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United States | Southeast | Virginia >> More than 300 Cyclists Will Tackle Inaugural USA Cycling Hill Climb National Championships and Gran Fondo

More than 300 Cyclists Will Tackle The Historic Pikes Peak Highway on Saturday As Colorado Springs Hosts The Inaugural USA Cycling Hill Climb National Champ National Championships And The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Gran Fondo

Colorado Springs ---Since 1915, the historic Pikes Peak Highway, built by the legendary Spencer Penrose, has been the scene of memorable moments, particularly the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which celebrated its 100th Anniversary on June 26.

This Saturday, the roar of auto engines, the blasts of motorcycles and the hum of electric-powered autos and bikes will give way to more than 300 cyclists taking on the challenge of making it to the top of Pikes Peak, America's Mountain.

Colorado Springs, Olympic City USA, will host the cyclists for a first-time, elite USA Cycling event on Saturday morning, the USA Cycling Hill Climb National Championship, racing on the Pikes Peak Highway's world famous course to the 14,115-foot summit.

In addition, recreational cyclists will get the thrill of riding the grueling mountain's road the same morning in The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Gran Fondo.

The inaugural USA Cycling Hill Climb National Championships will attract many top cyclists from across the nation and will also include opportunities for disabled riders in its competitive field. U.S. Paralympics has also approved a pair of events for Para-cyclists who want to compete in the inaugural race on Online America's Mountain.

The 2016 USA Cycling Hill Climb National Championships will engage elite athletes competing in Pro Categories. In addition to the timed and sanctioned USAC competitive race, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Gran Fondo events will be hosted concurrently as an opportunity for recreational riders to test their skills on the peak.

Online Registration is now closed, but competitors still can register for both events at the event's packet pickup on Thursday and Friday (Aug.11-12) from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Colorado Springs Marriott (5580 Tech Center Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80919). Information for all competitors is available here.

More than 300 Cyclists Will Tackle Inaugural USA Cycling Hill Climb National Championships and Gran Fondo

This is a brand new event and the first ever USA Cycling National Championships to be staged on Pikes Peak. USA Cycling has teamed up with Colorado Springs Sports Corporation for the inaugural event and both organizations expect many top American cyclists to compete to challenge Pikes Peak.
 
The start line is located approximately 7 miles uphill from the Pikes Peak Highway Gateway, just past Crystal Reservoir. The start time for the first wave of USAC Hill Climb National Championships will approximately 6:40 am.
 
Colorado Springs is the home of USA Cycling and the United States Olympic Committee. USA Cycling is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It coordinates and provides overall administration and governance for disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX, and collegiate racing. USAC also conducts the process of naming the riders that will represent the United States at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
 
The city has hosted the world famous USA Pro Challenge three times, including the inaugural cycling spectacular's opening stage in 2011 and the 1986 UCI Road World Championships among many world-class cycling events at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center Velodrome, the official training venue for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic track cycling and USA Roller Sports.

USAC National Championships Awards

Medals will be distributed to the top 5 placers in each age category.  Cash prizes will be given to the top 5 placers in the men's and women's Pro/Open 19+ categories. 

Cash prize distributions are:

1st Place - $350
2nd Place - $250
3rd Place - $200
4th Place - $125
5th Place - $75

The difficult course outlined for the national championships contenders is the exact course of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb - America's second oldest auto race. Like the PPIHC, the USA Cycling National Championships will take stage on the 12.42 mile public toll-road boasting 156 turns and climbing 4,720 ft. from the 9,390 ft. start line at the mile 7 marker on the Pikes Peak Highway to the 14,115 ft. finish line at the mountain's summit.

At an elevation of 14,115 ft., Pikes Peak - America's Mountain is one of Colorado's 54 fourteeners, mountains that rise more than 14,000 feet (4,267.2 m) above sea level, and the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The mountain is named in honor of American explorer Zebulon Pike and is a designated National Historic Landmark, making this event even more unique. Reportedly, the Pikes Peak Highway hosts 5.9 million visitors a year, making it the number one tourist attraction in the State of Colorado and the second most visited mountain in the world next to Mount Fuji.

The Sports Corp's President and CEO,Tom Osborne, says "the national championships are another opportunity to showcase our great sports community, our cycling reputation and bring fans to the city and Pikes Peak for a very special event."

Gran Fondo

Cycling racing to the summit of Pikes Peak was renewed in 2010, and this year marks the 7th consecutive year for The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb, an annual event of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation.

The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb Gran Fondo features non-competitive fun rides that give cyclists of all abilities a truly unique experience on the mountain course.

Competitors will ride in a fully supported event and have the following options:

Summit Gran Fondo: ? 12.42 miles/20km - 4,725 ft elevation gain
Glen Cove Gran Fondo: ? 5.5 miles/9km - 2,050 ft elevation gain
Halfway Picnic Grounds Gran Fondo: ? 2.2 miles/4km - 570 ft elevation gain

RACE/RIDE SCHEDULE

Wave 1 6:30 am - Start: Summit Gran Fondo - Women's & Jr Girls
Wave 2 6:35 am - Start: Summit Gran Fondo - Men's & Jr Boys
Wave 3 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
6:40 am - Start: Men's Tandem - Blind Visually Impaired
6:41 am - Start: Women's Tadem - Blind Visually Impaired
6:42 am - Start: Mens' Handcycle
6:43 am - Start: Women's Handcycle
Wave 4 6:45 am - Start: Glen Cove Gran Fondo - All ages, male & female
Wave 5 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
6:50 am - Start: Junior Women 15-18
6:51 am - Start: Women 50-59
6:52 am - Start: Women 60-69
Wave 6 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
7:00 am - Start: Junior Men 15-18
7:01 am - Start: Men 50-59
7:02 am - Start: Men 60-69
7:03 am - Start Men 70+
Wave 7 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
7:05 am - Women 40-49
7:06 am - Women 30-39
Wave 8 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
7:10 am - Men 40-49
7:11 am - Men 30-39
Wave 9  - USAC Hill Climb National Championships
7:15 am - Start: Women Pro/Open 19+ (including 19-29 all Cats)
Wave 10 - USAC Hill Climb National Championships 
7:20 am - Start: Men Pro/Open 19+ (including 19-29 all Cats)
Wave 11 7:21 am - Start: Halfway Picnic Grounds Gran Fondo - All age, male & female