COLORADO SPRINGS PROLOGUE
First rider starts at 1:15pm near the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. There will be one minute between riders. The last ten will have 2-minute intervals.
You won’t be able to cross the course once the race begins.
By car, northbound i25 traffic should take Exit 143 and follow Uintah west. Southbound traffic should take exit 145 and follow Fillmore Street. There will be signs for spectator parking. It will be difficult to go between the start and the finish by car. By bike it’s about 25 minutes. Parking will be difficult.
SALIDA TO MT CRESTED BUTTE
Stage 1 is 100 miles. There are not a lot of roads. The race starts at 10:45 am and will reach the Monarch Pass KOM around 12:45pm.
Good places to watch are:
- Salida start
- Monarch Pass KOM (parking at Monarch Ski area)
- Gunnison Sprint
- Crested Butte Sprint
- Mt Crested Butte finish
What you can do:
- Watch the start in Salida and reach Crested Butte or Mt Crested Butte via Cottonwood Pass for the sprint or the finish
- Leave Salida 30 minutes before the start and get to the Monarch KOM. Get there early because parking could be challenging.
- Leave Salida at least 30 minutes before the start and get to Gunnison for the sprint.
What’s not Possible because of lack of alternate routes or time:
- Watch the Sprint in Gunnison and make it to the finish
- Watch the KOM and make it to Gunnison or the finish
- Watch the start in Salida and make it to the KOM or Gunnison
GUNNISON TO ASPEN
This stage is 135 miles with two huge climbs over 12,000′. The start is at 10 am in Gunnison.
There are 6 key places to watch the race.
- Start in Gunnison
- Almont or Buena Vista sprints
- Cottonwood Pass KOM or Independence Pass KOM
- Finish in Aspen
Parking at either of the KOMs is going to be very difficult. Please allow ample time to find parking
What You Can Do:
- Watch the start in Gunnison and reach Buena Vista, Independence Pass or Aspen via Monarch Pass
- Ride your bike up Cottonwood or Independence Pass
What You Can’t Do (because of time or lack of roads):
- Drive to Cottonwood Pass on race day. It will close to vehicles at 3:00 pm the day before, Aug 23. The county will be preparing the dirt sections of the road for the race. Parking will not be allowed so that road crews can work.
- Easily drive to Independence Pass. It will be closed to vehicles starting at noon in both directions.
- Watch the start in Gunnison and make it to Cottonwood via Buena Vista
- Watch the race from Cottonwood or Independence and make it to Aspen for the finish
- Watch the sprints in Almont or Buena Vista and make it to the finish or Independence Pass KOM
- Get to Aspen via Pearl Pass from Crested Butte. Pearl Pass is a very rugged dirt road and portions are not drivable.
VAIL TIME TRIAL
The first rider starts at 1:00 pm in Vail and the final 10 will be at 2 minute intervals.
The east Vail exit from i70 will be closed. Use Vail or West Vail exits.
Key Places to Watch:
- Vail Village start
- Anywhere along the course
- Vail Pass race finish
What You Can Do:
- Watch the start in Vail Village and take the shuttle to the base of the finishing climb
- Watch the starts, have lunch and then see the awards
- Ride your bike up the course before the race starts
What You Can’t Do:
- Ride your bike on any portion of the route once the race begins
- Drive your car on any portion of the route
- After the race finishes you won’t be able to make it back to Vail for the awards by car
AVON TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
The race starts at 12:30 pm and finishes around 4:00 pm.
Three key places to watch:
- Avon (start)
- Oak Creek (sprint)
- Steamboat (finish)
What You Can Do:
- Watch the start in Avon and take i70 to Silverthorne, Hwy 9 to Hwy 40 to Steamboat. It will take about 2.5 hours. The race will take around 3.5 hours.
- Leave before the start and make it to any point along the route.
What You Can’t Do:
- There’s only one alternate route to Steamboat and there could be road construction on Hwy 9.
- Get to the finish from the KOM
STEAMBOAT TO BRECKENRIDGE
There will be two KOMs today. The stage is 105 miles and the start is at 11:20 am and should finish around 3:45 pm.
Key Places to Watch:
- Steamboat start
- Kremmling sprint
- Rabbit Ears and Swan Mountain KOMs
- Breckenridge finish
What You Can Do:
- Watch the start and take stage 4 in reverse to i70 and then to Breckenridge or the KOM on Swan Mountain.
- From Swan Mountain get to the award ceremony
- Leave 45 minutes before the start to see either KOM or the sprint
What You Can’t Do:
- From Rabbit Ears Pass make it to Swan Mountain or the finish
- From the sprint in Kremmling, make it to Swan Mountain or the finish
GOLDEN TO DENVER
The race starts at 10:45 am in Golden under the arch and finishes in Denver at 1:30 pm.
Three places to watch:
- Golden-the race comes through the start area twice after the start
- Lookout Mountain (KOM)
- Denver finish. There will be 6 circuits. It will take the riders less than two hours to make it to Denver before starting the circuits.
What You Can Do:
- Watch the start in Golden and leave immediately for the finish. Parking will be tight.
- Hike or bike up Lookout Mountain on race day
What You Can’t Do:
- If you’re at the start in Golden, you won’t make it to the KOM on Lookout Mountain
- If you’re at the Lookout Mountain KOM you won’t make it to Denver in time to catch the finish. The race will be there before you.
- Drive up Lookout Mt-only local residents will be allowed to drive.
Expect heavy traffic at Civic Center Park. The final circuits will start around 12:30. It might be advisable to park further away and ride your bike.
