Rigoberto Uran and Brent Bookwalter star names in action at the 4-day Colorado Classic
A selection of the best riders in the world will take part in the inaugural Colorado Classic this week August 10th - 13th including local riders Taylor Phinney and Alex Howes
The four-day men’s race will run from August 10-13, while the two-day women’s edition will be held over August 10-11.
Stage 1 - Thursday August 10 2017 - Colorado Springs to Colorado Springs - 93.5 miles
Stage one will cover a total of 93.5 miles (150.4 km) as riders push the pace for six laps on a 15.58-mile (25.1 km) course in the shadow of Pikes Peak, running between downtown Colorado Springs and the sandstone formations of the city’s iconic Garden of the Gods.
Start time: 13:00 MST
Stage 2 - Friday August 11 2017 - Breckenridge to Breckenridge - 64 miles
Stage two will test be a test of endurance and willpower over 64 miles (103 km) in the scenic mining town of Breckenridge. During 10 laps on the 6.4-mile (10.3 km) course, riders will face more than 7,000 feet of climbing, including multiple, leg-crushing runs up the notorious Moonstone climb — and the subsequent thrilling descents down Illinois Gulch.
Start time: 13:00 MST
Stage 3 - Saturday August 12 2017 - Denver to Denver - 81 miles
Stage three will be contested on an 81-mile (130 km) out-and-back course that runs from the RiNo race hub to the mountains west of Denver on the Peak to Peak Highway, and then returns to the Mile High City through scenic Golden Gate Canyon State Park and via what is expected to be a finishing sprint through the streets of Denver, with speeds approaching 60 mph. Among the day’s highlights: Gap Road, where riders will face the toughest part of the course, or King of the Mountain (KOM) section, then dirt roads with steep, rolling hills.
Start time: 13:00 MST
Stage 4 - Sunday August 13 2017 - Denver to Denver - 75 miles
Stage four will once again highlight the start-and-finish area within the Velorama Festival grounds and sends riders on a 7.5-mile (12km) city circuit that stretches from RiNo to City Park and back. Riders will do 10 laps in the final stage, for a total of 74.6 miles (120.1 km) on what is expected to be a thrilling, intense and colorful final day of racing.
The four-day race will be televised on NBCSN and live streamed on NBC Sports Gold — NBC Sports Digital’s live streaming direct-to-consumer subscription app. Paul Sherwen will call the action, joined by analyst Christian Vande Velde and reporter Bob Roll.
Start time: 13:00 MST
The Teams
Axeon Hagens Berman (UCI Continental)
BMC Racing Team (UCI WorldTour)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (UCI Pro Continental)
Cannondale-Drapac (UCI WorldTour)
Elevate-KHS (UCI Continental)
Holowesko/Citadel Racing p/b Hincapie Sportswear (UCI Continental)
Israel Cycling Academy (UCI Pro Continental)
Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (UCI Continental)
Nippo-Vini Fantini (UCI Pro Continental)
Rally Cycling (UCI Continental)
Silber (UCI Continental)
Team Novo Nordisk (UCI Pro Continental)
Team Rwanda Cycling (UCI Continental)
Trek-Segafredo (UCI WorldTour)
UAE Team Emirates (UCI WorldTour)
UnitedHealthcare (UCI Pro Continental)
The Favorites
Rigoberto Urán (Cannondale-Drapac): Starts his first race since winning a stage and finishing second overall at the Tour de France. The Colombian climber is in the best form of his career.
Brent Bookwalter (BMC Racing Team): The 2015 winner of the USA Pro Challenge, which also took place in Colorado. Won a stage and finished fifth overall at last week's Tour of Utah.
Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac): A Colorado local, so he will be keen to impress in front of his home fans. Won two stages of the recent Cascade Cycling Classic, so he is in good form.
Taylor Phinney (Cannondale-Drapac): Another Colorado rider, Phinney enjoyed a strong debut Tour de France last month.