Racers arriving in Boulder on Friday were greeted with this view of a fire in Boulder Canyon. It was put out in time for the race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Riders climbed several dirt mountain passes at this years USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado.(Image credit: Jon Devich/Cyclingnews.com/epicimages.us)
Passing along the Dillon Reservoir.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
The headquarters of USA Cycling and the US Anti-Doping Agency in Colorado Springs have been evacuated in the face of raging wildfires outside the Colorado town.
Extremely hot, dry weather combined with 65mph winds yesterday to create a fire storm "of epic proportions" yesterday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of some 32,000 residents on the western edge of Colorado Springs.
USA Cycling issued a statement today, saying that its offices are "closed until further notice".
"We are in the process of establishing a remote location in order to continue to serve high-priority customer needs. As soon as possible, staff will be working remotely to address membership needs on a prioritized basis."
The Waldo Canyon Fire doubled in size over the course of the past 24 hours, and according to the incident command is only five percent contained. It has burned the area near the Garden of the Gods park, which was slated to host a portion of stage 5 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge from Breckenridge to Colorado Springs.
Another blaze outside Boulder is threatening the Flagstaff Mountain communities. The area is part of the penultimate stage of the August race, which runs from Golden to Boulder. It is not yet known how the fires, which have exploded across Colorado's Front Range this week, will impact the race.
The cycling-rich area is home to the thousands of fans who lined the course last year, as well as numerous professional cyclists and their families. Optum Pro Cycling's Michael Creed was the most directly impacted, his father's house was in an area where fire raged through, but there is no word if the house burned or not.
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The American Red Cross is directly involved in providing aid to those affected by the wildfires. Donations can be made here.
