12 August 2015

How to see Stage 4 of USA Pro Challenge 2015

THURSDAY, August 20, STAGE 4 - Aspen to Breckenridge

What is the best way to see Stage 4 of the 2015 USA Pro Challenge as a fan? Whether this is your fifth year of attending this exciting race or you are a totally new fan to the event. This easy one-page guide is intended to help locals and tourists better plan for watching Stage 4 in Aspen and Breckenridge, Colorado.

Please note that road closure times and exact finish times sometimes change closer to race day.

Find what you need to know about Stage 4 of the USA Pro Challenge in Aspen and Breckenridge, below in the following order: Stage 4 dates, stage information, start time, finish time, sprint location, KOM location, classification Jerseys, route map, climb profiles, race organization, city tourism, town websites, local events, road closures, VIP tickets, apparel, TV coverage, Tour Tracker app, media coverage, stage preview, recommendations, where to ride, results, current standings and photos.

THE ESSENTIALS
  • August 20th
  • Aspen to Breckenridge
  • Stage 4 Start time: 10:20 am in Aspen downtown
  • The Race in Aspen: aspenupcc.com
  • Stage start area near the team buses and sign-in stage are great places to get autographs; although expect many riders to ride their bikes to the start of this stage.    
  • 2 (neutral) lap start around downtown of Aspen, before official start on West End St. and Hwy 82.
  • Independence Pass closes eastbound SH 82 to Twin Lakes at 9:30-11:30 am
  • Independence Pass closes westbound SH 82 to Aspen at 8:30-12:00 pm
  • Hoosier Pass Closes north bound SH 9 at 1:30-4:00 pm
  • Stage Schedule / Log Stage 4: streets and distances
  • Road closures: CDOT (select tab at left) 
  • Street closure in Aspen: Tuesday night, Wednesday, and Thursday morning
  • Street closures in Breckenridge: gobreck.com   
  • Parking will be easily accessible to the ski lots in Breck (diversion on Hwy 9 around Main St) 
  • Camping and Parking for Stages 2, 3 and 4 in Summit County: USDA Forest Service
  • Breckenridge Stage 4 Finish Festival hours: 12:00-7:00 pm
  • Big screen TVs located at the Riverwalk Center lawn  
  • The race in Breckenridge: gobreck.com
  • LEXUS CLUB VIP Hospitality 1:00 pm at Blue River Plaza  
  • Stage 4 Finish time: approximate 3:17 to 4:46 pm
  • Podium Presentation typically 15 to 20 minutes after leaders of the stage finish
  • Teams will stay over night in Breckenridge on Thursday night (their highest, in altitude, night's sleep of the stage tour).
  • No dogs are allowed at any special events in Breckenridge.  
  • 4:30 pm - Women's Team Presentation at Blue River Plaza, Thursday.
Map of 2015 USA Pro Challenge Colorado
Map of 2015 USA Pro Challenge Colorado
The view toward the final miles to the top of Independence Pass, west side.  Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
THE RACE

STAGE 4 - Aspen to Breckenridge maps - another high altitude day!
Thursday, August 20, STAGE 4 - road race

Race Preview - Stage 4 USA Pro Challenge 2015

Racers and spectators know this exit from Aspen well, and this entrance into Breckenridge well. But although it might seems this route is repeated every year, the only time this exact route has been used in the USA Pro Challenge from Aspen to Breckenridge, was in 2013.

2013 was the year a Forest Ranger was seen hula hooping on Independence Pass and a solo rider was first to the summit of Independence Pass.

Hula Hooping on Independence Pass. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Michael Schär broke free at the base of the climb for an early morning breakaway over Independence Pass on the same route in 2013.  Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
In Breckenridge, these three men stood on the podium at the end of the day.

Stage 2 podium - 1) Mathias Fränk, 2) Lachlan David Morton, 3) Peter Sagan Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

THE TEAMS AND RIDERS

MENS TEAMS: Read much more about the teams selected in this Pedal Dancer® post: Which Teams will race in the USA Pro Challenge 2015?  Official startlist of riders has not yet been announced by race organizers.

Cleaning the team bus, Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
THE ROUTE
  • 126 Miles / 203 Kilometers / 9,631 ft of climbing
  • Max Elevation: 12,095ft (Independence Pass)
  • Stage 4 Route Map pdf
  • Stage 4 Climb Profile pdf
  • Zoom in Maps 
  • Sprint: Buena Vista, Fairplay
  • KOM: Independence Pass (12, 096 ft), Hoosier Pass (11,541ft), Moonstone Rd in Breckenridge. 
  • Feed Zone: Location is not advertised for safety; might be in south Buena Vista after the sprint.
  • Highlights: Start in downtown Aspen, climb over Independence Pass, sprint in Buena Vista and Fairplay, climb over Hoosier Pass, climb up Moonstone Rd and descend Boreas Pass before finishing on Main St in Breckenridge. 
USA Pro Challenge Stage 4 route map 2015
USA Pro Challenge Stage 4 route map 2015 - Aspen to Breckenridge
Profile map 2015 USA Pro Challenge Stage 4
Profile map 2015 USA Pro Challenge Stage 4
Magnificent long descent from Independence Pass toward Twin Lakes. A long way to Breckenridge on a bike.  Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Final Stage 4 circuit in Breckenridge - now a classic
THE CLIMBS

Independence Pass (west side) - from Aspen
Nearby town: Aspen, Carbondale
Area of Colorado: pass near Aspen, middle of the state
Road: CO 82
Distance (miles): 21
Grade (avg.): 3.6%; max 7%
Ascent (ft): 3995
Max elevation (ft): 12095
Difficulty (rmcc): 4.4
Bucket list rating: 5
Nearby climbs: Cottonwood Pass, McClure Pass
Notes: An absolute must climb from town through the narrows to the top. Closed in Winter.

Profile of climb from Aspen to Twin Lakes
Hoosier Pass (south side) - from Fairplay
Nearby town: Alma, Fairplay
Area of Colorado: Park County
Road: CO 9
Distance (miles): 11
Grade (avg.): 2.8%; max 7%
Ascent (ft): 1606
Max elevation (ft): 11539
Difficulty (rmcc): 1.4
Bucket list rating: 2
Nearby climbs: Swan Mountain, Fremont Pass
Notes: Better than the north side, but big roads lead to this climb with a very fast descent.

You made the summit! Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Map from doubledogblog
The Tour of Fourteeners - USA Pro Challenge. Look at all those 14,000+ mountain peaks nearby the route.
THE ORGANIZATION

Race website: USAProCyclingChallenge.com
Twitter: @USAProChallenge
Facebook: USAProChallenge
Sponsors: Founding and Official Race Partners

Stage 4 jersey. Buy
THE PLACE

Stages in Aspen: Stages 3 & 4
Stages in Breckenridge: Stage 4 & 5
  • The Race in Aspen: aspenupcc.com
  • Aspen Town Chamber of Commerce
  • Town of Breckenridge: townofbreckenridge.com
  • The race in Breckenridge: gobreck.com/events/usa-pro-cycling-challenge
  • Accommodations: search in Breckenridge and nearby Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne
  • Camping and Parking for Stages 2, 3 and 4 in Summit County: USDA Forest Service
  • No dogs are allowed at any special events in Breckenridge. 
Breckenridge gets ready for the race. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Lodging
GoBreck deals

Restaurants - In Breckenridge, I like these ... (listed north to south)
  • Broken Compass Brewing Beer (just off the bike path back to Breckenridge) Location 68 Continental Ct, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Soupz On, Soup, breads, salads and sandwiches. Mon - Sat 11:00am-6:00pm. Location 400 North Park Avenue, Unit b-2, Breckenridge, CO.
  • Local Market, Groceries and Liquor. Location 116 North Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Giampietro Pasta & Pizza, Good pasta and pizza in this very small restaurant, also has take-out. Open daily 11:30am- 9:30pm. Location 100 N. Main St. # 212, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Columbine Cafe, Good hearty healthy breakfasts. Location 109 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424
  • Downstairs at Eric's, Good for big parties, families and kids, quite dark downstairs but popular. Location 111 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Starbucks, As usual coffee, pastries and sandwiches. Location 225 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Relish (nice) 137 S Main St (on riverwalk*)
  • Crepes a la Cart, Crepes to go, outside seating only. Located in a small trailer, very popular for quick snacks all day long. Location 307 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Empire Burger, Burgers! Open daily 11:00am - 1:00pm. Location La Cima Mall, 500 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Blue Moose Cafe, Standard breakfast and lunch. Open daily 7:00am - 1:00pm. Location 540 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
  • Breckenridge Brewery, Beer and basic brewery food. Open daily 11:00am-11:00pm. Location 600 South Main Street, Breckenridge, CO 80424.
The next town is Alma where active mining is noticeable throughout the valley. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
THE FUN - in Breckenridge
  • 12:00-7:00 pm Breckenridge Stage 4 Finish Festival
  • 12:30-2:00 pm: Bluegrass by Trout Steak Revival in the Festival Village
  • 1:00-2:00 pm: Street Sprints on Main Street
  • 1:00-5:00 pm - LEXUS CLUB VIP Hospitality at Blue River Plaza   
  • 2:00-3:00 pm: Concert: Dave and Brad in the Festival Village   
  • 2:00-4:00pm Big screen TVs located at the Riverwalk Center lawn 
  • 4:30 pm - Women's Team Presentation at Blue River Plaza, Thursday. 
  • 7:30pm: Concert by The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
  • Also through the day on Thursday: Strider Cup, Scavenger Hunt, Kid Zone, Bike Zoo, ArtCrank, Maxxis Stunt Show in the Festival Village, Wish for Wheels parade, BOEC Brain Trauma Parade, Tour de Breck bike decorating and Yoga on the Riverwalk Center lawn. more information 
Mobile Announcer's Car passing through Buena Vista in 2013. Photo © By Laurie Valaer for Pedal Dancer®
THE ROADS & PARKING
  • State Highways Impacted: SH 82, US 24, US 285, SH 9  
  • Street closure in Aspen: Tuesday night, Wednesday, and Thursday morning
  • Independence Pass closes eastbound SH 82 to Twin Lakes at 9:30-11:30 am
  • Independence Pass closes westbound SH 82 to Aspen at 8:30-12:00 pm
  • Hoosier Pass Closes north bound SH 9 at 1:30-4:00 pm:
  • Stage Schedule / Log Stage 4: streets and distances
  • Road closures: CDOT (select tab up left) 
  • Road closures in Breckenridge: gobreck.com  
  • Parking will be easily accessible to the ski lots in Breck (diversion on Hwy 9 around Main St)  
Fans wait on Main Street for the stage finish in Breckenridge in 2013. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
THE SPECTATOR
  • VIP buy tickets
  • Volunteer sign-up
  • Visit the Host Cities   
  • See the route Maps & Profiles
  • Community Events Rides, Art, Movies and Concerts
  • Shop for apparel Buy Tshirts and memorabilia or find the merchandise trailer on race day
  • Read the blog Cyclesense 365
  • Read recent Press Releases
Stage 3 Results & GC Standings
  • First –  Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
  • Second – Rohan Dennis (USA) of BMC Racing Team
  • Third – Ruben Zepuntke (GER) of Team Cannondale-Garmin
Jersey Winners
  • Smashburger Leader Jersey – Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
  • Lexus Sprint Jersey – Kiel Reijnen (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
  • Sierra Nevada King of the Mountains Jersey – Will Routley (CAN) of Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies
  • Colorado State University Best Young Rider Jersey – Hugh Carthy (GBR) of Caja Rural-Seuros RGA
  • FirstBank Most Aggressive Rider Jersey – Laurent Didier (LUX) of Trek Factory Racing
  • Edward Jones Best Colorado Rider Jersey – Alexandr Braico (MDA) of Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis


Brad Sohner (above) is the voice on stage, together with Dave Towle. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
Let's Talk VIP

Read more at: Should I buy a VIP ticket to the USA Pro Challenge? by Pedal Dancer®

The VIP tent will be in Blue River Plaza (marked below) as it has been in past years.  The VIP tent usually extends down the pretty plaza, with the short end of the tent on the street. Last year additional stadium seating was added for better VIP viewing. The VIP tent in right near the finish line.

VIP tent location:

VIP location Stage 4 Breckenridge
Standings

Who is currently wearing the jerseys at the start of Stage 4? Look for these riders:

Yellow:
Colorado:
Green:
Mountain:
Best Young:
Aggressive:


THE COVERAGE

TV coverage of Stage 4: Universal Sports Network
Stage 4 08/20/2015 2:00 PM (MDT) LIVE
Stage 4 08/20/2015 7:00 PM (MDT) Repeat

Media coverage at the race

Press Conference Daily: Post race press conferences will be shown live on prochallenge.com
Media Coverage of the race will be provided by: Velo News, Cycling News, Steephill.TV & VeloImages, The Denver Post, Pedal Dancer® and Pro Velo Passion.

Photographer and journalists tweets from the race (I will add more as I verify they are at the race, and tweeting): @karenrake (Pedal Dancer), @Eibhir, @butterflywriter (Pro Velo Passion)
 
Follow the race: USA Pro Challenge: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram



PEDAL DANCER® 
Pedal Dancer® bike blog has been covering the race for five years, providing quick and easy spectator guides to each stage. Always considering the viewpoints and needs of spectators, tourists, cyclists, or straight-forward racing fans. I post stage results as well as inside stories from chasing the race. Read more education and stories about the race at Pedal Dancer® at the USA Pro Challenge

Pedal Dancer® posts about the race in 2015:
  1. How to see Stage 1 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Steamboat
  2. How to see Stage 2 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Steamboat / ABasin
  3. How to see Stage 3 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Copper / Aspen
  4. How to see Stage 4 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Aspen / Breck
  5. How to see Stage 5 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Breck ITT!
  6. How to see Stage 6 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Loveland / Fort Collins
  7. How to see Stage 7 of USA Pro Challenge 2015 - Golden / Denver
Cyclists riding up to the summit of Independence Pass on race day. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
CYCLING NEAR STAGE 3 and 4 

Pedal Dancer® - cycling near Aspen and Breckenridge:

Cycling to Maroon Bells near Aspen. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

I am proud to be a selected Ride with GPS Ambassador to Summit County. See my other Ride with GPS Ambassador rides near Stage 2 finish (oh yes, you could stay here all week and ride your bike):

For tips on restaurants and services along these bike routes and in Breckenridge - please click on these links to see recommendations on a list and map: 
The view from Swan Mountain across the peaks of Breckenridge. Photo © By Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®
STAGES 1-7

Stages and Host Cities for 2015 USA Pro Challenge in Colorado - MEN'S
  • Stage 1: Monday, Aug. 17 – Steamboat Springs Circuit Race
  • Stage 2: Tuesday, Aug. 18 – Steamboat Springs to Arapahoe Basin
  • Stage 3: Wednesday, Aug. 19 – Copper Mountain Resort to Aspen
  • Stage 4: Thursday, Aug. 20 – Aspen to Breckenridge
  • Stage 5: Friday, Aug. 21 – Breckenridge Individual Time Trial
  • Stage 6: Saturday, Aug. 22 – Loveland to Fort Collins
  • Stage 7: Sunday, Aug. 23 – Golden to Denver
Stages and Host Cities for 2015 2015 USA Pro Challenge in Colorado - WOMEN'S
  • Stage 1: Friday, August 21 - Breckenridge (Individual Time Trial)
  • Stage 2: Saturday, August 22 - Fort Collins 
  • Stage 3: Sunday, August 23 - Golden (finishes prior to the start of the men's race)



THE RESULTS of STAGE 4

Stage 4 results

1Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team5:10:55
2Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team0:00:19
3Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team
4Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:23
5Bruno Pires (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
6Gavin Mannion (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
7Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team
8Dion Smith (NZl) Hincapie Racing Team
9Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Cycling Team
10Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis

1Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing Team17:24:03
2Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team0:00:13
3Robbie Squire (USA) Hincapie Racing Team0:00:26
4Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:27
5Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
6Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis0:00:42
7Jaime Roson (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:00:44
8Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team0:00:48
9Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek Factory Racing0:00:55
10Toms Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team0:01:01
  • Yellow: Rohan Dennis (winner of the yellow, green and red jersey)
  • Best Colorado Rider: Alexandr Braico (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
  • Green: Rohan Dennis (will be worn by Kiel Reijnen)
  • Mountain: Rohan Dennis (will be worn by Brent Bookwalter)
  • Best Young: Hugh Carthy
  • Aggressive: Robbie Squire of Hincapie
  • Best Team: BMC
Race for Best Teams:
1BMC Racing Team52:14:01
2Hincapie Racing Team0:01:14
3Jelly Belly P/B Maxxis0:01:33
4Trek Factory Racing0:06:24




Pedal Dancer® Guide Pages help you have a better vacation in Colorado. Follow me on Twitter as I run around inside and outside of the barriers and tweet from the race as @KarenRake see you there - Karen.