ASPEN, Colo. (PRWEB) July 18, 2013 -- The best bike racers in the world will hit Aspen, Colo., for the USA Pro Challenge (UPC) from Aug. 19 – Aug. 20, 2013. Aspen has been selected to host both the Stage One Overall and the Stage Two Start for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge. Stage One will take place Monday, Aug. 19, with a circuit race between Aspen and Snowmass, allowing viewers multiple opportunities to view the race as the cyclists complete three, 22-mile laps, starting and finishing on Main Street in Aspen. Stage Two of the race will depart Aspen on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and head over Independence Pass and then into Breckenridge, Colo.
Affordable & VIP Luxury Packages
Aspen provides affordable vacation options with viewers watching from numerous spots on the race course. Lodging packages are available through Stay Aspen Snowmass, with rates starting as low as $149/night. Alternatively, visitors can opt for a VIP luxury experience for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge paired with all ranges of hotels, condominiums and homes. Viewers can enjoy watching the official start of the Aspen/Snowmass circuit race at the VIP Founders Box for $350. The VIP area offers stellar service with gourmet cuisine, televisions to watch the race unfold and the best spot to watch the pros battle for the stage win directly ahead. Stage Two offers a VIP Start Lounge Experience for $125 featuring catered breakfast, a VIP Autograph Alley access area, and great seats to watch the riders prepare and set out for the day’s race.
USA PRO CHALLENGE Events
In conjunction with the USA Pro Challenge, Aspen will be alive with festivities and activities including the following:
Saturday, August 17
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Snowmass Village Mall Festivities – Snowmass Village kicks off the festivities with welcome and opening ceremonies for the UPC featuring a pool party at the Wildwood Snowmass Resort, a New Belgium home brew sampling showcase, best bike legs competition, autograph kiosks and more!
6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies –Snowmass Village will host the opening ceremonies with a team introduction celebration at the base of the village.
9:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wildwood Welcome Bash—The Westin/Wldwood Complex welcomes visitors to town with live music, New Belgium & food specials, UPC merchandise giveaways and more.
Sunday, August 18
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aspen Finish Line Festival— Festival grounds open the day before the race at Paepke Park with a kids zone, expo and food vendors, a beer garden and more.
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Aspen Sprint Challenge—The UPC, in partnership with the City of Aspen and USA Cycling will stage the inaugural Aspen Sprint Challenge, an amateur team event with a head to head sprint competition on a portion of the race course of the first stage of the USA Pro Challenge.
Monday, August 19
12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Race Day Festival at Paepcke Park — The race day festival continues at Paepcke Park prior to the start of the UPC.
1:05 p.m. Overall Start of USA Pro Challenge -- Aspen / Snowmass Circuit. The exciting start with the world’s best pro cyclists will be broadcast throughout the world, but Aspen visitors will be right on course watching the pros push their strength and battle the win to the finish line on day one of the UPC.
Tuesday, August 20
8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Race Day Festival — Aspen visitors gear up for one last celebration in Paepcke Park with music, food and live music before stage two of the UPC.
10:10 a.m. Stage 2 Start: Main Street Aspen over Independence Pass to Breckenridge
Aspen Events
Cycling enthusiasts are invited to begin the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Aspen early or stay longer. In addition to UPC, Aspen offers a plethora of outdoor recreation activities and festivals, as well as an incredible dining scene and nightlife. Here are other Aspen events taking place before, during and just after the USA Pro Challenge. For a complete calendar of events visit http://www.aspenchamber.org/calendar-of-events/summer-2013:
1. Peloton Aspen 13, Aug. 16, 2013. - The newly revamped Peloton Aspen 13 is a benefit for the Davis Phinny Foundation & Aspen USA Pro Cycling Challenge with fellow enthusiasts, pros and other notable celebrities. This year the intimate evening of mixing and mingling at an exclusive Aspen home will include an auction featuring some of the most unique cycling memorabilia around. http://www.pelotonaspen.com
2. Aspen/Snowmass Komen Ride for the Cure, Aug. 17, 2013 – Join the Ride for the Cure on 100-, 50-, 30- or 10-mile bicycle rides throughout must-see sites in the Roaring Fork Valley, including Ashcroft, The Maroon Bells, Old Snowmass and Woody Creek. http://www.komenaspen.org
3. Aspen Music Festival and School’s Closing Concert, Aug. 18, 2013 - Maestro Robert Spano, Heidi Melton and Eric Owens close the 64th season. Enjoy the show outside for free on the lawn or purchase tickets to sit inside the renowned Benedict Music Tent. http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com
4. AREDAY – American Renewable Energy Day, Aug. 15-28, 2013 - AREDAY is a unique renewable energy and clean technology policy summit and forum that gathers national leaders, like Ted Turner, T. Boone Pickens and Dr. Sylvia Earle to engage in presentation, conversation, performance, film and dialogue. http://www.areday.net
5. JAS Café Downstairs at The Little Nell: Roberta Gambarini & Trio, Aug. 17- 18, 2013- Roberta Gambarini & Trio will take on the final performance of the JAS Café Downstairs at The Little Nell series. Ajax Tavern and Element 47 offer special three-course pre and post show menus for guests attending the JAS Café shows. http://www.jazzaspensnowmass.org
6. MountainSummit: Mountainfilm in Aspen, Aug. 22-25, 2013 - Now in its fifth year, Mountainfilm in Aspen is a unique collaboration between Mountainfilm in Telluride and the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen. Featuring award-winning documentaries, the event includes talks from some of the most interesting artists, activists and adventurers working on the planet today. http://www.wheeleroperahouse.com
7. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Final Summer Performance, Aug. 24, 2013 - Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is an internationally acclaimed professional dance company, bringing dance to Aspen year-round. The final performance features retiring dancer Katie Dehler with a collection of audience favorites: Over Glow by Jorna Elo, Nicole Fonte’s contemplative Where We Left Off and Alejandro Cerrudo’s enigmatic Last. http://www.aspensantafeballet.com
8. Shakespeare In The Park, Aug. 15- 31 2013- The Hudson Reed Ensemble presents its free Shakespeare in the Park series at Galena Plaza. The Hudson Reed Ensemble is Aspen’s resident acting company. This summer’s production will be Romeo and Juliet. http://www.hudsonreedensemble.org
Bring a bike/Rent a bike
To get the pro cyclists’ perspective, watch the race from the extensive bike trail system which parallels much of the race. It is recommended that visitors either bring a bicycle or rent a bike from a local shop.
Many of the racers will be training on the Aspen roads the week prior to the race, so avid fans may choose to ride the circuit course in advance. Seeing the Aspen area via bicycle is quite spectacular and you don't have to be a pro to do so. Take a jaunt around town or down the Rio Grande Trail, or take it up a notch for road biking. For road riders, look no further than Independence Pass, where the best riders in the world have descended upon Aspen during the annual USA Pro Challenge. The Maroon Creek Road ascends to the most photographed peaks in North America, the Maroon Bells, after an eight-mile ride. Mountain bikers will find hundreds of miles of trails from scenic jeep roads to technical downhill single track, with the Hunter Creek area and Government Trail ranking as two of the local favorites.
Information on the Aspen stage of the USA Pro Challenge, including accommodations, VIP passes, spectator information, and more can be found at http://www.aspenupcc.com.
About Aspen
Aspen's plethora of warm-weather pursuits pique nearly every passion, from extreme outdoor adventure to world class cultural pursuits, from Colorado’s finest fly fishing, to indulgent spa offerings. Whether experiencing the rapids of the Roaring Fork River (running directly through the center of Aspen), to scaling the rock walls up Independence Pass, or hiking biking on picturesque trails, there is an activity for everyone to savor Aspen’s stunning mountain scenery and experience a vacation that will “Defy Ordinary.”
For more information, a complete calendar of events, or to book an Aspen vacation, visit http://www.aspenchamber.org, or call 800-670-0788.
About the USA Pro Challenge
The USA Pro Challenge, also known as America’s Race, is an annual multi-day professional road cycling stage race that first took place in Colorado in 2011. The race is marked especially by the incredible altitudes (over 12,000 feet), spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountain scenery and over one million fans onsite. For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Colorado Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure as they ascend over three mountain passes. The USA Pro Challenge will take place August 19-22, 2013, and travel through ten host cities from Aspen/Snowmass to Denver. More information can be found online at http://www.USAProCyclingChallenge.com and on Twitter at @USAProChallenge.
Sarah-Jane Johnson, Promo Communications, http://www.promocommunications.com, 970-901-9422, [email protected]
Share this article