Pro Cycling Returning To Rocky Mountains With Tour Of Colorado Set For Next August

Just two months after the shuttering of Colorado's USA Pro Challenge bike race, pro cycling is officially "back in the state" with the Tour of Colorado, a race set for Aug. 10-13, 2017, according to Daniel Petty of the DENVER POST. The race will be "part of the UCI Americas Tour, as will the Commonwealth Cycling Classic to be held Aug. 24-27 in Richmond." Colorado’s event is "being funded" by RPM Events Group, a group of investors that includes Denver’s Gart family; Liberty Global; David Koff, a partner at InterMedia Partners investment fund and a past Liberty Media executive; and Denver philanthropist Ben Walton, a grandson to Walmart Founder Sam Walton. RPM Chair Ken Gart has said that the event "will go beyond a pro race and include national musical acts, a festival, athlete interaction, mass-participation events and so-called 'spoke events,' which could include a mountain stage or a hill climb as an offshoot of the main competition" (DENVER POST, 10/18).