Mountain biker seriously injured in major Breck Epic crash shares details of his recovery journey

The 2024 Breck epic ended on a somber note for all riders involved in the race.

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

Grotts, who led the pro men’s overall standings and was chasing Matt Pike for the final stage win, hit the tree with such force that he wrapped himself around it and was then knocked unconscious.

Shortly after the crash, several cyclists, including Breckenridge’s Lasse Konecny, rode onto Grotts and found him not moving.

Realizing the situation was dire, cyclists from the men’s professional field subsequently stopped their races so they could assist in the emergency situation by performing life-saving techniques, informing race organizers or dispatching first responders to the area.

Thanks to the quick response of everyone involved, Grotts was taken to a Denver hospital for further care. When the race results were rocked by the mid-race emergency, the pro men field met and decided that the Stage 6 results would be neutralized in fairness to Grotts and the riders who stopped to lend a hand.

At the hospital, Grotts discovered he had broken his collarbone; dislocated his right ring finger; suffered compression, transverse and lacrimal fractures of numerous vertebrae; broke his first and second ribs; broke his shoulder blade and suffered a severe concussion.

Due to the extent of his injuries, Grotts spent a week in the hospital, undergoing surgery twice. Grotts underwent spinal fusion surgery of his T4 and T11 vertebrae and subsequently had a plate placed in his collarbone.

After all the surgeries were completed, Grotts spent a week in a rehabilitation hospital where he learned to manage all his injuries while wearing a neck brace. Three weeks after the crash, Grotts returned to Durango.

“I still wore a cervical collar for six weeks and did (physical therapy) occasionally while I was still wearing a cervical collar,” Grotts said. “Now I do (physiotherapy) twice a week. It’s just slow. Of course I can look back and see where I was and realize I’ve come a long way.”

One of the most frustrating things Grotts faced regarding his recovery was not being able to move as much as before the crash.

As a professional mountain biker sponsored by Specialized, Grotts has spent his career exploring the trails and training his body every day. Suddenly no longer being able to train and exercise as he has been doing for years takes some getting used to and is a mental hurdle.

“We started with quarter-mile walks and worked our way up from there,” Grotts said. “Now I have to face the fact that I am not nearly as fit as I was before the accident.”

Despite knowing he still 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 still have a way to go, but it’s not overwhelming. When I’m really tired, the mind space goes a bit downhill. It was good to distract myself with books I wanted to read and to do short, very quiet activities.”

More than two months after the crash occurred, Grotts allowed himself to get back on his bike for easy bike rides. Although the ride was not recommended by Grotts’ doctors, the short excursions provide a moment of bliss for the lifelong cyclist.

“I’ve been cycling for 25 years or something, so I feel like I’m less of a fall risk than most people,” Grotts said. “I commute to (physiotherapy) by bike. Around three months I can actually start more serious training, but it will still seem very uneventful.

Grotts is making steady progress in his physiotherapy sessions and tentatively plans to return to racing, but he is reluctant to crash again. With his long-term health top of mind, Grotts has also considered stepping away from mountain biking to focus on other cycling-oriented projects.

“The head injury could get much worse and the bones will take a solid year to fully heal,” Grotts said. “I’ve been thinking of other projects I could do outside of racing, like the fastest known times or the King of the Mountain’s attempts to keep me sane and make me feel included. Help the team and be a professional athlete in a different way.”

After weeks of recovery, Grotts is still amazed at the strength of the mountain bike community and the response to his accident at the Breck Epic.

“It’s very special,” says Grotts. “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 impact as a professional athlete until you really need that help. I was just amazed and extremely grateful for everyone who showed up in one way or another. … It gives me a whole new appreciation for the cycling community.”

Breck Epic founder Mike McCormack even organized an aid fund for Grotts after the scary accident. In recent months, the cycling community has contributed more than $105,000 to help Grotts pay for his recovery costs.

“Mike McCormack and the entire Breck Epic team were absolutely admirable when things went wrong,” Grotts said. “It really is a great race and they show up when it counts. There’s probably no good race to crash, but I’m glad it was that one because the entire Breckenridge community did what needed to be done. I am very grateful to Breckenridge.”