Breckenridge was the Stage 4 finish for the male riders and a Stage 5 Time Trial for both the men’s and women’s teams. The men’s teams came flying down Main Street Breckenridge around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, and the anticipation and excitement in the air was tangible. The riders completed 129 miles from Aspen to Breckenridge, starting off with a 20-mile climb up and over Independence pass. Talk about a leg burner! Competitors were met by roaring fans, photographers and blaring music.
The time trial on Friday began with an amateur race featuring a few Breckenridge locals. Longtime local Kevin Shelden raced in the amateur time trial and his son, Taylor Shelden, made Summit County proud while racing on team Jelly Belly. The 8.5-mile time trial race included the infamously grueling Moonstone hill climb and a hasty descent down Boreas Pass back to Main Street. The Stage 5 Time Trail trophies were custom made in Breckenridge by local artist Louis Bibeau, owner of Inferno Metalworks. It was nice to see a little piece of Breckenridge move on with the top three male and female finishers.
The race concluded after 7 stages for the men with Rohan Dennis of the BMC Team taking first place overall. Kristen Armstrong (pictured with artist Louis Bibeau) of Twenty 16 came out on top for the women completing the inaugural 3-stage women’s challenge.
After competing at 9,600 feet, teams were ready to head to lower ground. The women made their way through Loveland, Fort Collins and into Golden, Colorado for their finish. The men completed their final 68-mile stage racing from Golden to downtown Denver, crossing the finish line in the Mile High City.
The event brings bike enthusiasts from all over the world and our little mountain town pulled it off with aplomb! Breckenridge hopes to be a stop on the 2016 tour; stay tuned for additional information.
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Pro-cycle stage 5
Breckenridge, CO