It lasted seven days, with more than 500 miles through breathtaking altitudes, treacherous climbs and more than a million people on the sidelines.

"It's a great way to show off the riders from all over the country, but it's also a great way to show off Colorado," Ed Dailey, regulator for the race said.

All around it was a great success and this year is projected to be even better with more riders and more spectators, but the priority stays the same: safety.

"A lot of what my people do and [the] state patrol [does] is not only [making] it safe for the riders, but the spectators as well," Dailey said.

And that doesn't come without a lot of planning.

"We start planning pretty much the day after the race," Captain Jeff Goodwin, with Colorado State Patrol said. "There's a lot of strategy involved."

It's team work between Colorado State Patrol and the regulator for the race.

They called a meeting to get dozens of troopers up to speed on what's expected for this year's race.

"It's is a big learning process. We talk with everybody about what happened last year, evaluate those situations and then incorporate them into the discussions this year so that we can come out on top and make sure it's as smooth as possible," Goodwin said.
"The most difficult part is just trying to plan for the 'what-if's'-you get comfortable on the road after a few days of riding with them, but as state troopers we also have to plan for [the] out of the ordinary," Goodwin said.

Goodwin says his team is ready and excited for another great and safe year.

"We are very proud of what was accomplished last year and were excited to be part of it again in year two," Goodwin said.

"I think if it's anything like last year and what we are expecting this year, we are going to be here for many years to come and I'm looking forward to it," Dailey said.

For more information on the race go to http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/

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