Boulder's Tom Danielson eager to compete in USA Pro Cycling Challenge
- Details
- Created on Wednesday, 03 August 2011 14:02
- Written by USA Pro-Cycling Challenge
By GEOFF MINTZ, SUMMIT DAILY NEWS
Tom Danielson is the guy most Coloradans will be pulling for at this month's USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which will host the best riders in the world, including the top-three finishers at the Tour de France — Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck.
But the hometown kid who everyone will be watching is Boulder resident Danielson, who by most accounts, has a pretty reasonable shot at a podium or better thanks to his familiarity with the terrain and altitude, which will surpass every other bike race of this caliber in the world.
Danielson is feeling pretty confident riding into the Challenge after finishing ninth, best for the Americans, at last month's Tour, his first. The 33-year-old races for Team Garmin-Cervelo out of Boulder, which won the Tour's Team Time Trial event and supported the yellow jersey for more than a week. Danielson has twice been a stage winner at the Tour of Spain, taking two top-10 overall results at that race.
“I think most of the directors for the teams and a lot of his competitors are picking (Danielson) to win this thing,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO and chairman of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “This is his backyard. This is the hometown boy, and I think he knows these roads better than anyone. It will be pretty inspiring to see the state of Colorado giving him a big push.”
Danielson said the hair on the back of his neck stood up when he heard the announcement of the Pro Cycle Challenge.
“I had always dreamed of doing a hometown race,” Danielson said Tuesday in a telephone press conference. “Having the local support and the feeling of competing in my home state, on my home roads and in the terrain that I'm built for — high- altitude climbing — I just love it. When I heard this race was going to happen, I just couldn't believe it.”
Read full story
Weather
Current Contests
