USA Pro Challenge

Colorado Public Radio chimes in on the impact of doping on Colorado

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Professional cycling is huge in Colorado, so when Lance Armstrong was stripped of all seven of his Tour de France titles for doping, we wanted to learn what his spectacuar fall from grace could mean for the sport in this state. Ryan Warner talks with Brian Holcombe, editor of the Boulder cycling media outlet VeloNews.com.

Attendance Over 1 Million for the Second Annual USA Pro Challenge. Race Brings an Estimated $99.6 Million in Economic Impact to the State of Colorado

Submitted by Amy Thompson on

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Denver (Oct. 18, 2012) – The 2012 USA Pro Challenge, the toughest professional cycling race in the U.S., reached attendance numbers of more than 1 million over the course of seven days, Aug. 20-26, as fans turned out to watch the action-packed, heart-pounding racing. After traveling to 12 towns for the official stage starts and finishes, and passing through many other notable cities along the way, the estimated economic impact of the race to the State of Colorado is $99.6 million, according to a study done by IFM North America, a global sports research firm.

See the 2011 Economic Report from the USAPCC

With a lead change nearly every day, one of the closest professional races in U.S. history came down to the final moments of the Individual Time Trial in Denver, with American Christian Vande Velde of Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda taking home the overall win. The race received unprecedented coverage highlighting the beautiful terrain of the state that totaled 31 hours on NBC and NBC Sports Network in the U.S. and was broadcast internationally to 175 countries and territories around the world.

Success of USAPCC turned into an Accounting equation - Sales down

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How does one measure success of a race like USAPCC? Is it purely a monetary equation? Is it the support and desire of the people, enthusiasm of the business? How few trees were not cut down and destroyed on Flagstaff? It's not easy. In a recent survey of downtown Boulder businesses many, especially businesses on the east side of town saw a dip in sales on race day, yet many businesses still support having the race return.

How would you measure success of a race like this?

The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau predicted the USA Pro Cycling Challenge would bring more than $8 million into the city last month, but preliminary reports from some downtown businesses indicate the bicycle race didn't boost their bottom line as much as they expected -- and some saw sales declines on race day.

Yet an overwhelming number of business owners surveyed by Downtown Boulder Inc. said they want to see the Pro Cycling Challenge return to Boulder next year.

Read the full details at the Daily Camera

Would you pay $10,500 to ride the USPCC course before the pros?

Submitted by Amy Thompson on

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Last January Carmichael Training Systems announced its USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race Experience for Amateurs. We were curious how it all turned out and saw this recent story in the
Denver Post about the event.

"This is a privilege denied to many, especially at my age," said the 64-year-old Breckenridge resident as a mechanic for his Carmichael Training Systems team grabbed his bike for a cleaning and a coach delivered a brightly colored drink. Oshlo was one of 19 cyclists who paid $10,500 to pedal the entire 683-mile USA Pro Challenge route, just like the pros.

The Carmichael Training Systems team — which included six coaches, five mechanics and five massage therapists — ate with the pros, got daily bike maintenance and massages, stayed in the same hotel as the pros and team members even got fined for being late to meetings or departures. (The fines went to the Kids on Bikes charity.) The riders got VIP access to stage finishes and colleague-type access to the world's best cyclists.

Wednesday Coffee Talk - Flagstaff Still Stands!

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Tuesday(Wednesday) Coffee Talk allows all of us to engage in community related topics and share your 2 cents worth

I was relieved to see on this past Sunday morning that Flagstaff was still standing! It didn't burn down, get cut down, or destroyed. Just to make sure I rode up Flagstaff to witness assumed destruction myself that must have occurred given all the fear PLAN-Boulder supporters had with the race going through open space. Here is what I saw...

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