Colorado gets a weeklong cycling holiday
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- Created on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 17:23
- Written by Dena Rosenberry
Levi Leipheimer celebrates winning the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge in August on the podium in Denver. The Denver Post
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has proclaimed the week of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge race - Aug. 20-26 - as the “Colorado Cycling Holiday.”
And race week will stay an honorary holiday forever, he said.
Why? Because it's such a great event for spectators and the economic it celebrates activity, it draws some of the world's best athletes to Colorado, and it embodies Coloradans' aspirations to be healthy.
“The USA Pro Challenge was an event that shined an international spotlight on Colorado,” Hickenlooper said Tuesday night, following a celebration of the 2012 race host cities.
“Any expectations we had for success were surpassed ten-fold," he said of the inaugural year. "We want race week each August to be known as Colorado Cycling Holiday to attract visitors from all over the world and to celebrate Colorado, good health and cycling.”
See photos and videos of the 2011 race!
Colorado tourism director Al White presented the official proclamation bearing the Colorado state seal to CEO of the USA Pro Challenge Shawn Hunter.
“This race means so much to us, and to know the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is being recognized and celebrated by people throughout the state is such an honor,” said Hunter. “Fans came out to watch the race in droves this past August and we hope that enthusiasm continues into 2012 and beyond.”
After drawing more than 1 million fans and producing $83.5 million of economic activity in the inaugural year, the 2012 race is returning to 12 host cities Aug. 20-26.
Stage 5 of the race, which begins in Breckenridge, will finish in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs hosted the inaugural event's Prologue time trial in August.
• Monday, Aug. 20 Stage 1 Durango – Telluride
• Tuesday, Aug. 21 Stage 2 Montrose – Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte
• Wednesday, Aug. 22 Stage 3 Gunnison – Aspen
• Thursday, Aug. 23 Stage 4 Aspen – Beaver Creek/Vail Valley
• Friday, Aug. 24 Stage 5 Breckenridge – Colorado Springs
• Saturday, Aug. 25 Stage 6 Golden – Boulder
• Sunday, Aug. 26 Stage 7/ITT Denver
