Tour Divide Racer Hit by Car 60 Miles From Finish

James Moore · 2026-07-03

### A Devastating Crash on the Great Divide Route On July 2, 35-year-old Alyssa Secreto was just 60 miles from becoming the second woman to cross the finish line of this year's Tour Divide when a car struck her. The collision left her with severe injuries. She was airlifted to El Paso, Texas, for emergency surgery. A GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses and recovery has raised over $62,000 toward a $130,000 goal. ### What Happened That Morning The crash occurred at 4:30 a.m. on New Mexico Highway 146 in a remote area just south of Interstate 10. The driver was estimated to be traveling between 50 and 60 mph at the time of impact. According to the GoFundMe page, "The crash has left her with severe injuries: 8 fractured vertebrae, 6 cracked ribs, a broken arm, internal bleeding, a brain bleed, lacerations to the kidney, spleen and liver, and a completely destroyed bike." ### A Long Road to Recovery An update posted today says, "Alyssa is undergoing her second surgery. The surgeons are working to address both her abdominal injuries and her broken arm. Their focus is to ensure the internal bleeding has fully stopped, and they plan to stabilize her arm with a plate." The update adds, "Our hope is that tomorrow she will be able to come off the ventilator and begin communicating with her loved ones about her wants and needs." ### Who Is Alyssa Secreto? Hailing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Secreto had just won The Grand Loop race, a notoriously challenging event widely considered the first established ultraendurance bikepacking race and a precursor to the Tour Divide. Her victory there set high expectations for her Tour Divide performance. ### More Than Just a Bike "To make things heavier, [Secreto] lost her bike, which wasn't just gear to her... it was her trusted companion on some of the most gratitude-fueled moments of her life," the GoFundMe organizer wrote. "She had just built her dream bike, only for it to get destroyed." For many endurance riders, a bike becomes a deeply personal part of the journey, and losing it adds emotional weight to an already tragic situation. ### A History of Danger on the Route This isn't the first time a rider has been seriously injured along the Great Divide Route. In 2010, Dave Blumenthal was struck by a vehicle in Colorado while riding the Tour Divide and tragically lost his life. And in 2023, Jay Petervary was seriously injured when a vehicle hit him in Colorado, 2,000 miles into an FKT attempt on the same route. These incidents highlight the ongoing risks cyclists face when sharing roads with motor vehicles, especially in remote areas where driver attention and road conditions can vary widely. ### How You Can Help To support Alyssa's recovery, you can visit the GoFundMe page (link with nofollow attribute). Every donation helps cover her mounting medical bills and the long road ahead. The mountain biking community has already shown incredible support, but she still needs more help to reach her goal. ### Key Takeaways for Event Professionals - **Safety planning is critical:** For any endurance event, especially those on open roads, consider how to mitigate risks from motor vehicles. - **Emergency response protocols:** Ensure your event has clear plans for medical evacuation and communication with local authorities. - **Community support:** A strong community can rally around injured riders, but having a financial safety net or insurance options is essential.