USA Pro Challenge Events
Stage 6, Saturday, August 22
Windsor-Loveland-Fort Collins
Community Bike Rides/Events and Race-day Viewing Rides
Bike clubs, shops, and businesses in northern Colorado are hosting community bike rides on sections of the USAPC Men’s and Women’s Race Courses prior to the event to help build excitement for the event and to showcase the beautiful roads of northern Colorado. Community members may also join rides on the day of the event to prime viewing areas to see the racers up close and personal.
http://usaprocyclingchallenge.com/
Race courses
The men’s race course (PDF Map) is 102 miles long and passes through Loveland on its way to Carter Lake and then up Buckhorn Canyon to Rist Canyon, followed by the dams along Horsetooth Reservoir and Bingham Hill before finishing in downtown Fort Collins.
The women’s course (PDF Map) is a bit shorter but no less arduous, following the same route up Buckhorn Canyon and down Rist Canyon for a total of 58 miles.
Community Rides and Events
All of the following rides and events are free of charge (unless otherwise noted), and participants must wear bicycle helmets on any of the bike rides. Specific rides may have requirements such as a minimum age or a suggested level of fitness based on the difficulty of the route. Participants of all rides will receive a copy of the USAPC viewer’s guide and a gift provided by the City of Fort Collins’ FC Bikes and SRTS programs.
| Date | Time | Ride/event details | Sponsored by | For more information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesdays | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Community Ride every Wednesday, starting at Lee's Cyclery on Laurel Street. This is a no-drop ride for anyone interested and is good training for other rides taking place on the USAPC course. | Lee's Cyclery | www.leescyclery.com |
| Saturday, July 23 | 8 a.m.-noon | 46-mile bike ride along much of the men's and women's USAPC race courses, including Buckhorn Canyon, Rist Canyon and Bingham Hill. | Fort Collins Cycling Club | www.fccycleclub.org/weeklyrides |
| Saturday, Aug. 1 | 8 a.m.-noon | 59-mile ride covering the Carter Lake portion of the USAPC men's course. | Fort Collins Cycling Club | www.fccycleclub.org/weeklyrides |
| Saturday, Aug. 8 | 7 a.m.-2 p.m. | Community ride for advanced riders. This ride will cover most of the USAPC men's race course, including Carter Lake, Buckhorn Canyon, Horsetooth dams and Bingham Hill. This ride is for self-sufficient riders who are able to handle a demanding course of 90 miles. Water refills will be available at the Carter Lake Marina and another location to be determined. | Peloton Cycles, led by Travis Kocurek and Enrique Lopez | USAPCC 2015 - Stage 6 Preview | Strava Route |
| Sunday, Aug. 9 | 8 a.m.-noon | Wanda's Ride: 12-, 32-, and 60-mile ride options, with one route including the Horsetooth Reservoir dams section of the USAPC men's course. This ride requires paid registration and is a benefit event for a club member injured in a bike crash. | Fort Collins Cycling Club | www.fccycleclub.org/weeklyrides |
| Wednesday, Aug. 19 | 1-2:30 p.m. | Big Kids' Bike Skills Course, Little Kids' fun course, helmet blitz and decorating, and more! At the City of Loveland Public Library. | City of Loveland Public Works | Shelley Aschenbrenner, michelle.aschenbrener@cityofloveland.org |
| Wednesday, Aug. 19 | 5:30-8:30 p.m. | USAPC Kickoff at Summitview Church parking lot along Spring Creek Trail, Fort Collins. Will include Family Bike Rodeo, pedaling school bus, local bike shops and clubs, helmet blitz, "YGR Live" show for race fans, live music and food trucks. | City of Fort Collins FC Bikes and Safe Routes to School programs, Associates in Family Medicine and Summitview Church | Tessa Greegor, tgreegor@fcgov.com |
| Saturday, Aug. 22 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | 57-mile ride to several viewing areas for the USAPC races. | Fort Collins Cycling Club | www.fccycleclub.org/weeklyrides |
| Saturday, Aug. 22 | 5:30-7:30 | Old Town Q&A event with women pro cyclists who are racing in the USA Pro Challenge, downtown Fort Collins. | Rio Grande/USAPCC | Exact time and location TBD; check back for updates. |
| Saturday, Aug. 22 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Cruiser-style ride from Road 34 bike shop to the top of Bingham Hill for festive viewing of the men's and women's races. | Road 34 | www.facebook.com/road34 |
Note: Please return to this page in coming days to see more event listings!
For questions or more information, email Nancy Nichols, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, at nnichols@fcgov.com, or Tessa Greegor, FC Bikes Program Manager, at tgreegor@fcgov.com.