Pro Challenge’s Stage 7 starts in Boulder

BOULDER – The city of Boulder will host the start of the 2014 USA Pro Challenge bike race’s final stage, the race announced Wednesday.

Race officials announced the first six stages in November and then held voting on the race website to determine the Stage 7 route. Choices were Boulder to Golden, Boulder to Denver, Golden to Denver, and a loop starting and ending in Denver.

Next year’s final stage on Aug. 24 will start in Boulder, pass through Golden and over Lookout Mountain, and then finish with three circuits around the state capitol building in Denver.

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“Cycling fans are so passionate and such an important part of the sport, so we decided to give them a voice in the route selection process,” Shawn Hunter, chief executive of the USA Pro Challenge, said in a press release. “We wanted to try something new this year and by incorporating fan feedback we have come up with what is going to be an incredible final day of racing.”

Next year’s race begins Aug. 18 with a circuit race in Aspen and Snowmass Village. Stage 2 runs from Aspen to Crested Butte, with Stage 3 going from Gunnison to Monarch Mountain. Another circuit race in Colorado Springs makes up Stage 4, before A Woodland Park-to-Breckenridge Stage 5 and an individual time trial in Vail for Stage 6. Specific route details will be announced in the spring.

Boulder hosted the Stage 6 finish in 2012 on Flagstaff Mountain but did not host a stage in 2013. Local race supporters advocated for the city to host a race start in 2014 rather than finish due to the September flooding that washed out many of the nearby mountain roads and caused millions of dollars of damage to Boulder County infrastructure, thus avoiding interfering with ongoing repairs in the area.

“Boulder, Golden and Denver have been such great hosts over the history of the race, so we decided to work them all into the final day of competition,” race owner Rick Schaden said. “These three iconic Colorado cycling locations are going to create one grand finale.”