2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge

[craig1985]

2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge host cities

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

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2012-usa-pro-cycling-challenge-route-revealed

Altitude aside, for those that know this area (Bro Deal etc.) will this be a better parcours compared to this year's inaugural event? Or a lame event to ensure that Levi wins this race with the help of beetroot juice?

 

[maltiv]

With last years amount of beetroot juice Leipheimer will win no matter what parcours they make.

 

[jens_attacks]

well i see the same city names so lame it is

 

[roundabout]

Beaver Creek Village should be an uphill finish I think.

But I guess it depends how long is the TT

Edit:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011...enge-may-include-summit-finish-in-2012_199473

Maybe, maybe, maybe

 

[9000ft]

All they announced is the host cities, not the route. There are a lot of different ways they can do it.

Glad to see the prologue gone. Prologues are a wasted day in a one week race

Durango to Telluride could be a beast if they go over Red Mtn Pass. The other way would be to go through Delores and over Lizard Head Pass which would have it's moments but wouldn't be nearly as tough. If they finished in Mtn Village instead of town that would be a tough finish climb - that's a steep road.

Golden to Boulder could make use of a lot of hard climbs using the Front Range Canyons. Golden Gate, Coal Creek, Boulder Canyon, Left Hand, and all the stuff in between they could make use of. A finish in downtown Boulder would be pretty flat though.

Going from Aspen to Beaver Creek I imagine they'll go over Independence, Tennessee passes and Battle Mtn. To go over Fremont and Vail passes would mean they'd have to use the Vail pass bike path which is only about 10' wide.

Beaver Creek and Mt C.B would be significant enough uphill (but not MT) finishes to create gaps.

Breckenridge to C Springs is a 1200 meter net loss in altitude, but there are a lot of interesting roads and climbs in between.

I will be interesting to see what kind of ITT they come up with in Downtown Denver.

 

[Havetts]

Apparant lack of a hard (6%+ average) MTF at altitude makes it heavily favourable to the on form Time trialists. Sure the altitudes will do damage, but they wont be killers like a 6%+ mountain would on that altitude.

 

[Deagol]

My bet for the most interesting stage: Golden to Boulder. I don't see any true mountaintop finishes here (based on the listed finish locations), so that's dissapointing. (edit: I guess that depends on how close to the actual listed city the true finish line will really be).

They have stated that they want to make finishing in Denver a tradition, which is a mistake IMO. Not much of interest in Denver, unless you like urban crits (the crowds would be huge, though). I wish they left Denver and the TT off the schedule and replaced it with a hillclimb stage up Mt Evans or something like that.

People seem to want steeper climbs (myself included). There are some available (Flagstaff & the road to St. Mary's come to mind) but they don't seem to fit with the logistics. It has been said many times before, but a lot of these roads were designed for big semi-trucks to make it over in winter, so not the steep narrow roads that make race spectating super interesting.

The stage from Durango to Telluride, as stated above, could go one of two ways. I think if they go over Lizard Head, it would be anticlimatic as far as the racing goes (scenery is great, though). The climb from Rico to Lizard Head is pretty gradual, the descent into Telluride would be pretty. Going the other way through Silverton, Ouray, Ridgeway, and the world-famous town of Sawpit would be a monster stage.

 

[mewmewmew13]

I read somewhere (Denver post, Velonews, or ??) that they will go over Lizard Head, so no Red Mountain Pass. They didn't give details on the Breck to C. Springs stage, but if they go through South Park and over Wilkerson pass, it would not to too exciting, IMO. Looks like they are doing the harder side of Independence Pass this year, that could be good. My bet for the most interesting stage: Golden to Boulder. I don't see any true mountaintop finishes here, so that's dissapointing. They have stated that they want to make finishing in Denver a tradition, which is a mistake IMO. Not much of interest in Denver, unless you like urban crits. Anything done through the mountains in a stage that finished in Denver would probably be negated by the long, flat approach to the city. I wish they left denver and the TT off the schedule and replaced it with a hillclimb stage up Mt Evans or something like that.

It will not be a lightweight stage out of Durango...with the altitude and climbing that will be a great start.

I hope they take advantage of some of the great terrain up the canyons from Golden to Boulder. There is excellent potential there.

Breck to Co Spgs with Hoosier Pass to Alma-Fairplay-- also can pick up some additional interest and climbing on the way to the Springs if they do it right.

Hope they have some better input as to mixing up the routes as compared to last year. It could be a much better race than last.

 

[Deagol]

It will not be a lightweight stage out of Durango...with the altitude and climbing that will be a great start.

I hope they take advantage of some of the great terrain up the canyons from Golden to Boulder. There is excellent potential there.

Breck to Co Spgs with Hoosier Pass to Alma-Fairplay-- also can pick up some additional interest and climbing on the way to the Springs if they do it right.

Hope they have some better input as to mixing up the routes as compared to last year. It could be a much better race than last.

I edited my post since I saw in the Velonews article that the route details published in the post were not official. My guesses are that the Durango to Telluride stage will go over Lizard Head and not Red Mountain (for logistical reasons). Montrose to CB will have to go over Cero Summit and along Blue Mesa to Gunnison to CB. Gunnison to Aspen will be the same as this year. Aspen to Beaver Creek will go back over IP to Leadville and down to Minturn to BC. Breck to CS will have to go over Hosier Pass to somewhere in South park (hopefully not Wilkerson Pass)- on this stage, I wonder if they could go over Kenosha Pass and through Platte Canyon to Pine Junction and head south to Woodland Park ???? Golden to Boulder: I hope they go up Golden Gate Canyon...

 

[benpounder]

...

Durango to Telluride will be over Lizard Head (3116m); there is no way the organizers would start the seven day stage race with Coal Bank (3292m), Molas (3325m), Red Mountain (3358m), and Dallas Divide (2734m).

Montrose to CB will be a repeat of this years stage 1, sans Monarch pass. That said, there are some interesting roads between Montrose and Gunnison that could make the early-goings interesting.

Gunny to Aspen will likely be the same route as stage 2, thou I would like to see Kebler (3042m) instead of Cottonwood (both are dirt). If they use Kebler, then Aspen to Beaver Creek would likely be Independence, Tennessee, and an uphill finish into BC (3.7km, 190m).

Breckenridge to Colorado Springs will most likely be a boring Hoosier Pass (3509m) into Southpark (and yes, that is where the animated comedy show gets its name) to US24 and Wilkerson (2898m) into the Springs. In my dream, the organizers have decided to take a detour just before the Springs turning southwest in Cascade for the mother of all MTFs - Pikes Peak with 30.7km of 6.6% topping out at 4300m! Unlikely...

Stage 6 has the most potential, and therefore the highest possibility of a disappointing race route. Lookout Mt, Golden Gate Canyon, Peak to Peak Highway, Lefthand Canyon... Lots of possibilities, little likelihood.

I'm hoping for a bold route, but not holding my breath.

 

[Deagol]

I think you are pretty accurate in your assement. The Breck to CS stage could possibly be the most boring stage ?? Hosier Pass is not a hard climb at all, altitude or not. Wilkerson Pass is not either. It's just rollers from there to Woodland Park, then a downhill into the Springs. I figure thay had to bring the race to home hometown of Chris Charmicael and USAC

If they did do the Pine Junction to Woodland Park variation (fat chance, I know) it would be a lot more interesting.

 

[Christophe]

Durango-Telluride will be a good-sized group finish either way it goes. Both approaches into Telluride are pretty gradual. Red Mountain might be a cat 1 climb (Coalbank and Molas are probably only cat 2), but it's still quite a long way from the finish from Red Mountain summit.

Still good to see a big race go over roads I know!

 

[benpounder]

I think you are pretty accurate in your assement.

I wrote that before reading the Velonews article. Colorado cyclists think alike.

Thou I doubt that Boulder would sanction an out of town uphill finish in its first hosting...

My one initial gripe (main one for there are numerous little ones just based upon starting and finishing towns) is that a stage race that ends with an ITT needs a serious MTF beforehand. Otherwise, the race winner is a foregone conclusion, barring accident or Schlecktitus.

 

[9000ft]

There are a couple ways they could spice up the route from Breckenridge to C Springs. They could take 285 top Jefferson then go by Terryall Res and on through Cripple Creek. No huge passes on that route but a lot of up and down till the final decent to C Springs. It will be a long day no matter what. It's a 2 1/2 hour drive going the most direct route.

As neat as I think a finish at the top of Mt Evans or Pikes Peak would be I doubt it will ever happen. The weather is way too dicey up there for all the infrastructure that a race finish requires plus the Euros where freaked about going over 12,000, imagine how they'd react having to go 2200' higher.

The two places off the top of my head that have enough room for a MTF are Monarch and Wolf Creek Passes. Both are far away from host cities though and as much as people like to whine about pandering to commercial interests, you need those sponsors happy if a race is going to prosper.

 

[benpounder]

The two places off the top of my head that have enough room for a MTF are Monarch and Wolf Creek Passes. Both are far away from host cities though and as much as people like to whine about pandering to commercial interests, you need those sponsors happy if a race is going to prosper.

Regarding the space and in addition to the ones you mention; there are two spots short of Red Mountain (out of Ouray), west summit of Rabbit Ears, Independence Pass (though it would be difficult), Fremont Pass, Lookout Mtn, Flagstaff, and a host of others have the space to host a MTF. But as you say, this requires the host town not having the finish in that town. (Short-sighted politicians mostly - as if people wont come and spend money in Pagosa or South Fork if the finish is Wolf Creek.)

 

[Deagol]

Regarding the space and in addition to the ones you mention; there are two spots short of Red Mountain (out of Ouray), west summit of Rabbit Ears, Independence Pass (though it would be difficult), Fremont Pass, Lookout Mtn, Flagstaff, and a host of others have the space to host a MTF. But as you say, this requires the host town not having the finish in that town. (Short-sighted politicians mostly - as if people wont come and spend money in Pagosa or South Fork if the finish is Wolf Creek.)

I read the offical bid from a large front-range city to host a finish of a stage of the race. I knew whoever proposed it didn't really know a lot about bike racing. It was doomed to failure from the outset. They wanted to have the stage finish in the city (flat, miles away from the truly interesting roads). Yes, they all want to have the stage finish right there in their version of "downtown". You are right, though. On Wolf Creek, you would get a lot of people going through South Fork if they came from the Front Range. Just imagine, a 2-hour wait to be seated at The Hungry Logger !!!

 

[benpounder]

D, what really blows me away is that the pols here in Colorado already have the economic proof that towns can gain revenues even if the "event" isn't concentrated in downtown "where-ever". It is called hunting season.

Both spend one day in town provisioning, scoping out and employing local knowledge, paying for maps and outfitters, to glean to the best locations for their pursuit. And afterwards, they stop back into town to celebrate/commiserate their venture - almost always with much ado (aka spending).

I would love to see Steamboat's proposal. I suspect it was for another finish in downtown. They should have proposed a MTF on Rabbit Ears.

 

[biokemguy]

Golden to Boulder

The pessimist in me thinks they'll neuter the Golden to Boulder stage by having the finish somewhere downtown after miles of downhill/flats.

The optimist is really hoping for the an MTF on Flagstaff or maybe Magnolia. The magnolia option would be less spectator/TV friendly and probably more difficult logistically, but the racing would be more exciting.


What I really wanna see sometime in the future for this race is a MTF in Rocky Mountain National Park going up the west side of Trail Ridge Road from Granby.

 

[9000ft]

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_19542097

MTF up Flagstaff? That would be pretty cool if they made it happen. It's not a huge climb and not all of it is steep, but it's big enough and steep enough to create some real gaps. A finish there coupled with the ITT on the last day could make the race a lot more interesting.

Hope they do it. If they do, I'll take the day off work and even spend some money in Boulder that day.

 

[avanti]

I booked a hotel in Aspen - the finish there coincides with the womens 3-day race.

 

[Angliru]

Regarding the space and in addition to the ones you mention; there are two spots short of Red Mountain (out of Ouray), west summit of Rabbit Ears, Independence Pass (though it would be difficult), Fremont Pass, Lookout Mtn, Flagstaff, and a host of others have the space to host a MTF. But as you say, this requires the host town not having the finish in that town. (Short-sighted politicians mostly - as if people wont come and spend money in Pagosa or South Fork if the finish is Wolf Creek.)

Flagstaff was the first mountain I ever climbed when I got serious about cycling. Do they still have the amphitheater there? That was the point that I rode up to but it was almost 20 years ago.

 

[biokemguy]

Amphitheater

Do they still have the amphitheater there?

Yes, it's still there, but the road goes another couple miles past that point.

It only gets harder after the amphitheater.

I recently rode the Sierra Rd. climb featured in the ToC and for those not familiar with Flagstaff, it's a similar climb. Slightly longer and there's no little 'rest' like the dip on Sierra before the finish. I'd expect the time gaps to be bigger on Flagstaff if it's raced in a similar way to Sierra Rd. last year.

 

[benpounder]

Flagstaff was the first mountain I ever climbed when I got serious about cycling.

If I were organizing this race, this is the route I would try and secure for stage 6 (Golden to Boulder):

The profile looks like this:

The major climbs are Golden Gate Canyon, Old Stage Road and Left Hand Canyon with a MTF on Flagstaff: 215km with 3959m of climbing.

 

[9000ft]

If I were organizing this race, this is the route I would try and secure for stage 6 (Golden to Boulder):

The profile looks like this:

The major climbs are Golden Gate Canyon, Old Stage Road and Left Hand Canyon with a MTF on Flagstaff: 215km with 3959m of climbing.

Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines but closing Boulder Canyon might be tough. Of course if it's a descent there probably wouldn't be a lot of spectators and it would be over fairly quickly so the traffic disruption wouldn't be too long.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

are any of the climbs steep because last year was a disaster