It’s got to fly on logging roads and high-altitude two-track, be able to tear down rocky, high-speed descents, and turn every watt you’ve got into momentum uphill. When you’re racing 160 kilometres and climbing over 4000 metres in oxygen starved air, you want a bike that is comfortable and efficient. If you want to win—and Lachlan Morton and Alex Howes want to win—it’s got to be very, very fast.

That doesn’t answer the question though. Lachlan is going to ride his full-suspension Cannondale Scalpel at Leadville. Alex will race on his Scalpel Hardtail.

Both Cannondale Scalpels are ultralight, fast cross-country race machines. They rip down the steepest, gnarled trails and give unreal grip, acceleration and control in sandy corners. The hardtail reacts explosively to every turn of the pedals and is as lightweight as a mountain-bike can be. If a rear shock makes the Scalpel a few grams heavier, the most advanced cross-country suspension ever made will let you charge downhill with more confidence.

“I was going back and forth between the hardtail and full-suspension,” Alex says. “I think on paper the full-suspension might make more sense, but I’ve never run the hardtail at Leadville, so I said screw it. You never know until you try. I’ve been riding the hardtail all summer, going super fast and just riding the heck out of it. I’ll be running some relatively skinny tyres, just trying to get the weight down, and keeping the dropper low downhill.”

Lachlan is sticking with the bike he loves too.

“I’m riding the Scalpel,” he says. “It’s my favourite bike that I own. I decided to go with the dual suspension, because it is just more fun. It is more comfortable. And generally if you’re having more fun, you go faster.”

That’s true. That’s not all there is to it though. Alex and Lachlan have both customised their rigs for speed on Saturday. Alex is rocking lightweight titanium Wahoo road pedals. Lachlan’s got bullhorns.

Here are full specs for their Leadville race bikes.