Steve Larsen
Categories: Scripture
I remember in 2000 at the Deer Valley Norba National, Steve Larson had just gotten official word that despite clearly being the strongest rider in the USA he was not going to the Olympics and oh man did he have chip on his shoulder.Â
He shows up with a shaved head looking like an anorexic “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Same crazy look in his eyes and everything. So the start gun goes off and he is sprinting like freakin’ Cipo in a Tour stage. The Deer Valley race was always really hot and dusty and this year was no different, as a result you would get a real good layer of grime as the dust stuck to the massive amounts of sweat you were producing. Anyway, I was on the climb near the feedzone for most of the race and every lap he came by crushing the Big Ring (the big ring on that climb is pretty much unheard of). His face was black from the dust but still you could see the intensity in his eyes. At that point in time he was a bullet proof 10′ tall King Kong leaving nothing but crushed dreams and pain in his wake. It honestly was one of the scariest most impressive things I have ever seen. People didn’t know if they should cheer or run and hide. Even after crossed the finish line he was still in this primal state where I don’t think even he realized what he had just done. Oh yeah, 2nd place was over 5 minutes back.
Steve Larsen passed away while on a training run Tuesday.
I remember that year well, Steve was on fire and I think he actually had a chance to medal at the games, but the selection process was a joke and unfair. Once again our best mtn bike athletes never got to compete at the games. Dude was a hammer and I believe was always independently sponsored, never had a factory ride.
Saw that DV race too. I remember how he looked after the race, he had stripes where the dust came through his helmet and stuck to his sweaty head. Dude was obsessed and scary.
Definitely one of the all time characters of bike racing.
Wow! Good insightful writing Art! RIP Steve.
So is it too soon to add a Saint Steve to go with Saint Sheldon?
I was at that DV race as well, on the hill in the trees. Steve was raging, inside and out.
Moved to Bend in Feb., 2005, and just moved back here a few days before Steve passed. Saw him running two days before I left there, looking good. Big loss to the community.