USA Pro Cycling Challenge
The world will be watching this summer as 120 of the world’s top pro cyclists descend on Colorado Springs for the kick-off of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, running August 22-28. Crisscrossing the Rocky Mountains to eleven Colorado cities and travelling over 600 miles in six days, the bike race will test riders on some of the world’s most challenging and varied terrain. Consisting of a series of uphill climbs and downhill sprints in both mountain and urban settings, the attention this race is anticipated to bring will reaffirm a notion that Colorado cyclists have known for years: the biking in Colorado Springs is world-class. For more information, please visit the event website.
For more information on events going on in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region, please view our main events calendar.
Colorado Springs Cycling Itinerary
Colorado Springs, Colorado is the home of USA Cycling, the prologue start for the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Assault of the Peak, the only way to ride up and down Pikes Peak - America's Mountain. We were named the 18th Bike Friendliest City by Bicycling magazine in 2009. Here are some great ways to experience the reasons why!
Day 1
Experience the route of the pros. Take a ride through Garden of the Gods Park. This National Natural Landmark boasts bright red-hued vertical spires and interesting rock formations like "Kissing Camels" and "Balanced Rock." Mountain biking is allowed on designated mountain biking trails in the Park. In addition, all one-way roads in the Park have paved bike lanes. The Starlight Spectacular in the Garden of the Gods Park is a nighttime recreational bike ride benefiting the Trails and Open Space Coalition of Colorado Springs. It is the first event of Ridefinders Bike Week each summer. Garden of the Gods will also be part of the route for the prologue start for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Best of all? The park is free to the public. www.GardenofGods.com
Once done in the Park, a stop in the charming mountain town of nearby Manitou Springs, CO is necessary. Taste the natural mineral springs scattered throughout the town, grab a bit and visit the unique shops. Once done, check into The Cliff House at Pikes Peak or one of the area's great B&Bs. A Room with a View B&B is especially bike-friendly, they offer a 10 percent discount if traveling by motorcycle or bicycle (the bike can even be on the rack of the car). As the evening cools, make a stop in Memorial Park for a ride around Prospect Lake or the Velodrome.
Day 2
Awake bright and early, it's the day to bike down Pikes Peak - America's Mountain! Two local companies offer the adventure of a lifetime, Challenge Unlimited and Bike Pikes Peak. New for 2011 is the chance to ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway up to the summit of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak and then meet a guide at the top to bike down. Riders will pass five different life zones as they make their 20-mile ride down the mountain. Keep an eye out for eagles, deer, elk, Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep, black bears, marmots and an occasional mountain lion. The descent will take two-and-a-half to three hours.
Another tour option includes the 17-mile ride, starting at St. Peters Dome, follows the Gold Camp Road, an old railroad bed used for transporting gold at the turn of the century, from Cripple Creek to Colorado Springs. Once the ride is complete, relax a bit and make a stop at the Olympic Training Center for a free guided tour.
Day 3
Grab breakfast in bustling Downtown Colorado Springs, don't miss Art on the Streets, a multitude of eye-catching sculptures scattered throughout the area. Make the trip up to the United States Air Force Academy and hit the 23-mile Falcon Trail loop. Make sure to stop by the Visitor Center and Cadet Chapel before leaving the base. Other hot spots to explore on two wheels include the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, Red Rocks Open Space, North Cheyenne Canon and Cheyenne Mountain State Park.
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