In the early summer of 2009, cycling legend Lance Armstrong took a 100-mile training ride from his mountain home in Aspen. Even for Lance, a distance ride like that gave him time to ponder. On that particular day, Lance asked himself why Colorado was not home to a professional bike race. When he arrived home, Lance called the Colorado governor’s office and posed the same question to me. “Why is there no professional cycling race in Colorado?”
My response was simply, “I don’t know.” I told Lance that while I was in law school at the University of Colorado in the early 1980s, I stood along the route of the Coors Classic, near Boulder, and watched some of the best riders in the country compete. But the race that began as the Red Zinger Bicycle Classic and evolved into the Coors Classic went away in the late ’80s. Colorado was left to watch other states like Georgia, Missouri and California play host to our nation’s, and often the world’s, premier cyclists.
Lance was right. There was every reason to set about bringing a pro bike race back to our great state. The breathtaking landscapes, the high mountain passes, an avid Colorado cycling community, a robust tourist industry, and the most welcoming people in the world, all argued in favor of a Colorado race.
But how to bring a race to Colorado was an entirely different question. First, I turned to people who knew the sport of cycling and who could help make the dream into a reality. I met with a variety of folks, including Lance, and Michael Aisner, who had organized and produced the Coors Classic.
Eventually, I formed what we called “the gang of five” to do the hard work of seeking an owner and sponsors for the race. The initial gang (I joined them after leaving office) included businessmen Ken and Tom Gart; Olympic cyclist Connie Carpenter; former racer Bob Shaver; and attorney George McLaughlin. I also asked Don Elliman, who served in my administration as the state’s chief operating officer and economic development director, to provide advice and assistance to the group.
While there are a lot of folks who deserve credit for helping to bring the race to Colorado, the gang of five, plus Elliman, did yeomen’s work. They undertook their task as unpaid volunteers with vigor and passion.
After almost a year of negotiations, the Schaden family of Denver, founders of Quizno’s, offered to become the owners of the race. Without Rick Schaden and his father Richard, who understood the potential for a pro stage race in Colorado, it may have never come to pass.
On Aug. 2010, thanks to a tweet by Lance, 4,000 rabid Colorado cycling fans showed up for the introduction of what was initially called the Quizno’s Pro Classic. Months later, under the leadership of race co-CEO Shawn Hunter, the Schadens changed the name to the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. That said it all. Colorado would not be home to just a race, but to the marquee professional bike race in the country.
For the past week, Colorado residents and tourists alike, and millions of TV viewers around the world, have watched in awe as many of the world’s greatest cyclists pedaled over spectacular mountain passes and through forested valleys, and into the hospitality-rich towns and cities of Colorado.
Two years after Lance’s first phone call, we have proved, once again, that Colorado is a great place to live. We have showcased our state, our towns, our communities and our people in a way that makes us the envy of the world. Thanks to all who toiled to make this race such an overwhelming success!
Bill Ritter Jr. was the 41st governor of Colorado.
