Infinity Events Group, which is based in London, hopes to debut a five-stage tour in September of 2026. The promoter is currently looking for potential commercial sponsors.

“What we’re looking for is to create a race that has the standing of races there in the past — the Coors Classic, the USA Pro Challenge or the Colorado Classic,” Infinity Events Group director Scott Taylor said in a telephone interview from London. “In terms of Colorado, amazing topography, amazing scenery, an incredible backdrop for a cycle race. Year One would be a men’s race only. The intention is to introduce a women’s race in future years. The focus at the moment is getting Year One up and running, and establishing it on a sustainable long-term basis.

“I think the opportunities are huge if we can get it up and running for the first year.”

Taylor conceded that no sponsors are on board yet, although the group put out a news release quoting Gov. Jared Polis as supporting the effort.

“We didn’t approach sponsors until we had the governor’s backing,” Taylor said. “The point of making the release is, we do want to start talking about what we’re trying to do, but it is all dependent upon getting the necessary commercial partners. We’re confident and we’re optimistic that the timing is good, but it all hinges on getting the financial backing in place.”

Elite road cycling came to Colorado with the Red Zinger Classic and Coors Classic from 1975-1988, returning with the USA Pro Challenge from 2011-15. Another tour, the Colorado Classic, was held from 2017-2019.

“It’s not easy, there is a huge challenge because these events cost a lot of money,” Taylor said. “And, they take a huge amount of work to put them on. What’s different now? I think timing is perhaps on our side a little bit. There is an optimism around cycling, in Colorado and more broadly across the United States.”

Brendan Quirk, chief executive and president of — the governing body for the sport in the U.S. — hopes the organizer is able to make the event happen.

“Colorado is an epicenter of American road cycling,” Quirk said in an interview. “If any place in America should have a stage race, it should be Colorado. You look at the number of great champions who have come out of Colorado. Any professional road racer, where do they want to train when they’re in the United States, it����ap Colorado. I am so stoked about the vision. Colorado needs a race like this. America needs a race like this. We’re excited to work with the state of Colorado and the event organizers in trying to make this vision come to life.”

The event was created in 2019 to showcase women’s cycling but was not held the past two years because of the pandemic. The event’s sponsor, VF Corp. (parent company of North Face, Timberland and Jansport), signed a two-year sponsorship deal after it moved its corporate headquarters to Denver, but that deal expired in 2020.

“If we are unable to attain the necessary investment, the Colorado Classic and its mission to champion inclusivity and gender equity for women’s cycling will be gone,” Gart said in an open letter to Colorado Classic supporters.

Colorado has a long history of supporting elite bicycle racing with large and enthusiastic crowds, but financing events is challenging because there is no way to charge admission for spectators at an event that can be spread out over dozens of miles.

Gart believes the only way to save the Colorado Classic and support women’s cycling is to create a national women’s cycling series, with the Colorado Classic serving as a four-day final event. That would require $3 million per year.

“I would like to see two-day races in six cities across the country, which would allow women to have this platform as professional cyclists,” Gart said in an interview. “Then the Colorado Classic would attract talent from around the world. We would take the winners from that six-race series, and they would be guaranteed spots in the Colorado Classic.”

Gart said the event will never be a money-maker. The goal would be to break even.

“Either we’re going to be recognized as one of the best races in the world, or we’re going to go away,” Gart said.

Most elite female cyclists have to work other jobs in order to make ends meet, and Gart is passionate about supporting them.

“They’re such unbelievable role models,” Gart said. “They are veterinarians, they are teachers. They are so articulate, they are so noble, and the disparity in opportunities is shocking to me. The women don’t have a fraction of the opportunities. With what has happened in soccer and tennis and skiing, in terms of women being on parity with men, there is no reason in the world that it shouldn’t happen with cycling. We could be the catalyst to make it happen.”

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Some parties pick up exactly where they left off before 2020, while others have adapted to the times and changed formats. We’re especially excited for the revamped A Taste of Colorado, coming toward the end of the season. It will fill downtown Denver with street art, local food and live performances — and what a welcome revitalization.

Here are a dozen food, wine and beer festivals to check out, from Denver to the Western Slope and mountains.

Blues & BBQ, Denver (July 17)

Benefiting Habitat for Humanity, this music and barbecue festival costs $10 to enter (though $100 will get you access to the VIP area, complete with food, craft beer and wine). Once there, you can set up a picnic and enjoy live performances in the park from 11 a.m. till 8 p.m.

Citizens Park, 5560 W. 24th Ave., Edgewater,

Crested Butte Wine & Food (July 19-25)

This annual fundraiser for the Crested Butte Center for the Arts includes a week’s worth of wine dinners, seminars and tastings for participants who pay anywhere from $325 to $2,500 to attend multiple events. For the most economical “tasting pass,” attendees get access to educational seminars as well as the reserve and grand tasting. Individual event tickets also are available starting this month.

606 6th St., Crested Butte,

Summer Brew Fest, Denver (July 24)

Revelers at this twice-annual festival get unlimited beer tastings for $35-$65 a head. You can choose from a daytime, evening or VIP session, the latter featuring local food pairings. Ticket costs benefit Swallow Hill Music Association, and live performances feature bands The River Arkansas and Elder Grown.

Mile High Station, 2027 W. Lower Colfax Ave., Denver,

Heritage Fire, Snowmass (July 31)

Chefs from around Colorado gather at this one-day-only event to grill whole pigs, goat, rabbit and more heritage-breed animals over open flame, creating signature dishes from each. Festival-goers pay $99-$150 including all food, plus beer, wine and spirits, and access to butchering and up-close fire-cooking demonstrations.

Base Village, Snowmass,

Cherry Creek North Food & Wine, Denver (Aug. 11-14)

The four-day neighborhood restaurant celebration includes wine dinners, cooking demos, oyster shucking classes and more interactive events, with a percentage of proceeds going to Food for Thought Denver. Attendees will pay $45-$240 for various events, including a community dinner on the plaza and grand tastings.

Various participating venues, Cherry Creek,

Vail Wine Classic (Aug. 12-15)

Wine dinners, grand tastings, a hike followed by a wine-paired lunch — and all of it set in the picturesque Vail Valley. Classic attendees pay $65-$225 for individual events. An all-day pass gets you into back-to-back tasting sessions.

Athletic Fields and more venues, Vail,

A Taste of Colorado, Denver (Sept. 4-6)

The beloved Labor Day weekend festival expands across downtown Denver in 2021 with local food trucks, street vendors and restaurants all participating. Artists will create murals for the event and bands will perform live over the three-day weekend.

Multiple streets downtown, Denver,

Food & Wine Classic, Aspen (Sept. 10-12)

See and be seen at this annual retreat for food and wine lovers from across the U.S., featuring celebrity chefs and exclusive parties. Tickets don’t come cheap (and for now, they’re sold out). But you can always plan a visit during the festival and experience the mountain town during its most gluttonous weekend.

Throughout downtown Aspen,

Breckenridge Wine Classic (Sept. 16-18)

More than 100 food artisans, wineries, breweries, distilleries and more makers are featured over a weekend filled with luncheons, seminars and tastings in this mountain hamlet. Tickets range from $99 to $199, and the pricier option will get you back-to-back wine tastings.

Multiple venues around Breckenridge, ��

Colorado Mountain Winefest, Palisade (Sept. 18-19)

Experience Colorado’s wine country at its best with this two-day festival featuring tastings, dinners, demos, seminars and live music. Tickets for Saturday’s tasting are already sold out, but wine lovers can still snag spots on Sunday. General admission costs $75 and includes a commemorative glass and tote with access to unlimited tastings.

Riverbend Park, 451 Pendleton St., Palisade,

Telluride Wine Festival (and Autumn Classic) (Sept. 23-26)

Now in its 40th year, this four-day fest includes everything you’d expect, and also classic cars, motorcycles and airplanes to ogle against the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains. Tickets range from $100 to $1,700 — the more modest of entry fees allows access to four hours of unlimited food, wine, bubbly, beer and spirits.

Town Park, Telluride,

Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival (Sept. 24-26)

A true Colorado classic, this festival is also one of the more accessible activities of the season, with a $5 entrance fee for live entertainment, food vendors, cooking competitions and, of course, everything Pueblo chile. You’ll go for one of the state’s top homegrown crops, but stay for the jalapeño eating, the chihuahua parade and more endearing events.

Union Avenue, Historic Downtown Pueblo,

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Rivers have captured our souls for eons. We find peace listening to a babbling brook, seek adrenaline boosts navigating rapids, and experience fascination watching water meander and carve through our favorite landscapes. Luckily for those in the Centennial State, 107,000 miles of snowmelt-supplied waterways are awaiting adventure right in your backyard.

Typically less crowded than Colorado’s trails, rivers are a perfect option for pandemic-friendly fun. Plus, with reliable water through August, there’s a juicy boating moment for every level of paddler. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly floats, places to hone your skills, intense whitewater to play on, or a little bit of everything, here’s where to start.��

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Rivers for beginning boaters

If you’re new to paddling or want to enjoy a chill float, start here. Before leaving for the day, check the where you’re headed. For green paddlers, the lower the level (e.g., less than 10,000 CFS) the better. Most of these options are also section floats, which means your start and finish points are in two separate locations. You’ll want to arrange a shuttle (either a friend or local hire) ahead of time.

Milk Run

One of the best introductions to river rafting in Colorado, the Milk Run section of the Arkansas River begins in Johnson Village (at the Wilderness Aware ramp). The stretch is only 5 miles and takes about an hour, so it����ap a perfect gateway for new paddlers as well as the really young or old. It����ap mostly flat, though paddlers can enjoy a few bouncy rapids and some feel-good flows to gain their river legs. You’ll also glimpse some epic views of the Collegiate Peaks.��

Ruby Horsethief Canyon

Beginning in Loma, this 25-mile section of the Colorado River is ideal for beginners and families who want to enjoy mostly flat water. Settle in for a mellow float through beautiful red rock canyons and spy historic rock art until you reach the take-out in Westwater, Utah. Before you set out, make sure everyone is prepared for and committed to a full day on the water. Camping is also an option beforehand, but requires advanced booking and a .

Salida Town Run

This three- to four-hour float on the Arkansas River goes from Big Bend to Salida East and includes Class II+ rapids. Don’t let this put you off though; it����ap another fantastic option for families with the bonus of some of the best fishing in the area and majestic scenery. The is an ideal watering hole to stop at for a quick bite and beverage before the take out a couple of miles later.

Rivers for intermediate boaters

After you’ve mastered the basics, you may be ready to take it up a notch. Being a solid intermediate paddler means you have good control of your boat and are able to navigate some stronger currents and waves. If you want to experience Class II+ rapids but don’t feel you’re quite there skill-wise, you can always hire one of Colorado’s wonderful .

Play parks on the Arkansas River

This 1.25-mile play park in Salida features multiple holes and waves, all with consistent water flow. Play parks — or kayak parks — are a collection of man-made modifications to the natural river designed to allow you to hone your skills in a safe, but super fun, environment. After you’ve mastered your beginner basics, this is the ideal training ground to learn how to command your boat for more difficult rivers.��

Lower Animas River

The free-flowing Animas River near Durango offers spirited stretches of whitewater and handfuls of places to surf and play. Designated status by the state, this river is best run through June and you can even try your hand at a permanent slalom course found in the town section. After you’ve mastered the Lower Animas, move to the Upper Animas for more Class IV and V options.

Browns Canyon��

A solid and reliable Class III run, Browns Canyon has rapids, play spots and an exciting big water feel. It����ap also one of the most beautiful runs, offering views of bighorn sheep as you meander through smoothly rounded granite and luscious hills. Found close to Buena Vista (put-in at Fisherman’s Bridge), this run is incredibly popular for commercial trips so run it on a weekday if you’re looking for quiet.��

Pumphouse to Rancho Del Rio on the Upper Colorado

Found about 5 miles south of Kremmling, this popular stretch of the Upper Colorado River races through 1,500-foot canyons and wide basins and has a great wilderness vibe.
Classified as II-III, it����ap a must-paddle intermediate option as you can choose to skirt a lot of the rapids. If you want a lower intensity, go later in summer for a more relaxed flow and make it a day trip. You’ll find great fishing and swimming along the way.��

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Rivers for experienced boaters

You’ve spent all summer getting the hang of a solid roll and are confident with your boat-maneuvering skills. Congratulations: You’re ready for some nonstop whitewater and high flows.

Before pushing off on the next three rivers, be sure you have total understanding of whitewater safety, have a paddling buddy (or two) with you, and scout the rivers beforehand to know your route options.

Numbers Sections on the Arkansas��

Great from high to low water (you can run this into fall), this section of the Arkansas River, 6 or 7 miles north of Buena Vista, was dubbed “Numbers” because of its speed. The first paddlers who ran it didn’t have time to think of names before the next rapid, so they settled for numbers instead. Intense and technical, the eight back-to-back rapids and a hole require precision and accuracy, and maybe even a morning warm-up on more mellow areas to prepare yourself.

Slaughterhouse Falls on the Roaring Fork

Perhaps the best stretch of Class IV whitewater in the state, Slaughterhouse Falls, or Slaughter, is 5 miles from Aspen. It features 4 miles of juicy rapids — such as the iconic Entrance Exam — eyebrow-raising 6-foot drops (the falls of Slaughterhouse Falls), and its signature Hell’s Half Mile. It����ap nonstop, quality and also incredibly scenic (if you’re able to peel your eyes off the river).��

Pine Creek to Triple Drop on the Arkansas

Right before you get to The Numbers section of the Arkansas River, you’ll find this party of dramatic rapids, big drops and powerful hydraulics. It����ap a true Colorado classic, and probably the gnarliest on this list: continuous, exhilarating and absolutely unforgettable. Put in around Granite and ride the three sections — Entrance, S-Bend and Triple Drop — 5 miles to Princeton.

This is the steepest section of the Arkansas River, so only kayakers and rafters with lots of experience under their belt should try it.��

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My favorite mountain bike ride — and by that I mean a ride on a road bike in the mountains, not riding trails on a mountain bike — is the climb from Georgetown to Guanella Pass. I always find it to be demanding but extremely rewarding, promising great views on one of Colorado’s scenic byways, especially as you approach the pass.

If you start at Georgetown Lake at 8,500 feet, it����ap a 12-mile ride to the summit of the pass at 11,700 feet. You get to warm up on the pleasant streets of historic Georgetown before tackling a few challenging switchbacks just above the town that will test your leg strength. A couple of miles later, you’ll see the first of three small lakes as you parallel South Clear Creek upward in elevation. Soon the jagged cliffs on the backside of Mount Evans and the Sawtooth Ridge connecting Evans to its twin peak, Mount Bierstadt, appear.

I always feel like this ride has the perfect elevation profile, hard enough to make you feel like you accomplished something difficult, exhilarating but not exhausting. And the pass itself is breathtaking. To the east are Evans and Bierstadt, both of which are fourteeners.

Parking areas atop the pass usually are filled to overflowing with fourteener peak-baggers, but there is some great hiking on the west side of the pass that is relatively neglected. I’m particularly fond of a peak there named Square Top Mountain, which is 13,794 feet. (I’ve spent a few glorious nights sleeping under the stars on that peak, watching the sun rise over Evans and Bierstadt.)

From Guanella Pass, the downhill ride back to Georgetown is fun, but you’ll want to keep your wits about you because it can be fast. Bring a jacket, because it can get chilly up there, even in the summer. You don’t want your arms cramping or getting numb in the cold, because you will need them to handle your brakes on that 12-mile descent.

I also love the Squaw Pass ride, widely regarded as a Colorado classic. That one takes you from Bergen Park near Evergreen to a high point not far past the Echo Mountain ski area, a ride of about 14 miles outbound with an ascent of 3,200 feet. You can return to Bergen Park or continue another 4 miles to Echo Lake, most of which is downhill. That makes for about a 36-mile round trip from Bergen Park.

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“We had great confidence in the COVID-19 mitigation plan we had developed for the race, and we were well on our way to becoming the first professional women’s bike race to be held in the U.S. since the onset of the COVID pandemic,” Lucy Diaz, chief executive of RPM Events Group which organizes the event, said in a news release. “However, as the pandemic appears to be spiking again across the U.S., and after discussion with our various stakeholders, we feel it is the most prudent decision to cancel the race for 2020.”

The race was scheduled Aug. 27-30, with stages planned for Snowmass Village, Avon, Boulder and Denver. It was expected to attract some of the world’s best women riders.

“We would only hold the race if we thought it was a safe, healthy environment for the athletes and that all stakeholders felt fully comfortable to move forward,” Diaz said. “At this time we do not have full confidence from all stakeholders, so we will pivot our energy and efforts to continue to support the women’s peloton through our other initiatives.”

as a “Made for TV Streaming” model. At the time, race organizers made it clear that they did not want to cancel the race because it would deprive riders income amid the pandemic. To make up for that now, they are organizing a .

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That����ap the plan, anyway. Race officials said on Tuesday that they plan to move forward with staging the women-only race via a “made-for-TV model,” pending approval by state, county and local health departments. The race is scheduled Aug. 27-30, with stages planned for Snowmass Village, Avon, Boulder and Denver.

“An event cancellation or postponement was explored, but as a last resort,” said Lucy Diaz, chief executive of RPM Events Group, according to a news release. “And while it would be the easiest thing to do, we feel a strong commitment and promise to the athletes, the communities and our partners.”

The race will feature free, start-to-finish coverage distributed by dozens of television and online outlets worldwide, a concept it introduced last year. Expos and festivals at start/finish areas will be eliminated, along with race hospitality tents and services in accordance with social distancing. But that doesn’t mean no one will be out there watching.

“The race will encompass hundreds of miles of roads throughout Colorado, so it is unrealistic to think that we can prevent people from watching the race from the roadside,” said Anne-Marije Rook, a spokeswoman for the event, in response to an email seeking more information on race plans. “It is also unknown at this time what the social distancing protocols will be on August 27-30. But for now, we are actively trying to dissuade��people from gathering by removing any reasons for them to gather.”

Race routes and start/finish locations are being revised to diminish their impact given coronavirus concerns. Red Rocks Park is being considered as a potential venue for the final stage because of its stunning scenery and arduous course profile, along with it being a more controllable venue than the streets of downtown Denver.

“The infrastructure around this year’s race will be scaled back, but our top priority is to create an opportunity for world-class competition in an environment that best supports and focuses on the health and well being of riders and staff,” Diaz said. “We are working closely with state and city organizations, health authorities and the sports governing bodies to create protocols and processes that ensure the health and safety for everyone.”

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The , which replaces the Boulder Backroads Marathon under new management, is set for��Oct 11.��About half of the new race will be run on the rural roads out by the Boulder Reservoir where the aptly named Backroads races took place, but then it will head south and west to downtown Boulder.

“The goal here is to bring Boulder together around a signature city marathon series,” said race director Phil��Dumontet, an entrepreneur and restaurateur from New York who moved to Colorado two years ago and lives in Longmont. “We acquired the Boulder Backroads series, looking to keep what made that race so great but also bring the race downtown — bring it to the heart and soul of Boulder.”

Here is our annual list of best races in Colorado — this year, it����ap 20 for 2020:

March 15, LoDo

The bagpipes and Irish dancers will be there as usual, but the 32nd edition of this venerable St. Patrick’s tradition — a 7K which many Denver runners regard as the unofficial kickoff to the running season — has some nice new twists this year. The shamrock-shaped race medal has a removable charm (Perhaps a lucky one?) in the middle that can be detached to hang on a necklace, charm bracelet or keychain. Race shirts will be made out of soft polyblend tech fabric instead of cotton. All racers will get free photos they can download and share. And for those who opt for the 2-mile event instead of the 7K (4.35 miles) main event, the 2-miler is no longer an untimed run/walk — it����ap going to be a timed race.

April 5, Littleton to Denver

This will be the 18th year of a race that begins in downtown Littleton and finishes in Lincoln Park at the , Denver’s oldest restaurant. The point-to-point course drops more than 100 feet as it follows the Platte. The start and finish are located near light rail stops, and runners get a light rail ticket with their registration. Following the race, the Buckhorn folks put on a cookout in its parking lot with beer from Breckenridge Brewery.��The race raises money for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

April 19, Fort Collins

This race is in its 47th year, meaning it predates the popular Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon by five years. This is a tough one, climbing 500 feet over the first two miles. The reward for that grind is five miles of spectacular views along the Horsetooth Reservoir. Overall there will be 900 feet of climbing but 1,100 feet of descent into Fort Collins for a net downhill profile of 200 feet. There will be three bands on the course and another at the post-race party at New Belgium Brewing Co. There’s also an $11,000 prize purse��because this is a race that wants to support Front Range elite runners.

April 26, Cherry Creek

Tracing its heritage back to 1982, what used to exist as a 5-mile main event in and around the Cherry Creek shopping district expanded to add 10-mile and 5K distances over the years. There’s also a costume contest, a beer garden and a kids’ half-mile fun run.

May 3, Fort Collins

These races share one of the most scenic courses in Colorado. Nearly 16 miles of the full marathon and three miles of the half take place beneath the rugged cliffs and rocks of Poudre Canyon.

“We bus everybody up there in charter buses. It����ap dark, it����ap early, it����ap cold,” said race director Logan Martin. “Then the sun comes up and you see the river, you see the rocks, you see this unbelievable canyon, you get to run down as the sun is coming up. You’re running next to the Poudre, which is flowing pretty well in early May. It����ap one of the prettiest places in the entire state, in my opinion.”

The races, which also include a 10K and 5K in town, finish at Washington Park near downtown Fort Collins with a beer garden and live bands.

May 17, Denver

Take your pick from a marathon, a marathon relay with three competitive categories (open, corporate teams, government agency teams), a half-marathon (with ), a 10-miler and 5-miler that collectively comprise Denver’s biggest running event with more than 20,000 participants. But to mark the 15th anniversary of the Colfax races, there’s a whole week of events planned this year leading up to race day, including the annual Colorado Running Hall of Fame induction (Monday, May 11), a marathon movie night (Tuesday, May 12), 10-15 “shake out” runs around town (Wednesday, May 13), an “evening out” event along Colfax Avenue (Thursday, May 14), the race expo and packet pickup (Friday and Saturday, May 15-16) at Empower Field at Mile High (Isn’t that a cool idea?) and the 5K in City Park on Saturday, May 16.

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May 25, Boulder

America’s third-largest road race returns for its 42nd year on Memorial Day with dozens of world-class runners in separate men’s and women’s pro races, thousands of incredibly fast runners who don’t do it for a living and throngs of folks who just love to jog or walk through Boulder. Last year, the race that Runner’s World magazine called saw 42,936 finishers. Race organizers are hoping RTD doesn’t go through a proposal to from locations all over the greater Denver area, which is how 30% of the runners typically get to the race. RTD is currently holding a series of meetings for the public to express its opinion on this and other proposed service eliminations because of a driver shortage.

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June 6, Echo Mountain to Morrison

If you want to run fast in the thin air of Colorado, run downhill. These races oblige like no others with thousands of feet of descent. The marathon descends nearly 4,300 feet from the start at the Echo Mountain ski area (10,510 feet) near Squaw Pass in Clear Creek County to the finish in Morrison. The half-marathon descends nearly 1,700 feet from Evergreen. This year, race organizers are expanding post-race recovery services to include Theraguns (percussive therapy devices), roller sticks and ice bags, which you’ll need to treat your quads after all that downhill pounding. Revel Rockies previously was held on Sundays, but this year, it moves to Saturday.

June 14, Colorado Springs

This is a hard, hilly race amid the towering 300-foot sandstone rock formations in Garden of the Gods Park, a��registered National Natural Landmark. In its 44th year, the course follows paved roads (closed to motor vehicles during the race) and wide sidewalks. This is a Colorado classic for sure, just know that while the climbs are steep, the rock formations provide lots of inspiration.

June 28, LoDo

With a scenic LoDo course and a finish at Coors Field that includes a lap around the field (don’t forget to cross home plate), this is a great family run. The post-race party includes free hot dogs, beer and a chance to hang around in the stadium. Details of this year’s race haven’t been announced yet, but race registration typically includes a voucher for two free game tickets and a T-shirt.

July 4, Superior

Pretty much everybody knows you can’t race a mile as fast in Colorado as you can at sea level, but this race is the exception. Kicking off a Fourth of July celebration that includes a parade and a pancake breakfast in Superior, the course drops 220 feet from start to finish. Three guys broke four minutes last year, and five did it in 2015.

Aug. 2, Evergreen

In its 42nd year, this is probably the fastest 10K course in Colorado, dropping 682 feet from the start at 7,759 feet to Evergreen Lake at 7,077 feet via beautiful Upper Bear Creek Road. The 5K starts halfway down the same route and has a drop of 516 feet. The race benefits the Alpine Rescue Team, which provides mountain rescues in Jefferson, Clear Creek and Gilpin counties with a team of fewer than 100 volunteers. Headquartered in Evergreen, the group responded to 136 search and rescue missions in 2019, including 30 on the fourteeners in its coverage area (Mount Evans, Mount Bierstadt, Grays and Torreys peaks), according to Alpine Rescue Team.

Aug. 7-8, Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs

Relay races with the right group of friends can be the most fun you will ever have while running. This one, which began in 2005, covers 200 miles from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs via a short loop into Wyoming and a jaunt over Rabbit Ears Pass. You can do it as a team of six or 12, and this year, the moon will be at 86% illumination for the overnight legs. That always makes overnight relays even more special.

Aug. 8, Boulder

After two decades as a weeknight event in downtown Boulder, this venerable and��quintessential Colorado race moved to Saturday evening last year. The move proved successful, and it will happen on a Saturday again this year with a 3-lap criterium course on the Pearl Street Mall and around the Boulder County Courthouse. It����ap actually a series of mile races spanning three hours, broken into age and ability groups. The final three races will be for elite men, elite women and elite masters runners. Last year’s race attracted 2,000 spectators enjoying the fun of a weekend night on the Pearl Street Mall. This race also is part of the downtown Boulder Triple Crown race series, along with the East End 3K on June 11 and the West End 3K on July 9.

Aug. 8; Georgetown to Idaho Springs

Even though the finish is being moved this year from its traditional location at the Golddigger Stadium in Idaho Springs to a location yet to be determined (because the stadium is in the process of being sold), this remains one of Colorado’s must-do running events. This will be the 42nd running of the race that begins at Georgetown Lake, elevation 8,500 feet, and finishes 1,000 feet lower.

Even though the route parallels Interstate 70 on frontage roads, most of the course feels quiet and serene, more like running through a national park than along a major highway. As if to press the point, runners pass fly-fishing anglers as they make their way down to Idaho Springs. Befitting the area’s mining heritage, age-group winners claim awards made to look like the utensils used to pan for gold.

Sept. 7, Fort Collins

Following the template that made the Bolder Boulder — which includes a finish in the University of Colorado’s football stadium — a Memorial Day tradition for Front Range runners the past four decades, the Fortitude 10K unfolds on the streets of FoCo and finishes at Colorado State University’s football field. This will be the fourth year for this Labor Day race, which was an instant classic.

Sept. 11-12, Idaho Springs to Buena Vista

The eighth running of this event, brought to you by the folks behind the successful Wild West Relay, will take runners 165 miles from Idaho Springs to Buena Vista via three mountain passes: Guanella, Georgia and Fremont. The course is designed for teams of five or 10, and the fall colors could be gorgeous. This course follows much of the old Colorado Outward Bound relay. The descendant of that race, which evolved into the Ragnar Colorado road relay,��apparently won’t happen this year, according to the Ragnar website.

Sept. 26-27, Lakewood

An excellent venue for first-time ultra and trail runners, these races at Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park include 100K, 50-mile, 50K, half-marathon and 10K options. There is a special prize for those who complete one of the Bear Chase ultras along with ultras at two sister events, the North Fork 50-mile/50K on June 6 in Buffalo Creek and��the Chase the Moon 12-hour endurance run on July 31 in Highlands Ranch. The prize: a sweet 64-ounce growler with logos of the three events.

Oct. 4, Denver

Lots of chocolate and lots of runners make this a sweet experience, and apparently the concept of combining the two is a winner because Denver is one of two dozen cities on the Hot Chocolate Run schedule. Another attraction for this event is the 15K (9.3 miles) distance, which is rare in road running these days. Last year, the Denver 15K attracted 3,300 runners, with 5,000 in the 5K. In previous years, only 15K runners received a finisher’s medal, but this year 5K runners will get them, too.

Oct. 11, Morrison

This 5K or 10K race (which includes a family fun run) benefits the American Lung Association, and you’re going to need a strong pair to do this race. It unfolds on the hilly roads of Red Rocks Park and finishes by running up the steps of the amphitheatre to a finish line on the concourse at the top. Yes, it����ap really, really hard. But what a beautiful place to run into severe oxygen debt.

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The decision comes after the company, which was also considering Atlanta and San Antonio, Texas, received approval for $19 million in incentives from the Colorado Economic Development Commission on Thursday morning.

“Because of the level of support from the state and the offer at this morning’s EDC meeting, we were able to make our decision to expand in Colorado,” John Street, CEO of Pax8, said in a statement.

The company has grown from 50 employees at the end of 2017 to more than 450 currently.

“We see so much opportunity and talent in the region to help us maintain our competitive edge and continue to be the world’s best place to buy cloud products,” Street said. “As a homegrown Colorado business, we are excited about our continued job growth and commitment to expand our operations here in Colorado.”

Thursday morning, the Colorado Economic Development Commission awarded Pax8, which used the codename “Project Sky,” $18.9 million in Job Growth Incentive Tax Credits as well as $275,000 from the state’s Strategic Fund.

Both awards are performance-based. The first offers a state tax credit linked to federal payroll taxes and the second offers a cash award that pays out for each job created and retained for a year.

Normally, the state only offers incentives from one program or the other. The last time Colorado doubled up on an award was in February 2015 for Project Elbert (Sierra Nevada Corp.), said Jeff Kraft, director of business funding and incentives with COEDIT.

The award was unusual in another way. Local governments, in a sign of their commitment, put their own incentive money on the table, which the state then matches out of the Strategic Fund. But the state has rolled out a “location neutral” or LONE program within the Strategic Fund to encourage Front Range employers to hire more remote workers in rural areas.

Pax8 has pledged to employ 55 of the 1,852 jobs in rural areas, which eliminated the need for a local match. The company is trying to cluster the remote jobs in one locale rather than spreading them out.

“I really appreciate that this is not just our first LONE project, but that it’s a significant one,” said Carrie Schiff, the commission’s chairwoman.

The company, which already counts 375 workers in the state, plans to invest $45 million in capital and to pay an average annual wage of $106,112.

Pax8 wasn’t the only firm to receive a double-stacked incentive award. Project Blizzard, a Washington state subsidiary of a Japanese multinational, received approval for $6.4 million in Job Growth Incentive Tax Credits and $75,000 from the Strategic Fund.

The company is looking to move into the new bioscience manufacturing plant in Boulder, Washington state, Denmark or Germany. If Boulder wins, the company expects to invest $100 million to retrofit the old AstraZeneca facility that was . To run that plant, it plans to hire 280 workers at an average annual wage of $96,253.

“The spillover benefits from this are incredible,” Kraft said. He noted the Front Range is home to several bioscience companies that would benefit from having a production facility nearby.

Although the company wasn’t named, BizWest is reporting that the Japanese company that won awards was likely .

The commission made a third Strategic Fund award for $150,000 to help the a pro-cycling race, with marketing expenses. After struggling for its first two years, the race last year switched from a men’s to women’s format and won a sponsorship from Denver-based VF Corp.

Organizers of the tour, which ended Sunday in Denver after stages the previous three days in Steamboat Springs, Avon and Golden, decided to produce their own show, streaming it through Altitude TV and 30 “partner” websites instead of buying costly time on major networks, as was the case in the past.

To capture images from eight cameras and send them to a production facility in Denver, the tour used “bonded cellular” technology, which meant using cellular telephone providers instead of radio frequency transmission that requires expensive fixed wing aircraft and satellite time for relay to production facilities.

Rob Simon, chief marketing officer for the race and the man in charge of streaming and distribution, declined to put a dollar figure on the cost savings but said it cost the race half as much as it would have to do TV the traditional way.

With bonded cellular technology, each of the eight cameras covering the race had six to eight cellular SIM cards with multiple frequencies tied to cellular providers, Simon said. Those images were electronically meshed to create one HD signal that was transmitted over cell towers to the production facility in Denver at Citizen Pictures. Commentators Meredith Miller and Brad Sohner provided race analysis in a studio there.

“It����ap been around for a few years, but the technology keeps improving,” Simon said. “I think only within this last year has the cell technology – not the bonding part, but the cell coverage itself — made it more viable. One of the things we were conscious of when we were talking about routes for this year was, what was the cell coverage like? That will continue to be more and more important for us. If we’re (considering) going to a beautiful place that has terrible cell coverage, we just may not be able to go there, or we may have to change our route.”

Coverage seemed to have fewer picture interruptions this year than in the past. There was a short period during the Steamboat stage on a remote road where there was no cell coverage, but they expected and planned for that, filling the gap with pre-recorded features. The other three days, the coverage was virtually seamless.

As for distribution, the old way of purchasing airtime on a major network was expensive and had other drawbacks.

“You paid them a lot of money, they may not put you live, they would demand exclusivity and have geo-blocking, making it hard for you to take Europe in,” Simon said. “Then they would put you on sometimes at odd times. With our streaming model, we can take this feed and distribute to as many people as we want, completely untethered.”

The show each day was carried live on Altitude and replayed each evening. Sites that streamed the race included USA Cycling, three cycling publications, some of the participating cycling teams, the Colorado Tourism Office and sponsors such as the cities of Avon and Golden. Coverage also could be viewed on the race’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and its app.

“Instead of asking your audience to come to you,” Simon said, “you’re taking your stream and TV to your audience.”