Ducati Set To Return To Pikes Peak With Multistrada 1260

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.

The Ducati Multistrada 1260 features a 1262 cc engine which makes 156 bhp

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.