| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | August |
| Region | Colorado |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition | UCI America Tour (2017–2018) USA Cycling's Pro Road Tour (2019) |
| Web site | www |
| History | |
| First edition | 2017 |
| Editions | 3 (as of 2019) |
| First winner |  Manuel Senni (ITA) (men) Sara Poidevin (CAN) (women) |
| Most recent |  Gavin Mannion (USA) (men) Chloé Dygert Owen (USA) (women) |
The Colorado Classic was a four-stage cycling race that was first held in 2017.[1] First organized with both men's and women's races, the men's race was discontinued after the 2018 edition; the Classic was held as a women-only event in 2019.[2] The men's version of the race was designated as 2.HC and was part of the UCI America Tour.[3][4] In 2017, the race was 313 miles (504 km) long and was held in Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, and Denver.[5] In 2018, the first two stages were in Vail (August 16–17) and the last two were in Denver (August 18–19).[6] The Denver stages were accompanied by a music and cycling fan fest extravaganza called Velorama.[7]
In December 2018, the organizers announced that the Classic would become a women-only race from 2019 forward. As part of the change, the women's purse was increased from $20,000 in 2018 to $75,000 for 2019—which was $5,000 more than the purse for the final men's Classic in 2018. The Classic became the only standalone women's stage race in the Western Hemisphere included in the official UCI calendar; the 2019 edition was the first to be part of USA Cycling's Pro Road Tour [2] and is classified as a 2.1 race by the UCI.[8] The race has not been held since 2019; the 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [9] and further races failed to attract a title sponsor.[10]
Winners - Men[edit]
| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Italy
|
Manuel Senni | BMC Racing Team |
| 2018 | United States
|
Gavin Mannion | UnitedHealthcare |
Winners - Women[edit]
| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Canada
|
Sara Poidevin | Rally Cycling |
| 2018 | United States
|
Katie Hall | UnitedHealthcare |
| 2019 | United States
|
Chloé Dygert Owen | Sho-Air Twenty20 |
See also[edit]
- Coors Classic, Colorado cycling race held in 1980–1988
- USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Colorado cycling race held in 2011–2015
References[edit]
- ^ "Lance Armstrong returns to pro cycling at Colorado Classic, this time with a mic, not a bike". 2 August 2017.
- ^ a b Meyer, John (December 12, 2018). "Colorado Classic is now a women-only pro cycling race". The Know Outdoors. The Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ "The Colorado Classic will bring international, national and local cyclists to the RiNo Art District to celebrate cycling - Denverite". 1 August 2017.
- ^ "Colorado Classic UCI stage race announced as part of 'Velorama' - Cyclingnews.com". March 2017.
- ^ "Colorado Classic announces route for 2017 cycling race". USA Today.
- ^ "Colorado Classic reboots with a time-trial climb up the 10,662-foot Vail Pass". The Denver Post. 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
- ^ "Velorama Colorado | Music Festival & Bike Race | August 11–13, 2017". www.veloramacolorado.com. Retrieved 2017-12-23.
- ^ "Road".
- ^ "2020 Race".
- ^ "Colorado Classic throws "Hail Mary" for a title sponsor as professional bike racing falters in the U.S." 8 March 2022.