Colorado’s mountain passes and great weather make it a destination for competitive cyclists. But the history of professional cycling races in Colorado is a rocky one.
Races like the Colorado Classic, the Coors Classic, and The USA Pro Cycling Challenge have all come and gone over the years.
So, we were intrigued when an events company recently announced plans to create the Tour of Colorado – a five-day men’s road biking race through the Rockies that will attract world-class cycling teams. The first edition would be held in September 2026. And organizers recently received encouragement from Gov. Jared Polis, who praised the plan.
Betsy Welch is a freelance writer who reported on the proposal for the Colorado Sun. She spoke from her home in Carbondale with Erin O’Toole about whether this new proposal looks promising and why professional road racing in Colorado has been so hard to sustain.