Imagine the Tour de France … in America. That’s pretty much what the US Pro Cycling Challenge is, and it will be making its way through Summit County once again this year. On Friday, August 22, Breckenridge will play host to the end of Stage 5. The riders will start about 80 miles away in Woodland Park, head toward Fairlplay, climb over 11,542-foot Hoosier Pass and 11,481-foot Boreas Pass, then end on Main Street. The race will include some of the biggest names in the sport of cycling. Intimidating, huh? Don’t worry, you can leave the hardcore stuff to the professionals and come cheer them on!
Even if you’re not that into cycling, it’s still a pretty cool event. Our friends at the Breckenridge Resort Chamber made sure of that! Make sure you check out Festival Village, where there will be demos, free live music, food and even a massive Jumbotron so you can watch the cyclists’ trek from Woodland Park to Breck. The town will be full of bicycle enthusiasts. In fact, you’ll see a lot more spandex than you ever imagined. If you want to wear yours, go ahead. If not, then feel free to leave them at home.
Here’s a look at Friday’s events:
Friday, August 22
12 – 6 p.m. Festival Village Open – Tiger Dredge/Riverwalk Parking Lot
12 p.m. Strider Challenge – Main Street
1 p.m. Breck Outdoor Ed Adaptive Ride – Main Street
1:30 p.m. Funkadelic Pond Crossing – Dredge Pond at The Dredge
3:45 p.m. Pro Cycling Challenge Finish – Main Street
4 p.m. Awards Ceremony – Festival Village
7:30 p.m. Free Concert-Big Head Todd & The Monsters – Riverwalk Center
Breckenridge Bike week will also being going on, August 20 – 24. It will include high-end bike demos, led group rides, trail building, lectures, clinics, free bike tunes, kids’ races and more! To see the entire schedule, click here.
For lodging options, visit www.summitrentals.com.
Click on the view gallery button to see a few pictures I took last year during the Pro Cycling Challenge.
To read more about the US Pro Cycling Challenge, click here.
