USA Pro Cycling Challenge storming into Crested Butte August 23

The birthplace of mountain biking welcomes skinny tires and spandex

Excitement is building for 136 pro cyclists—including the podium placers from this year’s Tour de France—to descend into Crested Butte.
There’s no doubt they’ll make their presence known: they’ll race through town at breakneck speed and take on a sprint line down Elk Avenue, reaching up to 50 miles an hour in front of the Brick Oven.
What’s harder to predict is how many tourists will descend into town with them. Organizers expect 4,000 to 6,000 spectators, and local hotels are seeing a bump in reservations.
It has the makings for a lively weekend, where the main question will be where to watch the race. It won’t be an easy question to answer. Race organizers hope spectators will line every street and the finish with cowbells and noisemakers.
But this is Crested Butte, after all. The party starts long before the racers arrive around 3 p.m. Just as they begin their climb out of Salida and up Monarch Pass, Buttians will start a race of their own at 11:45 a.m.: the Townie Criterium. Locals will put their Townie skills to the test on an “off-road” course that winds through local establishments.
At 1 p.m. the U.S. Handcycling Federation will host a Handcycling Criterium, where some of the most inspiring athletes will follow a similar course as the Townie Crit.
Spectators who prefer to take in the action from the safety of the sidelines will have the option of a downtown beer garden complete with jumbotrons or the Finish Festival in Mt. Crested Butte. The Finish Festival will feature food and product vendors, a kids’ area, two jumbotrons with live coverage of the race, a beer garden, and a live music stage with multiple acts throughout the day. Kids of all ages can race through the official finish line at the Strider Cup race at 1 p.m.
Once riders sprint down Elk Avenue, they’ll complete three hair-raising 90-degree turns before the sprint down Elk. Then they’ll fly through the Four-way Stop and grind uphill for three miles, where Mt. Crested Butte will feature the only uphill finish in the six-stage race.
With so many festivities, predicting exactly how many bike lovers will line the course is a bit of a guessing game for any inaugural event. But local hotels are reporting a noticeable bump in reservations on August 23 and 24, suggesting that folks are staying long enough to see Stage 1 finish in Crested Butte and Stage 2 depart from Gunnison the next morning.
The Inn at Crested Butte reports what it calls a “bubble” with about twice as many reservations as the Tuesday before. Mike Nolan, owner of Elk Mountain Lodge, is seeing people book rooms for the tour as well. One group booked all the rooms and then released them, but the Lodge is filling back up. And according to owner Sandy Fails, The Old Town Inn is about three-quarters full; she believes most of the bookings are for the bike race. She senses what could be described as a tentative excitement among local business owners.
“My sense is that at first everyone was really excited about the race, and we had several multi-room bookings right after the stages were announced,” Fails said. Then, reservations slowed as people waited for race details to emerge.
“I think people still don’t know what to expect. After Lance Armstrong was here for the Leadville qualifier, we had a few more calls; Crested Butte got a little street cred from that. Now people are curious and excited, but still a little questioning. We’re taking more calls, and I think we’ll fill up, but it hasn’t so far been the Gold Rush of 2011. I think if this year goes well, next year will be huge— because people are itching to get excited about it.”
And the best way to get excited and ensure success? Get out there and participate. Local business and spectators alike are invited to attend a community informational meeting on Monday, August 15 at 5 p.m. at the Lodge at Mountaineer Square. Or read on for the inside scoop on the best places to watch.

Where to Watch
Anyplace is a great place to watch! This is Crested Butte, after all. Just plan to arrive early. Elk Avenue will be closed all day and the Town of Crested Butte will be closed to all vehicle traffic for about 30 minuted between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Rolling road closures will be in effect everywhere about one-half hour before riders come through, and delays are expected on Gothic Road between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte starting at 2:30 p.m.
Racers are expected to hit the town of Crested Butte around 3 p.m., but organizers recommend getting to town by 1:30 p.m. to watch in town, or by 1 p.m. to catch the shuttle up to Mt. Crested Butte.
For a peek at the most action-packed moments, here’s what you need to know:
Stage 1: August 23
—Salida to Crested Butte, by way of Monarch Pass.
—Elk Avenue Sprint Line: Watch riders hit speeds of up to 50 miles an hour as they battle it out for the green jersey in front of Maxwell’s Steakhouse and the Brick Oven Pizzeria.
—Pitchfork: The three-mile uphill grind is the only uphill finish in the race—this is where the stars will shine.
—Finish line in Mt. Crested Butte: Cheer riders across the finish line as they finish Stage 1 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
Stage 2: August 24
—Gunnison to Aspen, by way of Cottonwood Pass.
—Racers depart Gunnison at 10 a.m.
—Starting Line: Information to come.
—Cottonwood Pass: Now this is a climb: 14 miles of dirt road at 12, 126 feet above sea level.
*Cottonwood Pass will be closed at 3 p.m. on August 23, and Taylor Canyon Road will close in Almont at 8 a.m. on August 24. Ride your bike to the summit, or sign up for a shuttle from Taylor Park—the only way to reach the Pass by car—at 7, 8 or 9 a.m. Email lbutcher@western.com to reserve a seat.
—Stage 2 Finish in Aspen: For an epic adventure, join “Chase the Race,” a guided mountain bike tour over the single and double track of Pearl Pass on the morning of August 24 to watch the Stage 2 finish in Aspen.
Go online to www.crestedbuttenews.com for complete road closures.