in the past. Wildfire damage forced organizers to modify the route, creating a 102 mile course that removed several iconic sections, including Powerline, Sugarloaf Mountain and Hagerman Pass Road, while Columbine Mine remained one of the defining challenges of the day at more than 12,400 feet above sea level.
Despite the changes, the women delivered an incredible day of racing. From the battle for the overall win to the tight fight for the podium and the U23 women competing for their own title, Leadville once again demonstrated the depth, determination and talent of women’s mountain bike racing.
Melisa Rollins Rises Again
Melisa Rollins took the women’s Life Time Grand Prix victory in 5:58:42, but her race was anything but straightforward. After crashing early and losing valuable ground, Rollins fought her way back through the field and eventually found herself battling near the front with Cecily Decker.
Decker had established herself as a major threat and spent much of the race at the front, but Rollins continued to close the gap. During the closing miles, Decker suffered two flat tires, allowing Rollins to ride clear and claim another Leadville victory in one of the day’s most dramatic performances.
For Rollins, the win was another impressive chapter in a comeback season. Her ability to recover from an early crash, stay composed and continue moving forward through one of the most difficult races on the calendar made her victory a powerful example of the resilience that defines endurance mountain biking.
Cecily Decker Delivers a Huge Performance
Cecily Decker finished second in 6:03:29, just 4:47 behind Rollins. Her performance was one of the strongest stories of the day, as she spent much of the race at the front and put herself in position to challenge for the Leadville title.
The late mechanical problems changed the outcome, but they did not diminish Decker’s performance. She still finished nearly seven minutes ahead of fourth place and showed that she has the strength and endurance to compete at the very highest level of long distance mountain bike racing.
Lauren Stephens Earns Her Leadville Podium
Lauren Stephens finished third in 6:10:13, earning the final spot on the women’s elite podium. Her result was especially meaningful after the disappointment of the previous year, when she had one of the fastest women’s times but was disqualified following an aid station violation.
Stephens returned to Leadville with another opportunity, and this time she delivered a podium finish. She also had to fight for it, holding off Sarah Lange by just 27 seconds after more than six hours of racing at altitude.
Sarah Lange Comes Within Seconds of the Podium
Sarah Lange finished fourth in 6:10:40, just 27 seconds behind Stephens. After hours of climbing, descending and racing at extreme elevation, the difference between third and fourth came down to less than half a minute.
That narrow margin is a perfect illustration of how competitive the women’s field was this year. Every position mattered, and the riders continued pushing for seconds even after spending most of the day on the bike.
The Official 2026 Life Time Grand Prix Women’s Results
The official Life Time Grand Prix women’s results show just how deep the field was at Leadville. Twenty three women finished the LT Grand Prix women’s race, with Rosa Kloser listed as a DNF and Ruth Holcomb listed as a DNS.
|
Place |
Rider |
Time |
Gap |
|
1 |
Melisa Rollins |
5:58:42 |
— |
|
2 |
Cecily Decker |
6:03:29 |
+4:47 |
|
3 |
Lauren Stephens |
6:10:13 |
+11:31 |
|
4 |
Sarah Lange |
6:10:40 |
+11:58 |
|
5 |
Hayley Preen |
6:21:50 |
+23:08 |
|
6 |
Alexis Skarda |
6:24:41 |
+25:59 |
|
7 |
Sofia Gomez Villafane |
6:28:32 |
+29:50 |
|
8 |
Hannah Otto |
6:28:59 |
+30:16 |
|
9 |
Paige Onweller |
6:33:41 |
+34:59 |
|
10 |
Samara Sheppard |
6:34:23 |
+35:41 |
|
11 |
Cecile Lejeune |
6:40:02 |
+41:20 |
|
12 |
Karolina Migon |
6:40:51 |
+42:09 |
|
13 |
Lauren De Crescenzo |
6:41:38 |
+42:56 |
|
14 |
Emma Langley |
6:43:48 |
+45:06 |
|
15 |
Morgan Aguirre |
6:43:58 |
+45:16 |
|
16 |
Stella Hobbs |
6:51:37 |
+52:54 |
|
17 |
Maude Farrell |
6:54:29 |
+55:46 |
|
18 |
Ruby Ryan |
7:00:07 |
+1:01:25 |
|
19 |
Danni Shrosbree |
7:03:33 |
+1:04:51 |
|
20 |
Hannah Shell |
7:06:08 |
+1:07:26 |
|
21 |
Courtney Sherwell |
7:06:13 |
+1:07:31 |
|
22 |
Jenna Rinehart |
7:13:32 |
+1:14:50 |
|
23 |
Charlotte Clarke |
7:19:00 |
+1:20:17 |
|
— |
Rosa Kloser |
DNF |
— |
|
— |
Ruth Holcomb |
DNS |
—  |
Source: Official Life Time Grand Prix 2026 Leadville Trail 100 MTB results. Official Life Time Grand Prix Leadville results
The depth of this field is worth celebrating in its own right. From the winner to the 23rd place finisher, these women pushed themselves through a brutal high altitude course, and every rider who finished earned her place in one of mountain biking’s most iconic races.
Sofia Gomez Villafane Continues Her Grand Prix Campaign
Sofia Gomez Villafane finished seventh in 6:28:32, placing her firmly inside the top ten women at Leadville. While she did not make the podium on this particular day, her result remained important in the larger Life Time Grand Prix season, where every race contributes to the overall championship battle.
For the women competing in the Grand Prix, Leadville was about more than one finish line. With the season continuing toward its final events, every position, every point and every hard earned result can shape the final standings.
The Next Generation Takes the Stage
While the elite women battled for the overall Leadville result, another important women’s race was unfolding in the U23 category. Twenty two year old Lauren Aggeler put together an outstanding performance to win the official U23 Women’s category in 6:53:23.
Aggeler finished 19 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of second place Kylee Hanel, demonstrating the strength of her performance on the challenging Leadville course. Her winning time also would have placed her inside the top 17 of the elite women’s results by raw finish time, although the official race results appropriately keep the U23 riders in their own category.
Official U23 Women’s Results
|
Place |
Rider |
Time |
Gap |
|
1 |
Lauren Aggeler |
6:53:23 |
— |
|
2 |
Kylee Hanel |
7:12:49 |
+19:26 |
|
3 |
Samanth Johnson |
7:13:29 |
+20:06 |
|
4 |
Emily Stapleton |
7:37:50 |
+44:27 |
|
5 |
Samantha Campbell |
7:37:50 |
+44:27 |
|
6 |
Lacie Munns |
7:55:23 |
+1:02:00 |
|
7 |
Brooke Darby |
8:27:59 |
+1:34:36 |
|
— |
Alexandra Charles |
DNF |
— |
|
— |
Katelyn Cook |
DNS |
— |
|
— |
Ellory Clason |
DNS |
— |
Source: Official Life Time Grand Prix 2026 Leadville Trail 100 MTB U23 Women’s results. Official Life Time Grand Prix Leadville results
Aggeler’s victory is an important reminder that the future of women’s mountain bike racing is already arriving. With strong young racers competing in the U23 ranks and earning opportunities on major stages, the sport is developing a deeper pipeline of women capable of taking on the biggest endurance races in the world.
The Women of Leadville Are the Story
What makes the 2026 Leadville race so compelling is that there is no single story that defines the women’s field. There is Rollins’ comeback, Decker’s battle at the front, Stephens’ redemption, Lange’s incredibly close fourth place and the relentless performances of every woman who continued pushing toward the finish.
There are also the women who filled out the top ten and beyond, including Hayley Preen, Alexis Skarda, Sofia Gomez Villafane, Hannah Otto, Paige Onweller and Samara Sheppard. Behind them came Cecile Lejeune, Karolina Migon, Lauren De Crescenzo, Emma Langley, Morgan Aguirre, Stella Hobbs, Maude Farrell, Ruby Ryan, Danni Shrosbree, Hannah Shell, Courtney Sherwell, Jenna Rinehart and Charlotte Clarke, each adding to the depth of the field.
Then there is Lauren Aggeler and the U23 women, representing a generation that is already making its presence known. Their performances show that women’s mountain biking is not simply producing individual stars; it is building a deeper and more competitive field across every generation.
A Future Worth Watching
Leadville has always been a test of endurance, but the 2026 women’s race demonstrated that it is also becoming an increasingly important showcase for the breadth of women’s mountain bike racing. Established champions, Grand Prix contenders, endurance specialists and emerging U23 racers all shared the same start line and took on the same demanding environment.
The course may have changed because of the wildfires, but the challenge remained enormous, with high altitude, long climbs and relentless miles separating every rider from the finish. The women answered that challenge with determination, resilience and the kind of racing that makes mountain biking so compelling.
Melisa Rollins may have taken the overall win, and Lauren Aggeler may have claimed the U23 title, but the bigger story is the entire group of women who showed up at Leadville. They raced hard, they pushed through, they represented every generation of women in the sport, and they showed once again that the women of mountain biking are ready for whatever comes next.
