The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Organizers plan to bring the race back in 2017
By Alissa Johnson
Local organizers of the USA Pro-Cycling Challenge had high hopes that the race would make a stop in Mt. Crested Butte this year, with the town possibly hosting a finish line and the start of the next day’s stage.
As of last Friday, however, the race has been canceled altogether for 2016. Organizers hope to bring it back next year with new title sponsors and a new ownership structure.
The announcement comes just months after the Schaden family—founders of the race—gave up control of the event, leaving organizers to search for new sponsors.
Dave Ochs, director of the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce, has championed bringing the race to the north end of the Gunnison Valley. He said the cancellation wasn’t a complete surprise, given a change in ownership last fall and recent communications.
“They’ve been delaying, delaying, delaying and then here it is, and good on ‘em,” Ochs said, explaining organizers haven’t yet secured a new structure and didn’t want to host a sub-par event. “They’re going to hold off a year and come back in force next year,” he said.
According to the Denver Post, the Schaden family spent about $20 million to keep the race afloat for its first five years, including $10 million in the first year and later about $2 million per year. Race chief Shawn Hunter has been seeking new sponsors for the race.
Ochs confirmed that race organizers “are trying to create a structure that is going to be financially and fiscally responsible and not just last a couple of years.”
The towns of Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte have both been supporters of the race, and the mayors of both towns are disappointed that it has been canceled.
“The town was sad to hear that they weren’t going to run the race this year. We’ve always had a great relationship with the Pro Challenge and we look forward to potentially having the opportunity to host the race in 2017 when they get everything up and running,” said Crested Butte mayor Glenn Michel.
Mt. Crested Butte mayor David Clayton said the event has been a great way to generate publicity for the valley.
“The current council has always felt that the Pro Cycling Challenge is [more than] an event but is [also] a marketing opportunity to bring awareness of Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley to a worldwide audience,” Clayton said.
“There are several billion hits to the [Pro-Challenge] website and several hundred thousand views of the day-to-day web tracker. That puts Crested Butte-Mt. Crested Butte in the spotlight for cycling here in Colorado and worldwide as the race is considered one of the top bike races in the U.S.,” Clayton emphasized.
Clayton hopes to see the race return in 2017 and hopes that Mt. Crested Butte will again apply to be a host city—though that decision will ultimately be up to the incoming council, which will see the introduction of two new members. Clayton and councilmember Gary Keiser, who are both term-limited, will be stepping down.
Ochs would also like to see the race return to the area, a decision he hopes will be made with more lead time. “It would be nice knowing we can look forward to 2017 and work toward it now. It gives us a chance to get a leg up on the process too.”
