Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley Offers Royal Way to View Colorado's USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Catch inaugural race's only mountain top finish & Queen Stage start

GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (July 13, 2011) - The Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley will be hosting two of the premiere stages of Colorado's inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which marks the return of professional racing to the Centennial State.  Be part of the only mountain top finish in Mt. Crested Butte, feel the adrenaline at the Queen Stage start in Gunnison, witness riders crossing the Continental Divide on Cottonwood Pass, and soak in biking culture at its best. Also watch two sprints through the hearts of historic business districts in Gunnison and Crested Butte during stage one on Aug. 23

Local Happenings & Where to Watch - Aug. 23 & 24

Not only can spectators watch the race from many great vantage points, the bike-loving towns of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte are gearing up to offer expos, festivals, Jumbotrons, live music, a Strider Cup race for kids, townie and hand-cycling criteriums, and more. There's also a club ride on July 19 to get everyone in the spirit for the big race.

Stage 1, August 23

Starting in downtown Salida at 11:15 a.m., racers will begin tackling the 100-mile course to Mt. Crested Butte. After a climb up 11,315-foot Monarch Pass, racers will drop the hammer in Gunnison at the intersection of Adams and Tomichi for sprint points, make a harrowing turn from Tomichi Avenue onto Main Street, and continue north to Crested Butte. 

Entering Crested Butte at high speed, racers will negotiate three tight corners before the sprint point on historic Elk Avenue in the heart of downtown.  Racers are expected to reach speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour at the sprint point just before Third Street.  After blasting through the four-way stop, the sweat and determination of competitors will be on display as they grind three miles uphill to a sprint and finish at Mt. Crested Butte's Mountaineer Square, the base area of Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

Come early to watch the whole stage on the Jumbotron set up in downtown Gunnison's IOOF Park at Main Street and Virginia Avenue beginning at 11 a.m.  The live action is expected to roar through Gunnison midday sometime between 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.  There will be live music, activities for the whole family and a beer garden at this Pass-Through Day Expo until 4 p.m. 

In Crested Butte, the fun begins at noon at the sprint line in downtown Crested Butte with a townie criterium, closely followed by a U.S. Handcycling Federation handcycling criterium hosted in conjunction with the local Adaptive Sports Center at 1 p.m.  A beer garden and live coverage will be available for spectator enjoyment at these events.

In Mt. Crested Butte, the finish line will come alive with the Finish Festival including live music and a "Taste of the Town" planned from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., plus watch race action on a Jumbotron. A Strider Cup race for kids under the actual finish line launches at 1:30 p.m. The first riders are expected to arrive in Crested Butte just before 3 p.m., and the first finisher is expected in Mt. Crested Butte between 3:15 and 3:45 p.m.

Spend the night in Mt. Crested Butte, Crested Butte or Gunnison to be ready for the next day's spectacular Queen Stage and stay a while to enjoy epic trails and a laid-back atmosphere.

Stage 2 "Queen Stage," August 24

The Queen Stage is the crown jewel of the seven stages.  The journey from Gunnison to Aspen will be the hardest, longest and highest of the race.  Starting at Main Street and Virginia Street in Gunnison at 10 a.m., the cyclists will travel through Gunnison National Forest and gain 2,740 feet over 13.7 miles to reach the first King of the Mountain line of the day on top of 12,126-foot-high Cottonwood Pass, the highest point during this seven-day race.  After a tough climb and a fast descent comes another beautiful but grueling climb up Independence Pass.  This second King of the Mountain line will certainly separate the true competitors from the peloton.  After 131 miles, this take-no-prisoners stage ends in downtown Aspen.

The Queen Stage Downtown Expo kicks off in downtown Gunnison at 8 a.m., featuring autograph alley with the cyclists on Tomichi Avenue and Main Street, a vendor expo and a pre-start program complete with color guards, local cycling heroes and the national anthem.  Craft your own crown, channel your excitement with a cow bell to send off the riders in style, and stick around to watch the drama of stage two unfold on the Jumbotron at IOOF Park throughout the day.  There will be live music, activities for the whole family and a beer garden until the stage finish.  Kids on bikes get to race off the official start line at 10:15 a.m.  

If you plan to watch on Cottonwood Pass, get going early to travel up County Road 742 to Cottonwood Pass and find a spot to watch the action on the dirt ascent to the Continental Divide.  There will be no driving on Cottonwood Pass from the Gunnison County side starting at 5 p.m. on Aug. 23 so crews can put the final touches on the gravel road.  Western State College will provide shuttles from Taylor Park on the morning of Aug. 24 to get you as close as possible to the action or plan to ride your bike or hike up from the road closure point. 

Race-Watching Tips & Testing the Route

Fans interested in riding the stages in coming weeks can find interactive maps at the race website, www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com. In addition, race officials will post information about the best spots to watch the action. Information specifically about the Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley portions of the race can be found at http://www.upccinfo.com/.             

Volunteer Packages

Volunteers are needed to help at the Gunnison pass-through and Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte stage finish on Aug. 23 and at the Gunnison stage start on Aug. 24.  The valley's two hostels, Crested Butte International Lodge and Hostel and Wanderlust Hostel in Gunnison, are offering special lodging discounts for volunteers. Rooms start at $25 per night in Crested Butte and $19 per night in Gunnison at these properties.  Go to http://www.upccinfo.com/.

Get Into the Spirit - July 19 Club Ride

Join in a friendly club ride in Crested Butte on July 19 to celebrate the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge (USAPCC).  The ride starts at Crested Butte Community School at 5 p.m., and there will even be a small bit of dirt road just like the Queen Stage on Cottonwood Pass!  Riders of all kinds are welcome and can choose between two groups.  The first group (Red Lantern group) is for people looking for a fun social ride of approximately 40 miles with the option to turn around at Crested Butte South and head back to Crested Butte (approximately 15 miles round trip).  For the race-crazed (Yellow Jersey group), there will be five sprint points and a King of the Mountain title on top of Jack's Cabin.  

There are no official titles or prizes (just bragging rights), and there are no entry fees or road closures.  The first 50 riders who show up will receive USAPCC gift bags.  After the ride, gather on the Brick Oven patio for beer and pizza and a special post-race competition involving stationary bikes and video projection screens.  Also take part in a parade lap around Crested Butte to duplicate the stage one course.

Two-Wheel Culture

Two-wheeling is fully ingrained in the experience of visiting and living in Gunnison-Crested Butte, whether it's road bikes, mountain bikes or one-speed townies.  It's easy to park your car for days and pedal to epic trails, museums, concerts, shops, restaurants and nightlife. In fact, Crested Butte has the unique distinction of being one of the birthplaces of mountain biking and is home to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.  There's also an insane number of biking events from tame to extreme, check out www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/mountain-bike-events, and there's Olympians and champions galore.

Vacation Packages & Visitor Information

To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte's calendar of events and personalized vacation packages, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association's toll-free number (800) 814-8893 or visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com/packages.  Find the Tourism Association on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gcbta or follow us on www.twitter.com/gcbta. 

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is served year-round by United Airlines and also by American Airlines in the winter.

About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado

Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado.  Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing.  Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities.  In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding.  Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options - from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels. 

Gunnison, county seat and a real western town, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, which offers bachelor's and master's degrees in liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional fields.  Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities. 

Recognized as the "Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado" by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" in 2008, Crested Butte is 28 miles from Gunnison and the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.  Only three

miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area's conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails. 

Marble is located in the Upper Crystal River Valley along the Elk Mountains and is the gateway to nearby Crystal, home to one of the most photographed mill sites in the country. Marble has seven sites on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of the Yule Marble Quarry.

In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado's largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country's newest national parks.  Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte.  Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.

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For a Word version of this press release, click on the link below. 

Contact:                       Beth Buehler                                        

                                    Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association               

                                    (970) 349-1168 or bethbuehler@qwestoffice.net

                                    http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/