Alex Nichols said his ascent of 14,115 foot Pikes Peak was painful and he was concerned when Rickey Gates and Abu Diriba pulled away to hit the summit ahead of him. But his downhill skills served him well. Nichols caught and passed them both to take the win in 3:46:40. Diriba finished second with Gates running home in third place. Nichols had tried twice before to win the marathon, but finished second. He is the first American to win the men's race since Matt Carpenter in 2011.