Ducati is all set to return to reclaim the Pikes
Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), an event which will also see the debut
of the Ducati Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak Edition. The Pikes Peak International
Hill Climb, also known as the Race to the Clouds, is an annual hillclimb to the
summit of the Pikes Peak in Colorado, US. The length of the track is 19.9 km
long, with over 156 turns, climbing 1,440 m from the start to the finish at
4,300 m. Ducati has secured six victories on the mountain since the company's
debut in 2008 and the held the all-time course record from 2012 until 2017, a
year in which Ducati was not part of the official race competition.
The debut of the Multistrada 1260 Pikes Peak will
showcase the versatility of the new, larger displacement Multistrada. The 1262
cc Ducati Testastretta DVT engine making 156 bhp at 9,500 rpm and peak torque
of 129.5 Nm at 7,500 rpm. The engine is paired to a redesigned chassis and
comes with a state-of-the-art electronics package, including Riding Modes,
Cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control and Wheelie Control.
This year's Ducati team will be represented by
Carlin Dunne, and current middleweight record holder, Codie Vahsholtz, who make
up the 2018 Spider Grips Ducati Pikes Peak Team. Dunne was the first rider to
traverse the Pikes Peak course in less than 10 minutes which was achieved on
the Multistrada 1200 S in 2012. Codie Vahsholtz is a Colorado native who comes
from a family of racers with his grandfather Leonard Vahsholtz securing 19
victories and his father Clint Vahsholtz winning 23 times.
The first Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was
first held in 1916 and continues to be one of the world's most challenging road
races. This year's "Race to the Clouds" will take place on Sunday,
June 24.
