In the annual “Race to the Clouds,” just one will lay claim to the King of the Mountain title.

The 103rd Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb begins Sunday at 7:30 a.m. as 73 competitors aim to reach the summit of Pikes Peak.

France’s Romain Dumas won the 102nd event and clocked in at 8 minutes, 53.533 seconds in the Pikes Peak Open Division in a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck electric vehicle.

Dumas has a shot to earn back-to-back victories and his sixth title overall with a win Sunday. He will race in a Super Mustang Mach-E EV. However, Simone Faggioli had the top qualifying mark at 3:33.757, just ahead of Dumas’ time of 3:34.073. Dumas is second among the OPTIMA Batteries Fast 15, the moniker for the top 15 qualifiers.

For those unable to travel to watch the race, the cable channel RACER Network as well as the RACER+ streaming app will televise the event for the first time in PPIHC history.

Below are a few notes regarding the race.

By the numbers

103

Although this is the 103rd running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Grand Turismo, the event began in 1916. In 1917-19 and 1942-45, the race did not occur due to World Wars I and II.

4,275

Feet of elevation gained from start to finish. At the start line at Mile 7 marker on the Pikes Peak Highway, competitors begin the race at 9,390 feet. At the summit, racers will exit their vehicles at 14,115 feet.

73

Drivers in this year’s competition. That’s up from 61 racers who drove in the “Race to the Clouds” in 2024.

3

Father-son duos driving in this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Clint and Codie Vahsholtz, Dan and Trevor Aweida, and Craig and Zach Lumsden will all attempt to reach the summit during the 2025 race.

5

Women will compete in the annual event this year. Katherine Legge, Ryan Cheek, Loni Unser, Emelia Hartford and Tracy Gaudu will drive with hopes of earning the top spot. Of the returning competitors on the women’s side, Legge clocked in with the fastest time and best placement in 2024. Legge earned 27th with a time of 10:51.359.

8:53.533

Time for last year’s King of the Mountain, France’s Romain Dumas, who won his fifth race. Dumas will aim for his sixth crown and his first repeat since 2016-18 when he earned three consecutive titles.

31

Woodland Park resident Clint Vahsholtz has competed in this event 31 times. This year, Vahsholtz will race the mountain with his son, Codie. Clint earned his lone victory in this event in 2020.

21

Number of rookie racers. Of the 71 drivers in the Hill Climb, nearly 30% (29.57%) are newbies to the field.

26

Number of times someone named Unser won this race. Bobby is the last Unser to earn King of the Mountain honors and did so in 1986 in the Rally Open division with a time of 11:09.220 in his Audi Sport Quattro SL. Bobby has the most titles in the Unser family with 10, followed by Louis, who has four.

Loni will compete again this year, her fourth time in the Hill Climb. She did not finish the 2024 race but looks to amend that this season. Loni drove her way into the OPTIMA Batteries Fast 15 and is 10th on the list.