The Colorado Classic is back and this year the professional cyclists will be racing in Vail and the Denver metro area.
Stages 1 and 2 are in Vail.
Stage 1 on Thursday was a circuit race east along Frontage Road, up a dirt climb on Mill Creek Road to a King and Queen of the Mountain, out to West Vail and back. Parker native Gage Hecht won the first stage.
Stage 2 on Friday is a time trials in Vail. The 9.87-mile stage climbs 1,574 feet from the start at Mountain Plaza to a mountain finish near the top of Vail Pass.
Stage 3 on Saturday will start and end in Denver's RiNo neighborhood, but the 100-mile course will take riders to Golden, through Red Rocks, to Evergreen and back over Dinosaur Ridge for a furious sprint from Wheat Ridge High School to the finish at the Velorama Festival.
Stage 4 in Denver will once again start and end in the RiNo neighborhood, but the 9.1-mile circuit course will wind to Denver's City Park via 17th Ave. The women begin at 10 a.m. for a four-lap circuit totaling 34.8 miles, followed by the men’s eight-lap finale of 71.2 miles at 12:15 p.m.
Learn more about where to watch, the Velorama Festival, road closures and much more on the Colorado Classic website.