Colorado Classic women's-only stage race announces four host cities

Organisers of the 2019 Colorado Classic presented by VF Corporation announced four host cities for the UCI 2.1 and USA Cycling Pro Road Tour (PRT) women's race set to take place from August 22-25. Steamboat Springs, Avon, Golden and Denver will welcome the peloton to this year's edition.

“We are excited to announce our four host venues for the 2019 race,” said Lucy Diaz, COO of RPM Events Group, organizer of the Colorado Classic. “These partnerships are paramount in the success of the event to engage the local communities around the racing action and the broader women's empowerment initiatives.

"Together with local organizers we will create an engaging and exciting experience while showcasing the local flavors of each community. Attendees can expect to see a dynamic vendor expo, rowdy cheer zones and exciting ancillary events."

Organisers of the Colorado Classic announced in December that they had cancelled the 2019 men's race to focus on and expand a women's-only stage race that promised harder stages, a bigger prize purse and live streaming.

The Colorado Classic earned a 2.1 class designation on the UCI calendar, making it one of only 13 such races around the world. Because of this 2.1 designation, riders at this year’s Colorado Classic can now earn significant UCI points for Olympic qualification. As a UCI 2.1 and PRT race, it is expected to draw top teams and high level competitors, possibly including WorldTour race winners, Olympians, collegiate champions and up-and-coming stars. 

Steamboat Springs will host the opening stage of the Colorado Classic on August 22. "The 2019 Colorado Classic starting in Steamboat Springs is a great fit," said Kara Stoller, CEO of the Steamboat Springs Chamber. "Our community lives and breathes the race mission every day. Steamboat is home to an incredible amount of female athletes, professional to recreational and from young kiddos to great-grandparents. We look forward to welcoming the professional female riders to Steamboat, where I know they will feel right at home."

Avon will host the second stage on August 23, in the Eagle River Valley at the base of Beaver Creek Resort. "We are thrilled that this world-class, women's-only race is coming to Avon this summer," said Avon Mayor Sarah Smith Hymes. "It will surely be a memorable event that will showcase the wonderful sport of pro women cycling, as well as the beauty of our town."

The third stage will take place in and around Golden, in the foothills close to Denver, on August 24. "The City of Golden is honoured to be in the Colorado Classic spotlight, shining brightly on Golden’s growing culture of healthy lifestyles, outdoor recreation, and a bicycle-friendly community," said Karlyn Tilley, Golden’s communications manager.

The race will end on August 25 with stage 4 in Denver, passing iconic spots such as LoDo, 17th Street, City Park and Coors Field. "We could not be more thrilled that Denver has the privilege of hosting the final stage of the country’s premier women’s cycling race," said Richard W. Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver. "We are particularly excited that this year’s Colorado Classic will showcase an elite pool of international and local female athletes while putting a global spotlight on Denver and Colorado."

Race organisers will announce the participating teams later this month and the full route details in June, including key locations, mileage, circuit laps, elevation changes, sprints and Queen of the Mountain (QOM) climbs.

Hear from former cyclist and human rights activist Kristen Worley on gender verification testing, testosterone, old ideologies and human rights in the latest Cyclingnews Podcast Women's Edition.