Usa pro cycling challenge 2012 route

[BillytheKid]

Stage One is the major disappointment. Mesa Verde through Durango... then the Coal Bank, Molass and Red Mountain would have been epic. I hope they rethink it for next year.

The rest of the race is a slight improvement as said. Stage 4 and especially Stage 6 (Flagstaff) will offer unphill finishes. This a good ride for those going to the Canadian WT races and Worlds.

 

[Clemson Cycling]

Bontrager- have heard that Team Kenda may have had more justification to earn a spot in this race over this team based on NRC standing, but ??

They just finished 4th and 5th in Utah and have the 2 best young American climbing prospects in years.

 

[Forunculo]

It could be good for Andy if he wins here. But difficult to see

 

[Netserk]

It could be good for Andy if he wins here. But difficult to see

I find it hard to believe that Abandy can improve his 20 cq points

 

[Deagol]

They just finished 4th and 5th in Utah and have the 2 best young American climbing prospects in years.

This ranking pre-dated the Tour of Utah and one of the things noted was that Kenda wasn't invited to USPCC or the Tour of Utah, so hard to make a comparrison there.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Durango... @ivanbasso training data T4 h 10 m , 130 KM...

 

[spetsa]

Logistically they could not finish it at the top. I think there will be a total of 8k feet that day so there should be some separation

There will be no seperation until people choose to sit up just before the base of Flagstaff or at it. If you are there and do not have access to the finish, the grind up 13th st to Baseline would be a good viewing point in town. If they have not preridden the finish, the guys racing to stay at the front prior to the finish climb may be suprised. The only other place on the course someone may be able to get away and stay is on Lee Hill (corrected). It will be a blazing fast return through town, so it may be tough there without a huge gap and the ability to stay near the front up the climb anyhow. It will be another long day, with great views, untill the last pass through downtown.

 

[CQmanager]

Stage One is the major disappointment. Mesa Verde through Durango... then the Coal Bank, Molass and Red Mountain would have been epic. I hope they rethink it for next year.

The rest of the race is a slight improvement as said. Stage 4 and especially Stage 6 (Flagstaff) will offer unphill finishes. This a good ride for those going to the Canadian WT races and Worlds.

They cant have it so it is decided on the very first stage ... but I agree the first stage route could be better.

 

[Deagol]

Also, I think I read before that the National Park Service was not agreeable to having the route pass through Rocky Mt National Park (Trail Ridge Road) so probably same for Mesa Verde.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

There is no road through Mesa Verde NP, all roads leading into the park are dead-ends.

 

[BillytheKid]

They cant have it so it is decided on the very first stage ... but I agree the first stage route could be better.

There is no tradition here except for the local merchants, who in all fairness deserve some stages, but WTF, lets just have one real mountain stage. I applaud the idea of the race as a whole and the short, sharp Flagstaff climb is a huge plus. The purposed Mesa Verde to Red Moutain Pass stage offers relentless climbing. A true HC stage, but would decide the outcome of the race too early for some. The problem here is that we have to finish in Denver like the TdF finishes in Paris. This is not GT and you need to think outside the box.

Like I said though, it will some good training miles for the upcoming WT GP Quebec and Montreal.

 

[BillytheKid]

Also, I think I read before that the National Park Service was not agreeable to having the route pass through Rocky Mt National Park (Trail Ridge Road) so probably same for Mesa Verde.

Another problem are that lands set aside for the public and public cannot be used by the public for something as heinous as a bike race one day out of the year. The tribe of Kant. I have nothing agaisnt the Park or Forest Service except that the idea of blocking a bike race one day of the year is over zealous.
Of course it would inhibit, the Armada of SUVs from Park use...I can here the whinning from here.

 

[BillytheKid]

There is no road through Mesa Verde NP, all roads leading into the park are dead-ends.

AHHH, AGGH! I live here. Mesa Verde, the base of the park, would be the starting point with a Cat 3. into and then through Durango onto the well established Iron Horse Classic Route, simply adding the Red Mountain Pass finish to take it to the pro level.

Please don't be so eager to dismiss it, I've long thought this one out. Although the climb up to the Park center itself would make a nice finish. It merely would be a well-know starting point design to advertise the Park....lots of cut away footage etc. Does this really have to be so hard to see?

 

[Deagol]

I've lived in Durango for about 9 years and know the route you are describing. There were definately other options for a race than what they chose, that's for sure.

On another topic, No Andy Schleck

http://www.denverpost.com/cycling/ci_21330420/andy-schleck-ruled-out-usa-pro-challenge-colorado

 

[Deagol]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/preview-the-2012-usa-pro-challenge-starts-hard-and-finishes-harder_234676

 

[BillytheKid]

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/08/news/preview-the-2012-usa-pro-challenge-starts-hard-and-finishes-harder_234676

Altitude makes this race difficult not its parcour. The race is too Levi friendly for my liking finishing with an ITT and very little in the way of a true Col to Col HC mountain stage that could make an early selection to be countered closely by those who can dispose a pure climber in the final ITT. Levi is finally climbing well and will be very difficult to beat here with what little of it there is as we bypass some great opportunities.

I am being a broken record. I do hope for some surprises, but I fear there will be very little racing until the final Kms on select stages.

 

[BillytheKid]

You won't be seeing high climbs like this on the Coal Bank Pass:

Or a finish up here on Red Mountain:

My parting shot.

 

[BillytheKid]

You won't be seeing high climbs like this on the Coal Bank Pass:

Nor a finish up here:

http://dasautomagazine.com/images/august2012/thrilling-rides/colorado-highway.jpg

My parting shot.

 

[spetsa]

Altitude makes this race difficult not its parcour. The race is too Levi friendly for my liking finishing with an ITT and very little in the way of a true Col to Col HC mountain stage that could make an early selection to be countered closely by those who can dispose a pure climber in the final ITT. Levi is finally climbing well and will be very difficult to beat here with what little of it there is as we bypass some great opportunities.

I am being a broken record. I do hope for some surprises, but I fear there will be very little racing until the final Kms on select stages.

You are correct about the difficulty coming from the altitude and not the courses. Unfortunately that is a good excuse for no attacking and day after day of large groups rolling up long gradual climbs together. It would not suprise me if more than 10 riders are still in contention for the win going into the TT. Beautiful scenery, big crowds, great towns, boring racing as I see it.

 

[BillytheKid]

60% chance of rain tomorrow. I hope that they have weather capable aricraft
this year. Otherwise you might have to just lsiten to Phil and Paul.

I think this race is a good idea. It is well place for those going on to the Montreal, Quebec and Worlds, but I will call it like it is. Hopefully the squeaky wheel will get some oil.

This plane can fly through just about anything.

 

[babastooey]

I've been to Colorado Springs although it was a long time ago (1995) and I was mostly passing through on US 24 and I-25 to go to New Mexico.

It just seems to me that due to its looming over everything, a ride on Pike's Peak would be epic. As soon as they announced a stage race in CO it is all I could think about.

For those of you who are more knowledgeable, would it make sense logistics-wise to include Pike's Peak in the race at some point in the future?

 

[BillytheKid]

I've been to Colorado Springs although it was a long time ago (1995) and I was mostly passing through on US 24 and I-25 to go to New Mexico.

It just seems to me that due to its looming over everything, a ride on Pike's Peak would be epic. As soon as they announced a stage race in CO it is all I could think about.

For those of you who are more knowledgeable, would it make sense logistics-wise to include Pike's Peak in the race at some point in the future?

It's very high at over 14,000 feet as is Mt. Evans. The pavement ends, if I remember less than half way up, but I agree it right there on the front of the front range. This race needs some epic climbs.

They have an auto TT up it every year. Various classes of race cars. That's been around for ever.

I'll put that one in the epic climbs for this race box, along with Mt. Evans and the purposed stage from Mesa Verde-Dutango to Red Mountain.

I wonder if anyone is going to bother with a Stage by stage discussion thread this year.

 

[Deagol]

Mt top finish on Red Mt Pass could be cool, but I don't think there is enough room up there. The descent into Ouray is fast enough and twisty enough (not to mention epic scenery) so that finishing in town could be just as good a a Mt top finish on Red Mt.

RE: Pikes Peak, it's been many years since I've been up the road, but I hear they are paving higher & higher up each year.

RE: Mt Evans. Also short on room up at the top, but it is possible. Many of us here have done the Mt Evans hillclimb race, so it is possible.

If I were designing routes, I would not have chosen the Durango - Telluride route the way they have done it. I think I would do Durang -Ouray stage and a Ouray to telluride with a summit finish on Lizard head (coming up from the North, so steeper).

I think Ben Pounder (a poster here) did a great job with the individual stage posts last year, but got burned-out due to all the criticism.

 

[BillytheKid]

Mt top finish on Red Mt Pass could be cool, but I don't think there is enough room up there. The descent into Ouray is fast enough and twisty enough (not to mention epic scenery) so that finishing in town could be just as good a a Mt top finish on Red Mt.

RE: Pikes Peak, it's been many years since I've been up the road, but I hear they are paving higher & higher up each year.

RE: Mt Evans. Also short on room up at the top, but it is possible. Many of us here have done the Mt Evans hillclimb race, so it is possible.

If I were designing routes, I would not have chosen the Durango - Telluride route the way they have done it. I think I would do Durang -Ouray stage and a Ouray to telluride with a summit finish on Lizard head (coming up from the North, so steeper).

I think Ben Pounder (a poster here) did a great job with the individual stage posts last year, but got burned-out due to all the criticism.

There's enough room if you close the road. Most mountain tops any where are a tight squeeze and sometimes riders have to ride back down or in this case through and down to Qurey. The thing is not to look for reason why not. I admit that this is much more difficult to do, however, and I don't how the Forest Service would feels about it.

I don't want to be too negative, but the cycling press seems afraid to discuss it. This year is an improvement over last. I just looking for one a big HC, Col to Col mountain stage and they are passing one up today.

Today's finish is very scenic.

I was just going to start a thread, but I not going to watch it live.

 

[Deagol]

My thought on a MTF on Red Mountain is that with everything that would be needed, there would be a ton of trampling of the vegitation on either side of the road up there. Also, the descent into Ouray would be awesome and a shame to miss out on.

I can't watch it live either and only hope to see highlights online later. I saw 2 stages last year, but it looks like I won't see any stages in person this year.