USA Pro Cycling Challenge: Stage 5 @ Swan Mountain

The biggest pro road cycling race ever in the history of the US came tearing through Colorado this week. A 6 stage race through beginning in Colorado Springs and hitting some of the most scenic regions and heinous summit climbs in the state. I was lucky to be invited to join some friends at a swank mountain house outside the town of Silverthorne in Summit County. My visit coincided with Stage 5, which ran through the town on today's route from Steamboat Springs to Breckenridge. A few coworkers and I secured a fantastic spectating point at the top of the Swan Mountain 'king of the mountain' climb on the south side of Dillon Reservoir.

The crowd was huge and merry with lots of time to kill before the racers made their way to our locale. But sipping beers and goofing around with my buddies helped pass the time in a lively way. Finally the race brigade got to us, with a full regalia of police cars, motorcycles, team cars, ambulances, and finally the spry Belgian climber Andy Schleck (2nd in the Tour de France this year) out off the front in a solo breakaway.

Not too far behind with the peloton came the Team BMC boys; here's liftime legend George Hincappie smiling while pulling a less perky Cadel Evans to the top of the climb. Cadel's fresh off this year's Tour de France victory, recovered from his own broken elbow the year prior. Earlier in the week George won the Colorado race's "Queen Stage" from Gunnison to Aspen that conquered two 12,000ft+ passes over the Continental Divide: first Cottonwood Pass into Buena Vista, then over Independence Pass into Aspen.

It was simply amazing how fast all these racers (over 100 passed by us) flew up this climb, especially after 5 days of hard core racing at altitudes well above most of them are conditioned to. Just an amazing day all around. Team Radioshack's Levi Lephiemer ended up taking the overall win when the race concluded in downtown Denver the following day. Organizers, host towns, the politicians and certainly cycling fans all deemed the inaugural race a stunning success and they promise to bring it back again next year. I can't wait!