Onboard Video Of Pikes Peak-Winning Run

Rennie Scaysbrook marked his fourth year competing in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with an incredible 9:44.963 run, now the fastest time any bike racer has made it to the top in the heavyweight class. The onboard footage (captured and edited by Spenser Robert) of his achievement is thrilling, and definitely worth a watch, or two, or three.

This was Scaysbrook’s first time racing the event with the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100, as he contested the previous three races with a KTM 1290 Super Duke. In addition to the new machine, he also had former race winner Jeremy Toye wrenching and refining the bike throughout. The combination is clearly right.

It’s always astonishing to watch the onboard footage from an event like Pikes Peak. The skill of the riders needing to get every corner just right is admirable, as is their ability to brush off the terrifying bobbles that inevitably occur and continue to lay on the throttle (check out around 3:00–3:06 in the video to see one noticeable instance of the front end getting out of shape). Total commitment and focus.

Sadly, this year's event was also marked by tragedy, after four-time race winner Carlin Dunne lost his life just before the finish line. Watching the video of Scaysbrook's run is a visceral reminder that the margin for error in this race is slim to none in most sections, with the opening miles lined by dense trees, followed by an upper section that is littered with treacherous drop-offs. Those final corners are really, really tight too, adding immense pressure at the end of an already mentally exhausting course.

Watch through to the end and listen to Scaysbrook’s reaction too. A mixture of absolute joy, adrenaline, and relief that gives some hint at what it must actually feel like to put it all together.

Congratulations to Rennie and his team. This was one heck of a run.