Durango's Tad Elliott
Wins the Big One
The 2012 Birkebeiner
U.S. Ski Teamer Tad Elliott makes juggling look easy, balancing a flourishing nordic career with a mountain biking career. Competing on the national teams for each discipline, Elliott has competition in his blood. His dad Mike Elliott was a cross country skier for the U.S. Ski Team in the 60s and 70s skiing in three Olympic Games. The Colorado native is hot on his dad's heels, skiing out of relative obscurity and into first at the 2010 U.S. Championships 50k and second in the 15k freestyle to announce his arrival on the cross country scene. He bested that performance in 2011, earning his second U.S. title in the 30k freestyle and winning several SuperTour events, including the SuperTour Finals 6k hill climb in Sun Valley. Elliott's addition to the squad bolsters a U.S. distance cross country crew led by veteran Kris Freeman.