USA Pro Challenge, Colorado, Aug. 22-24, 2013

Jens Viogt, team Radio Shack, Germany

Fabio Duarte, team Colombia, Colombia

USA Pro Challenge in Vail. We planned the first part of our adventure around seeing a few stages of the USA Pro Challenge. This 7-day mountainous professional bike race draws teams and top racers from around the world who race in the Tour de France. We caught up with the race in Vail, Colorado at stage 5, a 10-mile time trial. The first 5 miles are a gradual climb and the last 5 miles kick up into a steep climb to Vail Pass. The race started at 1 pm so in the morning we joined hundreds of other spectators riding our bikes on the race course to the pass. After noon all of us would be lining the course to cheer the racers on as they fly by. It was really exciting to see the pros in action. Here are some of them.

Benjamin Day, team United Health Care, Australia

Thomas Dekker, team Garmin Sharp, Netherlands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Schleck, team Radio Shack, Luxemburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janier Acevedo, team Janis-Hagens Berman, Colombia

Tejay Van Garderen, team BMC, USA
The race in the Yellow Jersey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

A fans day at the races

We had staked out our spot near a group of enthusiastic fans who brought their instruments and put in a good effort entertaining themselves and everyone within ear shot. The leader of the band, decked out in a bunny suit, urged the riders on with his whistle and bull horn, and teased the race officials, police and team car escorts. He brought a little vaudeville to the street.

The race ended at 4 pm and we headed over Vail Pass on our way to Estes Park to watch stage 6 of the race. By that time a thunderstorm broke over the pass and we descended on a long, winding stretch of I-70 into Denver in a down pour. The Sprinter handled the road conditions with ease.

Art on the street to welcome the race.

USA Pro Challenge in Estes Park. On Friday stage 6 of the Challenge came through Estes Park on a loop that brought the riders through downtown twice. Crowds packed the downtown hours before the racers arrived and we walked the street checking out the tourist shops. It was a festive atmosphere with good bands playing in the park, food booths, and artists on street corners painting and selling their work.

Part of the entertainment was a trike
relay race. The adults can only turn those little cranks so fast. They all put in a good effort, but I don’t think any of them did any serious training leading up to this competition.

 

 

 

Oooooh. Fresh lemonade!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first racers across the sprint line.

The race came through really fast but we managed to get a picture of the leader followed shortly by TJ Van Garderen in yellow, who would be the overall winner when the race finished on Saturday in Denver.

Tejay Van Garderen, in yellow jersey

We found out how fun the race can be especially since we can join the race enthusiasts and ride the race course in advance. How much more fun can a bicyclist have?

We enjoyed a great day at the race

We stayed with Jim and Ruth, the owners of the Estes Park KOA. They’re great people and have a wonderful park. We’ve know them for many years when we owned our KOA in Silver City. There’s a regular free shuttle from town that picks up passengers at their office and we rode that into town to watch the race.

We're on to Dinosaur National Monument. See you down the road.
Jackie