A week ago I was sitting in my hotel room in Salt Lake City, and tonight I am sitting in a Doubletree in Denver. Working two back-to-back
grand tours in the US is no laughing matter. The days are long, the transfers stretch forever, the meals are shitty, and there's always too much booze because you feel entitled to have a second beer (or third) because you worked so hard.
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| Ominous clouds move in--monsoon season in the Rockies |
The inaugural 2017 Colorado Classic (Inaugural? Kinda--Red Zinger, Coors Classic, and the US Pro Challenge were precursors of this race, which was reborn after last year's Pro Challenge was cancelled because of lacking funds) was a four-stage affair that started last Thursday in Colorado Spring and ended today in Denver.
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| The Purple People Healer, as the CC's race doctor's vehicle was called |
OK, let me say it: Despite its UCI designation of 2.HC this race was not able to rival last week's Tour of Utah in many aspects. For one, the stages were relatively short, with none coming even close to 100 miles. The atmosphere at the starts (and finishes) was not what had been bench-marked in Utah: Dave Towle, as probably the US' best field-of-play announcer, simply cannot be replaced by two female announcers whose shrill voices just don't rile up the masses as does Dave's baritone. I'm glad to see female announcers trying to break the glass ceiling of this metier, but Dave is simply
better. And the crowds didn't really compare to what Utah dished up. And neither did other aspects of the race.
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| On the way from Breckenridge to Denver, the only time I really got to see the mountains |
But not so for the actual racing. It was exciting stuff to witness, with GC changing hands daily and riders taking chances and risks to further their position. There were none of those epic, long stages; rather, two exciting circuit races and two long loops with finish circuits provided spectators with exciting racing.
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| Media--top--and spectators with a micro-brewery's hardware in the background. Please don't notice the crowds. |
After the Tour of Utah had finished, I had left the Ritchey and its case with Fred and Candi, my assistants. They were also going to work Colorado, so it made only sense to leave the bike with them in their RV. We reunited last Wednesday in Colorado Springs (after I had had a brief 36 hours at home in Lubbock), and over the course of this short, four-stage race, I still managed to go out every day and ride a total of 73 miles. None of it was as scenic as my riding had been in Utah, but it was certainly better than nothing. The weather in Colorada Springs, where I stayed for three nights, was fall-like, with cool temperatures and low clouds in the mornings. Denver, where I spent another three nights, was better and I had enjoyable rides through the new suburban areas of Stapleton. I never got close to the mountains, at least not to ride. Only on stage two, we left Colorado Springs in the morning, headed for the finish in Breckenridge, and then drove another two hours to our hotel in Denver. That was a really long day, but the drive was gorgeous.
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| Colorado Springs summer weather |
Now I am done with races for at least two weeks and I'm heading home for some R&R. These past three weeks have been tough, with quite a bit of work. It'll be nice to be around the house, cook meals, have wine with friends, and just take it easy for a while.
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| Sunday morning ride in Denver's suburb of Stapelton |
Jürgen
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