Summit County will be highlighted in the fifth USA Pro Challenge in August with three stages beginning or ending there and time trials to be staged in Breckenridge, including the first women’s competition in tour history.
The general route for the seven-day race was previously announced, but tour officials announced route details on Tuesday.
“Each year we get a little bit smarter,” said Pro Challenge chief executive Shawn Hunter. “I say this every year, but I do believe this will be our most exciting route, and it’s certainly the most fan-friendly, especially because of the four days in Summit County.”
Stage 2, which begins in Steamboat Springs, will end with an uphill climb to the Arapahoe Basin ski area. Stage 3 goes from Copper Mountain to Aspen. Stage 4 brings riders back to Summit County for a finish in Breckenridge, and the time trials will be held there the next day.
The tour will cover more than 600 miles, concluding as it did the first year in 2011 with a Golden to Denver ride via Lookout Mountain with four laps in downtown Denver.
“What we try to do is take feedback from the teams and riders and create a route that is short enough that they are racing every day, they don’t take a day off, they’re not hiding anywhere,” Hunter said. “There are pieces of the race for the sprinters, there’s some for the climbers and for the (general classification) guys there is a bit of everything.”
Stage 3 will be especially arduous with climbs over Fremont Pass and Independence Pass. The next day the riders will have to climb Independence Pass again.
“The interesting stat on day three is that half of that day’s competition will be above 10,000 feet,” Hunter said. “I do not know another race in the world that can boast stats like that.”
Tanner Putt, a rising young rider for Team UnitedHealthCare from Park City, Utah, said the route should favor a very good climber and good time trialist, “somebody that is good at positioning themselves in the field, that can climb and won’t lose much time in the time trial.”
Crowds are sure to be massive for the final stage, both in Golden and in downtown Denver.
“Golden has always been a great partner,” Hunter said. “I think it was Levi Leipheimer who said in one of the first couple years of the race, it’s the biggest start crowd for any professional cycling race he’s ever competed in and that includes the Tour de France. I can tell you, I’ve been to that race the past five or six years, he’s right.”
John Meyer: jmeyer@denverpost.com or
Route details for the fifth USA Pro Challenge:
Stage 1, Aug. 17: Circuit race of two 48-mile laps starting and finishing in Steamboat Springs, utilizing highways west and south of town, 97 miles.
Stage 2, Aug. 18: Steamboat Springs to Arapahoe Basin with a loop around Green Mountain Reservoir, finishing with a five-mile climb to the ski area base at 10,789 feet, 103 miles.
Stage 3, Aug. 19: Copper Mountain to Aspen via Fremont Pass (11,079 feet) and Independence Pass (12,095) with a sprint in Leadville (10,152 feet) and a loop around Turquoise Lake, 101 miles.
Stage 4, Aug. 20: Aspen to Breckenridge with another ascent of Independence Pass, then down to Buena Vista, over Trout Creek Pass to Fairplay (with a sprint there at 9,953 feet), then over Hoosier Pass (11,542 feet) and then a nasty little climb in Breckenridge, 126 miles.
Stage 5, Aug. 21: Time trial in Breckenridge with a 600-foot climb, 8.5 miles.
Stage 6, Aug. 22: Loveland to Fort Collins with a 3,000-foot climb up Buckhorn Canyon, descending Rist Canyon and swinging by Horsetooth Reservoir, 102 miles.
Stage 7, Aug. 23: Golden to Denver via Lookout Mountain with four laps in downtown Denver, 68 miles
