Road Cycling Discussions - Pikes Peak Sports2024-03-29T12:00:48Zhttp://pikespeaksports.us/group/roadcycling/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noUSA Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 4 will feature fast speeds in Colorado Springstag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-05-06:5021591:Topic:5569762014-05-06T17:29:39.769ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656429177?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656429177?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419654?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419654?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="270"></img></a> The USA Pro Challenge peloton will take to the streets of Colorado Springs on Thursday, Aug. 24, charging through some of the area's most beautiful and iconic landmarks before finishing in downtown Colorado Springs.</p>
<p>The best advice for race fans…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656429177?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656429177?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419654?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="270" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656419654?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="270" class="align-right"/></a>The USA Pro Challenge peloton will take to the streets of Colorado Springs on Thursday, Aug. 24, charging through some of the area's most beautiful and iconic landmarks before finishing in downtown Colorado Springs.</p>
<p>The best advice for race fans ... don't blink. This will be a fast course.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430337?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656430781?profile=original" target="_self">Stage 4 Map pdf</a></p>
<p>Stage 4 will begin at the Broadmoor, with the riders heading east on Lake Ave. They'll make a right on Old Broadmor Rd. and pedal on streets that border the area's famous golf courses. From there, the course travels past the Broadmoor Hotel and north on 21st St.</p>
<p>The route then leads to the Garden of the Gods and the beginning of four 16-mile circuits that will include familiar territory for cyclists and fans, alike. The circuit will loop through the Garden of the Gods and will include four leg-numbing climbs up Ridge Rd.. From there the peloton charges along Colorado Blvd. to downtown Colorado Springs. A hard left will take the riders north on Cascade Ave. to Colorado College before they swing south on Tejon St. and back to the Garden of the Gods to do it all again.</p>
<p>In 2011, the event's inaugural year, Colorado Springs hosted the prologue, a quick time trial from the Garden of the Gods to downtown. In 2012, a stage finish ended with several quick circuits on Cascade Ave. and Tejon St. The 2014 route will include many of the same streets.</p>
<p>Cycling fans will have another great opportunity to catch the race the following day as Stage 5 begins in Woodland Park and rolls west on Hwy. 24. The riders will then travel northwest on Tarryall Rd., a bumpy ribbon of asphalt and gravel that pierces a beautiful landscape of towering granite spires and expansive grassy meadows.</p>
<p>Stage 5 ends with a climb up Hoosier Pass (11,542 feet) and a hell-bent sprint to the finish in Breckenridge.</p>
<p><em>The following is a press release issued today from the USA Cycling Challenge.</em></p>
<p><strong>Denver</strong> (May 6, 2014) – The 2014 <a href="http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/">USA Pro Challenge</a> professional cycling stage race, taking place Aug. 18-24 in Colorado, will feature an exhilarating new route that will include the race’s first-ever mountaintop finish on storied Monarch Mountain. Taking riders to unprecedented elevations, higher than any of the Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España), the race will be a heart-pounding journey through the breathtaking Colorado Rockies.</p>
<p>“We’ve set out to create the greatest professional cycling event in the U.S. with the USA Pro Challenge,” said Rick Schaden, owner of the race. “The 2014 route will be a challenge for the riders and will provide plenty of great viewing opportunities for the spectators. This year is looking like it will be the best yet.”</p>
<p>The largest spectator event in the history of the state, the race will visit 10 official host cities for the starts and finishes of each stage, ranging from small towns to cities as large as Denver, with a population of more than 634,000. The final stage should serve to break any previous single-day attendance records with a start in Boulder, one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S., two passes through Golden, which has brought out huge crowds in past years, and a finish in Denver, the state’s capitol.</p>
<p>“Every year we strive to create a route that will challenge the riders in new ways, give spectators more opportunities to see some of the toughest athletes in the world and highlight new parts of Colorado,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “The mountains are such a big part of the USA Pro Challenge and we always have incredibly enthusiastic fans packing the summits, so we’re adding a new test for the riders this year, and a new viewing opportunity for our dedicated fans, with the Stage 3 mountaintop finish on Monarch Mountain.”</p>
<p>The two new locations joining the 2014 race – Monarch Mountain and Woodland Park – each offer breathtaking scenery that will add to the overall excitement. Reaching a top elevation of 11,542 ft. on Hoosier Pass, the race will include a total elevation gain of nearly 40,000 ft. over the seven days. Two new mountains – McClure Pass and Kebler Pass – will help reach that number.</p>
<p>"It looks to be the most challenging route yet,” said Tejay van Garderen, professional cyclist on BMC Racing Team and defending champion. “I have fond memories of many of the stages that are included in the route…most notably Aspen, which is my hometown, Crested Butte and Vail, where I took a stage victory last year. I don't know the Monarch Pass ski resort, but it will be cool to have a tough summit finish. This route suits me well. I'm anxious to add another title to my resume."</p>
<p>One of the most highly anticipated events on the race calendar, the 2014 USA Pro Challenge will test the riders’ strength and endurance over a 550-mile course. To give fans the opportunity to see their heroes up close and in action, each stage, with the exception of the individual time trial, will start with at least one circuit lap before leaving town.</p>
<p>Highlights of the route include:</p>
<p><u>Stage 1: Aspen Circuit Race – Monday, Aug. 18</u></p>
<p>Stage 1 of the 2013 race was such a success, so it’s back for 2014. The Aspen/Snowmass Circuit may be short on distance, but it packs a punch. At 65 miles (3 laps of nearly 22 miles each), and 2,300 ft. of climbing per lap with minimal recovery, this circuit puts the “challenge” in USA Pro Challenge. Each lap will see the riders grind up to Snowmass Village, then a quick descent leads to two short but steep climbs, and a quick loop through downtown before doing it all again. Pair that with a starting elevation of 7,900 ft. and you have one tough opening day.</p>
<p><u>Stage 2: Aspen to Crested Butte – Tuesday, Aug. 19</u></p>
<p>Each year the USA Pro Challenge searches for ways to include more of Colorado’s deep cycling history. Last year it was the climb up Bachelor Gulch and this time around it will be Kebler Pass. Stage 2 opens fast by ripping down the Aspen Valley through the sprint cities of Basalt and Carbondale before tackling the 8,700 ft. McClure Pass. A short descent brings the race to Gunnison County Road 12, which is a 20-mile rollercoaster that constantly changes from pavement to dirt and back again, while topping out at 9,900 ft. over Kebler Pass. A technical descent into Crested Butte brings the race back to familiar terrain. As in 2011 and 2012, the race will finish up with a sprint through downtown Crested Butte and the steep finish climb up to Mt. Crested Butte.</p>
<p><u>Stage 3: Gunnison to Monarch Mountain – Wednesday, Aug. 20</u></p>
<p>During Stage 3 of the 2014 race, riders will not only have to contend with a mountaintop finish, they also will have to pass over it first, giving spectators a chance to see the race multiple times from the same vantage point. Stage 3 starts in Gunnison and heads east for 35 miles before tackling the 11,300 ft. monster that is Monarch Pass. The riders will then descend the eastern slope of the pass and do two 9-mile loops through Salida and the surrounding countryside. Then it’s game time as they tackle nearly 20 miles of climbing to a finish at 10,800 ft.-Monarch Mountain Ski Area.</p>
<p><u>Stage 4: Colorado Springs Circuit Race – Thursday, Aug. 21</u></p>
<p>Colorado Springs keeps reinventing itself as a host city. In 2011 it hosted a prologue, in 2012 it was a fast road stage finish for sprinters and for 2014 it will be a challenging circuit that could contain a surprise general classification shake up. After a ceremonial start at the world famous Broadmoor, the race will head into town and join up with a 16-mile circuit that will be raced four times. With climbs through Garden of the Gods, Mesa Rd. and the infamous Ridge Rd., which hits grades of nearly 17 percent, the route will present some challenges for the riders. If a sprinter hangs on to win, they will have earned it the hard way.</p>
<p><u>Stage 5: Woodland Park to Breckenridge – Friday, Aug. 22</u></p>
<p>The 2014 USA Pro Challenge does not let up with Stage 5. This stage’s serene first 80 miles hide a vicious finish and a last chance for climbing specialists to really make a move. Starting in the new host community of Woodland Park, Stage 5 heads west then north through some of the most picturesque terrain in Colorado. The route takes the riders on a quiet run through the Pike National Forest on Tarryall Rd., which was unpaved until just last year and the riders will christen it properly with high speeds and lots of breakaway attempts. The action really starts when the race hits Fairplay and begins the long grind up 11,500 ft. Hoosier Pass, the highest point in the race. Then it is on to Breckenridge, where last year’s challenging finish up Moonstone Rd. will be repeated again. This nasty little climb can kill a break or launch a winner.</p>
<p><u>Stage 6: Vail Individual Time Trial – Saturday, Aug. 23</u></p>
<p>Last year the USA Pro Challenge visited Vail, and the time trial was decided by four seconds. In three visits to the Vail individual time trial course, this was the largest margin of victory. Competition will be equally fierce this time around, but the names may change a bit. The course’s roots are in Colorado racing lore and trace back to the Coors Classic. Starting in Vail and climbing most of the way up Vail Pass the route is no easy proposition, even for the best riders on earth. The gentle grades of the first half of the course give way to a steady climb for the last three miles. It takes more than legs on this strategic course though; go too hard early and the climb may kill your chances, but conserve too much for the climb and the leaderboard may be out of reach.</p>
<p><u>Stage 7: Boulder to Denver – Sunday, Aug. 24</u></p>
<p>It is no secret that some of the largest crowds in USA Pro Challenge history have been in Boulder, Golden and Denver, so why not put them all in one stage?</p>
<p>"I am really happy to see the 2014 edition of the USA Pro Challenge return to my hometown of Boulder,” said Taylor Phinney of the BMC Racing Team. “The energy at the finish two years ago was unreal, and it is always special to race near home. This is one of my favorite races of the year and I hope to be able to participate since I missed it last year."</p>
<p>While Stage 7 stays on familiar terrain, every year is different and anything can happen in bike racing. Leaving Boulder on CO 93 the riders will have several hilly and windswept miles for breakaways to set up before reaching Golden for the first of two passes. Through Golden, the riders will tackle the 4-mile climb of Lookout Mountain, which they haven’t seen since 2011. Another quick pass of Golden and the race is screaming through suburbs en route to downtown Denver. An abbreviated version of last year’s circuit awaits the riders for three and a half fast laps through downtown, 17<span>th</span> Ave. and City Park. Over the years, the race has witnessed some incredible sprinting on Broadway in the heart of Denver and 2014 should be no exception.</p>
<p>Host city information, maps and elevation profiles are available on the race website at <a href="http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/route">http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/route</a>.</p>
<p><strong>About the USA Pro Challenge</strong></p>
<p>Referred to as “America’s Race,” the USA Pro Challenge will take place August 18-24, 2014. For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Colorado Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure. One of the largest cycling events in U.S. history and the largest spectator event in the history of the state, the USA Pro Challenge continues to set records in professional cycling by taking the riders to unprecedented elevations. Featuring a challenging course, the fourth annual race will spotlight the best of the best in professional cycling and some of America’s most beautiful scenery.</p>
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<p></p> Rising from Ashes tells inspiring story of Rwandan Cycling Teamtag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-04-22:5021591:Topic:5526492014-04-22T16:31:26.317ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421513?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421513?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> Rising From Ashes, the award-winning feature-length documentary about Team Rwanda, will premiere in Colorado Springs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Stargazers Theatre & Event Center. The event is sponsored by the newly created CSprings Bike Initiative, and will feature an expo in the lobby beginning at 6 p.m.…</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421513?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421513?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300" class="align-right"/></a>Rising From Ashes, the award-winning feature-length documentary about Team Rwanda, will premiere in Colorado Springs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Stargazers Theatre & Event Center. The event is sponsored by the newly created CSprings Bike Initiative, and will feature an expo in the lobby beginning at 6 p.m.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.imathlete.com/events/EventStore.aspx?fEID=18816&fMID=3750" target="_blank">Purchase tickets online</a></p>
<p>Rising From Ashes is a joyous and uplifting independent film about the development of a national cycling team in Rwanda, a country still affected deeply by the genocide that tore the East African nation apart in 1994.</p>
<p>Two worlds collide when cycling legend Jacques “Jock” Boyer moves to Rwanda in 2006 to help a group of struggling survivors of the genocide to pursue their dream of creating a national cycling team. Members of the fledgling team were children left orphaned by the genocide a decade earlier. Their pasts are painful. As they set out against impossible odds, both Boyer – fighting his own past demons – and the team find new purpose as they rise from the ashes of their pasts through remarkable achievements, both big and small.</p>
<p>Dave McIntosh, a coach at Carmichael Training Systems in Colorado Springs, joined Boyer in 2012 to help coach the team. Following the movie, McIntosh will be answer questions from the audience.</p>
<p>The documentary tells a story of redemption, hope and second chances. It is not about the bike; however, the bicycle becomes a tool that has helped change a nation.</p>
<p>Team Rwanda began as a cycling organization, but became so much more once organizers realized the greater needs of the athletes. Many of the riders could not read or write, lived in homes without water and electricity, were malnourished and had never received healthcare. But there was still a greater issue, the issue of the heart. These riders were all recovering from the traumatic psychological effects of the 1994 genocide, which claimed the lives of more than half a million Rwandans, or roughly one-fifth of the nation’s population. Most of the riders were left orphaned by the massacres that claimed their parents’ lives.</p>
<p>While Team Rwanda has taken care of the physical and mental issues of the riders, it has also provided something greater – hope for a nation. Rwanda is a country still recovering from one of the world’s most devastating genocides and the country has longed for heroes. The riders of Team Rwanda have become more than just a cycling team; they have become ambassadors for a country rising from its ashes. They have given the small nation a vision of something greater than itself and renewed a sense of purpose.</p>
<p>But Rising From Ashes is more than a movie. It’s a story that relates to each and every person. It’s a gateway of hope. However, this is just the beginning. Since 2005, Team Rwanda has developed a model for caring for passionate athletes and it has gone on to expand that vision. In 2012, Team Rwanda began its next phase, the development of Africa’s first all-black, all-African team to attempt the greatest cycling event in the world, the Tour de France, after having qualified its first rider for the Olympic Games in London. Daphne Howland of The Village Voice called Rising From Ashes “a remarkable documentary.</p>
<p>It’s not just about a cycling team; it’s a testament to what happens when human beings care for one another.” “The film is crisp and economical,” said Frank Schneck of The Hollywood Reporter. “The film … avoids extraneous melodramatics, which, after all, are hardly necessary in a tale that already contains such inherently powerful drama.”</p>
<p>The film is also about redemption for Boyer, who was the first American rider to ever compete in the Tour de France back in 1983. One of America’s most fabled riders, Boyer grew up in Northern California battling long-time rival Tom Ritchey for national supremacy. Boyer left the U.S. as a 17-year-old to compete in the Tour de France, but upon his return to the United States after a prolific racing career in Europe, he lost it all. In this period of darkness, in which Boyer was incarcerated for an improper relationship with a minor, he reconnected with Ritchey, who had toured Rwanda – known as the “land of a thousand hills” – on a cycling trip in 2005.</p>
<p>Ritchey approached Boyer with an unlikely proposition – an offer to become coach of Rwanda’s first national cycling team. The success of the team came down to Boyer’s decision to move to Rwanda and invest himself completely in the project, gaining the trust of the riders he coached.</p>
<p>Over six years in the making, Rising From Ashes was produced by two partnering non-profit organizations, Gratis 7 Media Group and Project Rwanda. Narrated by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, the film has been completely donor-funded and was produced through more than $800,000 in donated funds. Since its release in 2012, the film has won awards at more than a dozen film festivals worldwide.</p>
<p>Advance tickets are $11 and can be purchased online at <a href="http://www.imathlete.com/events/risingfromashes">www.imathlete.com/events/risingfromashes</a>. Tickets at the door will be $15. Stargazers Theatre & Event Center is located at 10 S. Parkside Drive in Colorado Springs.</p>
<p>The CSprings Bike Initiative is the new bicycling advocacy organization being created from the merger of the past advocacy efforts of the Colorado Springs Cycling Club and the Pikes Peak Area Bikeways Coalition. Its mission is to become the collective and consistent voice for “Bike Culture” in the community. The first goal is to develop the communication hub for “all things bike” in the Pikes Peak Region.</p>
<p>The film event will give the community the opportunity to meet the new organization.<br/> For more information about the film, or to view the trailer, go to <a href="http://www.risingfromashesthemovie.com">www.risingfromashesthemovie.com</a>, or on Facebook at Rising From Ashes The Movie.</p> Want a little more than a 5K?tag:pikespeaksports.us,2014-02-21:5021591:Topic:5392972014-02-21T21:40:51.535ZJourney Racinghttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/JamesLuttrall
<p>It's not a cycling race, and it's definitely not an adventure race, we give you that, but this WILL get you ready for an awesome spring, summer and fall in our lovely mountains! Check out this mountain foothill race:</p>
<p>Join us on a 5 mile trail course in beautiful Bear Creek Regional Park West. You will course next to a creek, on winding single track and fast wide track. Then, in marked segments of the course, there are short distances to sprint your heart out (if you choose). Racers…</p>
<p>It's not a cycling race, and it's definitely not an adventure race, we give you that, but this WILL get you ready for an awesome spring, summer and fall in our lovely mountains! Check out this mountain foothill race:</p>
<p>Join us on a 5 mile trail course in beautiful Bear Creek Regional Park West. You will course next to a creek, on winding single track and fast wide track. Then, in marked segments of the course, there are short distances to sprint your heart out (if you choose). Racers will be awarded for finishing the main course as in a normal trail run, but there will be segment awards, too! Register today before prices go up. Only $29 until March 17th.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myjourneyracing.com" target="_blank">www.myjourneyracing.com</a></p> Breathe deep! The 2014 Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb set for Aug. 24tag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-12-03:5021591:Topic:5237692013-12-03T23:11:31.481ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Cyclist pedaled up the Pikes Peak Highway's challenging switchbacks in the 2013 Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb. The race and fun ride will take place on Aug. 24, 2014.</strong><br></br> <br></br> From Pat McDonough, Summit Cycling Productions</strong></p>
<p>The event directors of the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb recently reached out to past participants asking for…</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a><strong>Cyclist pedaled up the Pikes Peak Highway's challenging switchbacks in the 2013 Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb. The race and fun ride will take place on Aug. 24, 2014.</strong><br/> <br/> From Pat McDonough, Summit Cycling Productions</strong></p>
<p>The event directors of the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb recently reached out to past participants asking for their preference in determining the date for the 2014 version of the event. After receiving more than 200 votes, <b>August 24</b> was chosen by more than a 2 to 1 margin.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">The Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb is the ultimate test for cyclists as the participants compete on the same 20km course that the automobiles and motorcycles use in the </span><b style="font-size: 13px;">Pikes Peak</b><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><b style="font-size: 13px;">International Hill Climb</b><span style="font-size: 13px;"> every summer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">In addition to the USA Cycling sanctioned races, there will once again be a Fun Ride open to all citizen cyclists (Fun Ride participants will have three distance options this year – 5km, 10km or the full 20km). The Pikes Peak Highway is closed to automobile traffic during the event and there will be fully supported rest stops to assist cyclists in their quest to reach the summit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">The event will be part of the 2014 Rocky Mountain State Games menu of sports event for Colorado athletes of all ages and skill levels.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px;">On-Line registration will open late January at </span><a href="http://www.coscycling.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 13px;">www.coscycling.com</a><span style="font-size: 13px;">.</span></p> USA Pro Challenge returns to Colorado Springs in 2014tag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-11-04:5021591:Topic:5143442013-11-04T15:10:18.006ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421358?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421358?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> After missing the break in 2013, Colorado Springs has been awarded a stage in the 2014 USA Pro Challenge.</p>
<p>Some of the top cyclists in the world will race here on Thursday, Aug. 21. An exact route has not been announced, but cyclists and fans are already talking about a possible circuit race, perhaps in the Garden of the Gods or on downtown streets.</p>
<p>Colorado…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421358?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="650" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421358?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650" class="align-center"/></a>After missing the break in 2013, Colorado Springs has been awarded a stage in the 2014 USA Pro Challenge.</p>
<p>Some of the top cyclists in the world will race here on Thursday, Aug. 21. An exact route has not been announced, but cyclists and fans are already talking about a possible circuit race, perhaps in the Garden of the Gods or on downtown streets.</p>
<p>Colorado Springs hosted the prologue stage of the inaugural USA Pro Challenge, a time trial from the Garden of the Gods to downtown in 2011. The city played host to a stage finish in 2012, but was not included in the race route last year. </p>
<p>Event organizers released host cities earlier today. Woodland Park has made the list and will likely be awarded a stage start on Friday, Aug. 22, with the day's finish in Breckenridge. Organizers said the routes and stage details will be announced this spring.</p>
<p>The race begins with Stage 1 in Aspen, most likely with a time trial. Other host cities include: Stage 2, Aspen-Crested Butte; Stage 3, Gunnison to Monarch Mountain; Stage 4, Colorado Springs; Stage 5, Woodland Park to Breckenridge; Stage 6, Vail.</p>
<p>Organizers are asking cycling fans to vote for the Stage 7 route, with Golden to Denver, Boulder to Golden, Boulder to Denver, or a Denver circuit race being considered.</p>
<p>More details about the routes and voting <a href="http://www.prochallenge.com/city/whats-your-vote-stage-7" target="_blank">available here</a>. <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/11/news/mountaintop-finish-highlight-of-2014-usa-pro-challenge_307035" target="_blank">VeloNews story here</a>.</p> The Pinery (Formerly the Fish Market) on Bijou Hill Proposes Turning into a Full-Time Restauranttag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-09-09:5021591:Topic:4966362013-09-09T15:31:45.553ZJourney Racinghttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/JamesLuttrall
<p><span>The approach and departure streets to The Pinery are on an approved Colorado Springs Bike Route. As hundreds of users utilize this bike route, the increase in traffic of hundreds of vehicles per day will create a safety hazard for bikers. The exit from The Pinery onto Bijou Street is a steep downward exit, which will result in many protrusions into the street by drivers. Additionally, the junction of West Bijou Street and 7th Street is extremely steep as well, and many more intrusions…</span></p>
<p><span>The approach and departure streets to The Pinery are on an approved Colorado Springs Bike Route. As hundreds of users utilize this bike route, the increase in traffic of hundreds of vehicles per day will create a safety hazard for bikers. The exit from The Pinery onto Bijou Street is a steep downward exit, which will result in many protrusions into the street by drivers. Additionally, the junction of West Bijou Street and 7th Street is extremely steep as well, and many more intrusions past the stop sign onto 7th Street will occur. In winter conditions, it would be highly expected that damage to homes and to vehicles parked below that exit in addition to wiping out any pedestrian or bike traffic that happens to be in the way.</span></p>
<p></p>
<p>If you're one of the many users of this bike route, please send an email or attend the meeting to voice your concern!</p>
<p><span>Email here: </span><a href="mailto:mherington@springsgov.com" target="_blank">mherington@springsgov.com</a></p>
<div>and</div>
<div>Attend This: Neighborhood Meeting, This Wednesday (Sept 11) from 5.30-7.30pm @ Westside Community Center, Community Room 1628 W. Bijou St.</div> Leroy Popowski wins again on Pikes Peak, but it wasn't easytag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-07-21:5021591:Topic:4809042013-07-21T22:31:55.206ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"></img></a> <strong>Cyclist made the turn at Devil's Playground on the Pikes Peak Highway during the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb on Sunday (July 21, 2013.)</strong><br></br> <br></br> <strong>VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/leroy-popowski-breaks-away-to-win-his-third-pikes-peak-cycling" target="_blank">Leroy Popowski makes his break for the win</a><br></br> PHOTOS:…</strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=original"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656423291?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="650"/></a><strong>Cyclist made the turn at Devil's Playground on the Pikes Peak Highway during the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb on Sunday (July 21, 2013.)</strong><br/> <br/> <strong>VIDEO: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/leroy-popowski-breaks-away-to-win-his-third-pikes-peak-cycling" target="_blank">Leroy Popowski makes his break for the win</a><br/> PHOTOS: <a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/pikes-peak-cycling-hill-climb" target="_blank">Pics from the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb</a></strong></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426553?profile=original"><img width="250" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426553?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"/></a>With two of the best climbers in the business clinging to his back tire, Leroy Popowski had had enough.</p>
<p>He inhaled the thin air high above timberline, then stomped on his pedals and powered to victory on Sunday in the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb.</p>
<p>"I couldn't lose in my own backyard," said Popowski, a 38-year-old optometrist from Colorado Springs.</p>
<p>Chris Carr and Rory Kelly, teammates on the Denver Fit Loft crew, had tagged along behind Popowski for about five miles as the cyclists churned through the famous "W's" section of the Pikes Peak Highway.</p>
<p>(This cycling coverage is brought to with the support of the <a href="http://www.oboylerealestate.net/" target="_blank">O'Boyle Real Estate Group</a>.)</p>
<p>"They finally caught me and started doing a punch,</p>
<p>counter-punch," Popowski said. "When they started that I knew I had to throw down and go."</p>
<p>Though he weighs only 145 pounds, Popowski's power on a bike is well known. He won eight hill climbs last year and is undefeated in three tries on Pikes Peak.</p>
<p>Sunday's climb to the 14,115-foot summit was his second ascent of a Colorado 14er in two days. All three cyclists battled in the Mt. Evans Hill Climb on Saturday, with Carr taking the win. Popowski was second and Kelly placed third.</p>
<p>With his legs nearly numb, Carr said he had no answer to Popowski's final push to Pikes Peak's summit.</p>
<p>"He looked back and put in a surge and I almost came to a stop while I gathered myself," Carr said.</p>
<p>Popowski covered the twisting 12.4-mile course in 1 hour, 11 minutes, 6.43 seconds. Carr and Kelly finished second and third respectively, about 27 seconds behind.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427615?profile=original"><img width="250" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656427615?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250"/></a>In the women's race, Lisa Tumminello, 43, of Steamboat Springs, took the win in 1:35:45:55, while second-place Sue Stokes (52, Breckenridge) was 19 seconds off the winning pace.</p>
<p>They were first and second at Mt. Evans, as well, but hinted that the Pikes Peak race may be more difficult.</p>
<p>"We kept looking for more gears," Tumminello said. "A couple of times I looked down to see if I had a flat tire."</p>
<p>About 150 riders reported to the starting line as the first light filtered through the trees above Crystal Reservoir. There is no qualifying for the race, which is open to anyone courageous enough to take the challenge. Many riders take their time and enjoy views stretching to horizons hundreds of miles distant.</p>
<p>Simon Gutierrez, a three time winner of the Pikes Peak Ascent, a running race from Manitou Springs to Pikes Peak's summit, piloted an Elliptigo (an elliptical with wheels) up the mountain.</p>
<p>He had fun, but Pikes Peak takes it's toll on your body, whether you run or ride.</p>
<p>"Man, that hurt a little, my back and my legs. I think I'll stick to running," Gutierrez said.</p>
<p> </p> Race or ride for fun, Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb rolls on Sundaytag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-07-16:5021591:Topic:4765292013-07-16T19:47:56.935ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p><strong>From Pat McDonaugh/Summit Cycling Productions</strong></p>
<p>The 4th Annual<a href="http://www.coscycling.com/" target="_blank">Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb</a> Presented by the Broadmoor will take place this Sunday, July 21st . The Hill Climb includes a USA Cycling Race for licensed cyclists. As well as a Fun Ride open to anyone wanting to challenge…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a></p>
<p><strong>From Pat McDonaugh/Summit Cycling Productions</strong></p>
<p>The 4th Annual<a href="http://www.coscycling.com/" target="_blank">Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb</a> Presented by the Broadmoor will take place this Sunday, July 21st . The Hill Climb includes a USA Cycling Race for licensed cyclists. As well as a Fun Ride open to anyone wanting to challenge themselves.</p>
<p>The course begins just above the Crystal Reservoir. The riders climb for 20km (12.4 miles) on one of Colorado's most beautiful roads that provides both amazing views and unrelenting challenge.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/video/leroy-popowski-leads-assault" target="_blank">Video interview with Leroy Popowski following the 2010 ride</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.pikespeaksports.us/photo/albums/2012-pikes-peak-cycling-hill-climb" target="_blank">Photo gallery from 2012</a></p>
<p>The Fun Ride participants will have a one-hour head start on the professional and amateur racers as they will leave the start area just after dawn at <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">6 a.m.</span></span></p>
<p>The USAC races will go off in 3 waves beginning at <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">7:00am</span></span>. Last year's Pro Men's Champion, LeRoy Popowski will be back and is hoping to better his winning time last year of 1 hr. 8 min. and 36 seconds. With the right conditions Popowski believes he can break the hour.</p>
<p>"So much of it depends on the weather. There is really no way of planning on what will happen." stated the Colorado State Champion. "I have ridden the race three years and every time the conditions are different. The only thing you can count on is it will be a very tough ride!"</p>
<p>Though Popowski is the reigning Colorado Hill Climb Champion he is not a full-time professional cyclist. He is an optometrist working in Colorado Springs. Prior to starting his practice Dr. Popowski served in the Army including a deployment in Iraq.</p>
<p>LeRoy Popowski is one on an expected 500 cyclists that will be challenging themselves on America's Mountain <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">this Sunday</span></span>.</p>
<p>There is still time to register for the ride, On-line registration closes <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span> evening at <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">11:59pm</span></span>. For more information go to <a href="http://www.coscycling.com/">http://www.coscycling.com/</a>.</p> Need for speed? Check out the US Grand Prix of Sprinting this weekend at the Velodrometag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-07-11:5021591:Topic:4745732013-07-11T17:15:05.611ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421523?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421523?profile=original" width="262"></img></a></span></span></span> <span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><strong>From Pat McDonaugh</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><strong>Summit Cycling Productions…</strong><br></br></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421523?profile=original"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656421523?profile=original" width="262"/></a></span></span></span><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><strong>From Pat McDonaugh</strong></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ"><strong>Summit Cycling Productions</strong><br/></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">This Friday</span></span> and <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Saturday</span></span> (<span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">July 12-13, 2013</span></span>) the Colorado Springs Velodrome will once again be hosting some of the Worlds' fastest cyclists as at the third annual US Grand Prix of Sprinting event. Riders will compete for UCI points to qualify for the upcoming World Cup season.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Some of the worlds' best track cyclists will all be on hand at the US Grand Prix event as this is the "highest" points level event being promoted in the USA for 2013.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Riders from the USA, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Mexico, South Africa and Trinidad will be competing. A number of World and Olympic medalists will be on hand including: </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px;"><span><strong>Sarah Hammer</strong> (Colorado Springs, CO) Olympic Medalist & 6-Time World Champion <strong>Sofia Arreola</strong> (Mexico) 2013 World Championship medalist - Points Race & Scratch <strong>Njisane Phillip</strong> (Trinidad) Winner of the 2011 & 2012 US Grand Prix - Match Sprint</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Finals held both evenings - Gates Open <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">6 p.m.</span></span> - Racing Starts at <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">7 p.m.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Admission for adults is $10 and $5 for children under 12</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>The Velodrome is located in Memorial Park, Colorado Springs</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>In addition to being an event on the UCI International Track Cycling Calendar, the US Grand Prix of Sprinting is an event on USA Cycling's National Track Calendar for 2013. The National Track Calendar highlights the top track cycling events held in the United States.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span> </span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span>Advance tickets can be purchased on-line at <a shape="rect">www.coscycling.com</a></span></p> Pedal to the clouds in the Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climbtag:pikespeaksports.us,2013-05-17:5021591:Topic:4472212013-05-17T14:43:36.434ZTim Bergstenhttp://pikespeaksports.us/profile/TimBergsten
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"></img></a> <strong>By David Pico</strong><br></br> <strong>PikesPeakSports.us</strong></p>
<p>The Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb, a tough but rewarding ride, is set for July 21.</p>
<p>Now in its fourth year, the ride starts at Crystal Reservoir, at about Mile 7 on the famous Pikes Peak Highway. From there cyclists will climb 4,700 feet over 12.4 miles, pedaling far above tree line to the…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656424819?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a><strong>By David Pico</strong><br/> <strong>PikesPeakSports.us</strong></p>
<p>The Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb, a tough but rewarding ride, is set for July 21.</p>
<p>Now in its fourth year, the ride starts at Crystal Reservoir, at about Mile 7 on the famous Pikes Peak Highway. From there cyclists will climb 4,700 feet over 12.4 miles, pedaling far above tree line to the peak's summit at 14,115 feet. It’s good for the arteries.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.coscycling.com/" target="_blank">Register for the 2013 Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb</a></p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425205?profile=original"><img width="130" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656425205?profile=RESIZE_180x180" width="130"/></a>The fun ride ($50 pre-registration) will begin at 6 a.m., and the racing portion of the event – for the true beasts – costs $70 and begins at 7 a.m.</p>
<p>Riders from 31 states and five countries have put their wheels and lungs on the line for the glory of beating the merciless Peak. The harsh environment on the highest slopes supports very little life. Trees can’t grow there, and rodents that venture too far shrivel up and die. Grown men have been known to be ambushed with natural electroshock therapy at Devil’s Playground, a rock garden perched at 12,000 feet.</p>
<p>Pikes Peak is its own animal.</p>
<p>In its first year the ride started in Manitou Springs, and climbed a barbaric 8,000 feet over 26 miles. Even Zebulon Pike would have shrugged and walked away. (Actually, he did.)</p>
<p>Last year the ride start was moved to just above Crystal Reservoir, near the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb starting line. At the summit, finishers reveled in their achievement. Relatively few people have ridden their bike to the top of Pikes Peak, but it is doable by anyone in reasonable condition.</p>
<p>“It opened it up to a lot more people,” ride <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426490?profile=original"><img width="300" class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2656426490?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="300"/></a>director Pat McDonough says. “We want to involve as many people as we can.”</p>
<p>The Broadmoor has signed on as the presenting sponsor, and McDonough has enlisted the support of 12 bike shop sponsors. There will be five rest stops on the way up, one every two miles or so. But the challenge maintains an ‘epic’ flavor.</p>
<p>The famous Mt. Evans Hill Climb race happens the day before, and event sponsor Pactimo has produced a commemorative Mt. Evans/Pikes Peak cap for those who can best the two hills and call themselves the ‘ultimate climbers.’</p>
<p>For the truly gung-ho competitor, “it will be plenty epic,” McDonough says.</p>
<p>Finishers will get a medal, what McDonough calls the “proof” that they’re crazy, and winners of the race up the mountain will become instantly rich as they compete for a split of the hefty cash purse.</p>
<p>The Pikes Peak Highway is open to cyclists year-round. Over a thousand people made the gritty climb during a one-month test period last year. Many riders wheeze their way to the top every weekend.</p>
<p>“The best months to ride the Peak are June and July. But tourism traffic is at its highest at that time. That’s scary for a cyclist,” McDonough said. “We will have the highway closed for three hours and rest stops along the way.”</p>
<p>Last year, Katie Compton won the women’s race and Leroy Popowski bulled his way to the men’s championship with a climb of one hour and eight minutes. He’s coming back to defend his title and has his lunatic eyes set on puncturing an hour.</p>
<p>To date, participation numbers are ahead of schedule with over 100 pre-registrations in the books, mostly from out of town. Some 500 riders braved the climb into thin air in 2012. As for the future, McDonough is optimistic.</p>
<p>“We’d like to grow each year and get as many people to enjoy the mountain as we can,” he said.</p>