DENVER - On Aug. 20, the world's top cyclists will return to Colorado for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. But for the host cities involved, the work starts now to get ready.
Representatives from our state's 12 host cities are meeting Wednesday and Thursday this week at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs to start the long planning process. It includes everything from hotel arrangements to market strategies, getting on board with social media and fundraising.
According to Stacy Lange with USA Pro Cycling Challenge, participating cities will need to come up with roughly $250,000 to host a stage of the race.
Cities will rely heavily on in-kind donations and creative fund raising to come up with the money they need.
Boulder Organizing Co-Chairman Barry Siff says Boulder wasn't ready to throw their hat in the ring last year, but this year they're ready for the challenge and are excited to be a part of the race despite the costs associated with it.
"It's a lot of money, yeah a lot of money, we have a presentation to the Colorado Visitors Bureau on Thursday, and we feel really confident we got our ducks lined up early and we have some events planned some things at the hopefully at the Boulder Theatre, that will knock people's sock off, so I think we'll be able to handle financially," Siff said.
The USA Pro Cycling Challenge also adopted a nickname this year, shortened to USA Pro Challenge.
The race starts in Durango on Aug. 20 and wraps up with an individual time trial in Denver on Aug. 26.
To find out more about the host cities and the course, visit http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/.
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