The Fort Collins Cycling Festival and the Colorado Pro Challenge are just 21 days away.

August 19-22 is setting up to be a cycling mania for Coloradans as thousands decend on the state for the Fort Collins Cycling Festival followed by the Colorado Pro Challenge featuring this year's Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans.

                         The Fort Collins Cycling Festival

Friday, August 19^th    USAC/UCI Masters Men and Women Time Trial
                                             Racer Registration (for TT, Crit, and Road Races)

Saturday, August 20^th ACA Fort Collins Downtown Criterium
                                             Racer Registration (for TT, Crit, and Road Races)

Sunday, August 21^st  The Echelon Gran Fondo plus the USAC/UCI Rist Canyon Road Race
                                             The day's schedule/start times for all


                                             REGISTRATION for the Gran Fondo public ride


                                             REGISTRATION for Racers (for TT, Crit, and Road Races)

Monday, August 22^nd The Colorado Pro Challenge begins in Colorado Springs featuring this years Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans

Details on Fort Collins and why you should go
The Fort Collins Cycling Festival is gearing up for its epic weekend starting with a UCI, USAC sanctioned time trial on August 19^th.  This 17.4 mile TT course is open to all riders; Triathaletes, USAC, and ACA license holders. Everyone eligible and the top 25% get an invite to go to Belgium if they wan to compete at Masters Worlds.

The Festival continues Saturday, August 20 with an all day downtown Fort Collins ACA criterium that doubles as the Colorado State Championship.

On Sunday, let the climbing begin. The Rist Cayon Road Race. 17 Racer categories go off between 8:00 AM an 9:00 AM followed by the Echelon Gran Fondo, a mass start public ride with 30, 60, and 90 mile recreational ride options. The Gran Fondo is not a race but everyone gets a time. Compare your times to the pros and masters amateurs at the end of the day and join the family festival in the heart of Fort Collins at the end..

The Festival is on both Saturday and Sunday and includes indoor gold sprint races, huge pavilion with live video, Jumbo Tron to watch races while relaxing at the beer garden, music, a nostalgic cycling walk through, Pro racer pits, bike demos, trails demos, spectator expo, kids educational tiny town bike course, kids race, dunk tank and games. Both Mornings $5.00 all you can eat pancake feed! Three Days of Spectator Friendly Racing to watch on the Jumbo Tron and Live Video Feed!

Spectators watch the worlds finest racers battle it out in 3 incredible days of racing. All action starts and finishes from the heart of Old Town Fort Collins. The three day event includes the UCI Amateur Cycling World Championship Qualifier Time Trial and Road Race, the ACA State Masters Criterium Championships, USAC State Road Racing Championships and the USAC State Time Trial Championships. Series race points from the Tour of Colorado finals, Rocky Mountain Cup Points and ACA BAR/BAT points.

UCI worlds update

UCI finally reached an agreement with the organizer of the old "Worlds" (St Johann Austria) which will most likely become one of the qualifiers for the "new" Worlds to be held in Belgium this fall.  (see copy of email below).   

Recall, finals are now in the Bastogne Liege region Belgium this fall after the completion of 7 country qualifiers.  If you want to race for a rainbow jersey you have to go to Belgium this fall and you have to come to Ft Collins to qualify (in the U.S. anyway). 

Why all the change?

UCI is trying to expand amateur cycling and yes, to some degree, monetize it by charging operators like us to hold qualifiers. That is not a bad thing. 

Race format (fondo vs race)

Many of you are asking about this new format of racing/qualification to go to Worlds (and gran fondo style vs pure racing). While some of the country qualifiers are being run in more of a mass gran fondo start format, Echelon Fort Collins is not, and nor are finals.  Our races are NOT part of our gran fondo. We are separating as many age groups as time will allow and running 5 minute intervals. You have to race in age category. For finals in Belgium this fall, UCI is running just 2 minute intervals in separate categories. The faster/younger categories will go first to minimize mixing of age groups.  

Why this format change?

Few operators have the luxury that we do for the road closure we have in Fort Collins. This allows for the fully segregated run groups by age. Additionally, UCI wants to broaden amateur bike racing and make it global, thus opening up to a few fondo operators.  

Could UCI finals be held in the USA?

Yes, Echelon is already requesting to be the host in 2013.  

Why not just have USA Cycling Nationals as the USA qualifier?

It is under consideration for future years but it is debatable whether USAC will want to pony up money to hold a qualifier for the sake of UCI. Echelon is very much aligned with USAC and our one criticisms of UCI is they were a little hasty in making these changes to Worlds.  While Fort Collins is an epic course and a great event, we encourage you to go to Bend the week after our event for USAC Masters Nats.  USAC is the foundation of bike racing in the USA and they are supportive of our efforts in Fort Collins.  

USAC communique on Echelon. 

Fort Collins. REGISTER/FT COLLINS HOME PAGE 

Going to Belgium or not, the Fort Collins road course is one of the best in the country and the town is a blast. The TT Course is a full 17 miles and challenging. There is a ton going on that weekend with our two day festival and the Colorado Pro Challenge starts the following Monday.   

Dear all,

 

As promised, we finally reached an end with the confusing situation created by the former Master Road Worlds in St. Johann.

 

In an agreement between the UCI, the Austrian Cycling Federation and the organizer of the event, it was decided that the event will change its name to MASTERS CYCLING CLASSIC. All references to the UCI have/are being removed from their website, and the event is being registered under the UCI Cycling for All calendar, as a sign of loyalty from the organizer to the UCI international regulations.

 

Moreover, negotiations are ongoing with Austria, where a UWCT qualifier should be organized in 2012.

 

On another note, I'd like to send you a pre-invitation to the meeting we will organize on Monday the 12th September, after the Road Race of the UWCT Final in Stavelot. The meeting is meant to debrief the 2011 season, and plan 2012. Details will follow soon, but we hope you can all make it to Belgium for the Final.

 

With kind regards,

 

Andrea Marcellini Mendonça

Cycling for All, Masters and Sustainable Development Coordinator

Union Cycliste Internationale

CH-1860 Aigle

A Weekend of Cycling and Fun!

Just a reminder to all that the Echelon Gran Fondo is more than just a day on the bike. Be sure to check out the Fort Collins Cycling Festival which includes tons of activities starting August 19th starting Friday with the UCI World Championship Time Trial Qualifier for racers and culminating with the Gran Fondo for all riders on Sunday. Fort Collins will be the place to be in cycling that weekend!  Enjoy watching the racing, learn about the latest cycling trends at the expo or just enjoy the food and music at the festival, you won't want to miss this weekend of fun for the whole family. Colorado's Pro Challenge also starts the following Monday so it is going to be an exciting week in Colorado

UCI Worlds Update May 6

TERMS

UCI (Union Cyclist Internationale)--International cycling body that manages and rules international competition.
UCWT (UCI World Tour)--The body under UCI that manages the amateur world qualifiers and finals in Belgium
USAC (USA Cycling)--The USA National Federation of racing cyclists
Eligibility increased

Per UCI rules, the top 25% from each age category at any UCWT qualifier (such as Fort Collins) will receive a guaranteed slot at the UCWT finals Belgium this fall. UCI and UWCT Corporation will keep records of the athletes of each age group to make a recall after the last qualifier event, in order to allocate the slots for the Worlds that were not taken by the first 25%.

Why come to Fort Collins?

1. You will probably qualify. While eligible, per above, not every rider in Ft Collins is coming to qualify for worlds. We will have road closure/big fields (we are combining ACA, USAC, UCWT riders all in one big race) but some of the top finishers opt out of going for the UCWT final leaving space for you even if you don't make the top 10%. The course for finals in Belgium is amazing. Like our course, it has 6,000' of climbing but you wont encounter the tough climb like you will at the start of our Fort Collins Rist Canyon course. 

2. The Fort Collins race is the mother of all amateur races with up to 120 field sizes including a full road closure down the Buckhorn Canyon and major support with over 35 motorcycles.  The Fort Collins course is tough (starts with a climb) but there is a 45 mile run into the finish that allows riders to re-attach. Bring your teams to help your GC type riders. The large fields, staging, and over the road banners will make the day feel like a European classic. It is an international race.

3. A UCI Time Trial Qualifier on Friday is unique to Fort Collins

4. The Fort Collins Cycling Festival. The event will be televised and there is a huge festival that you are invited too including upscale food and all the beer you can drink. The town is charming. 

4. The Gran Fondo--an event to bring your family to ride in. (30, 60 and 90 mile options that follow just after you race). The hill climb is timed as well for everyone.

Register here for UCI races



Register here for Gran Fondo

UCI Worlds Update

Finals Course

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=sldoxqgqgcazktbi&referrer=trackList

Narrative

Become a world champion on a Liège-Bastogne-Liège Course!

The UCI World Cycling Tour is a new series of competitions in which people who enjoy cycle touring can dream of the world champion jersey through qualifying competitions in three continents. If you end among the first 10% of your age category in one of these qualifying competitions, you can take part in the final to compete for the world title.

The details of this track are now known. The point of departure and arrival is the picturesque Stavelot in the 'Ardennes Bleue'. With the legendary climbs of the Côte de Stockeu and the Côte de la Haute Levée within reach, this is the ideal operating base for experienced cyclists.

During the weekend of 9 to 11 September, Stavelot is the mecca of cycling for passionate recreational cyclists. On Friday, the cyclists compete for the time-trialling world title. Just like on Sunday, they will be divided over nine age categories for men and for women. There is an under 30 category and then one for every five additional years. The oldest cyclists will battle for the title in the 65+ category.

The grand finale of the weekend will follow with the road race on Sunday. The organisers opted for a combination of a relatively smooth run-up with a demanding final across the monuments of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. After the start, the first main roads are taken towards Trois-Ponts, Vielsalm and Lierneux in order to get to the foot of the first climb of the day after approximately 42 km, the Côte de Haute Bodeux. It is a long strip of 3.3 km with an average climbing percentage of just under 5%.

After this climb, the route continues via the descent of the Côte de Brume towards Trois-Ponts. From then on, the actual final begins and there are few smooth surfaces. The Côte d’Aisomont is the side of the well-known Côte de Wanne of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The 4.5 km climb has an average of 5% and is a good warm-up for what is ahead. Via Wanne, we take the easy slope towards Stavelot where we finish our first loop of 68 km.

There is not much time to greet supporters. The legendary Côte de la Haute Levée awaits like a hungry lion to tear apart the entire pack. There is a steep ascent from the first meters on this Haute Levée. The beast has a grip on you and does not want to let go. The first kilometres remain almost constantly around the 10% climb to then gradually weaken after 3.6 km.

There is almost no time to recuperate as -after a brief descent- it is time for another classic, the Côte de Rosier. Yet another beast that wants to go for our throat. It is a steep climb from the first metres in a forest towards Andrimont where the angle of inclination is again reduced. Just before the actual top we turn left after a 4 km climb to the highest point of the competition. After 81 km, the height measurer indicates 545 metres. We get a well-deserved break in the form of a long 6 km descent towards La Gleize.

Those who wish to play a tactical game should take this opportunity now. The road between La Gleize and Trois-Ponts is relatively smooth and offers opportunities for freebooters to slip away. Saving yourself for what is to come is another option, as there is still a spectacular final to follow.

This starts when we head towards Spineux after Trois-Ponts. This is the classic climb of the Côte de Wanne as climbed by professionals such as in la Doyenne. We have now come to the final 10 kilometres of the competition and those with any energy left, should now play their trump card. The climb of the Côte de Wanne (on average 7.6%) is just over 2 kilometres with some halfway sections of 12%.

This is followed by an extremely dangerous drop in the village of Wanne with two hairpin curves towards Stavelot. The sting is in the tail as the hardest climb of the day is in the final section. After an extremely fast descent, it is best to switch to the lowest gear, as what follows seems like a wall. The foot of the legendary Côte de Stockeu lies just 2.8 km from the finish, making it the absolute executioner. Until the top of the Eddy Merckx monument, there is a kilometre with percentages that never go below 11%. Halfway, there is a section where you even have to accelerate in order not to fall over. After a quick glance of the top on the best cyclist of all times, there is a one-kilometre descent to get to the old part of Stavelot via a small bridge, and after 110 km you can hopefully put your arms in the air as the new world champion!

UCI World Masters/Amateurs Explained

There has been lots of talk about the new UCI Amateur World Championships and the Road and TT Qualifiers being held by 7 different countries. Echelon is holding the premier US qualifiers in front of our Fort Collins Gran Fondo. Here is some history on the new series and how it came to fruition: 

1: Here is a little background on UCI.

UCI or Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland. The UCI issues racing licenses to riders and enforces disciplinary rules, such as in matters of doping. The UCI also manages the classification of races and the points ranking system in various cycling disciplines including mountain biking, road and track cycling, for both men and women, amateur and professional. It also oversees the World Championships. USA Cycling as you know is America's governing body who follows UCI rules.

2. Here is some history regarding the new UCI and Amateurs and Masters World Championship Cycling Series:

One of the championships that UCI oversees each year is the World Amateur and Masters Cycling Championships which was held for the last several years in St Johann Austria. In the past you did not have to qualify but that is no longer the case.  A new UCI cycling tour for amateur riders that will ultimately crown age group World Champions is being launched by the UCI for 2011. 7 Countries are holding qualifiers. The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) is a series of UCI-sanctioned races that will be held all over the world. The UWCT will comprise a maximum of 15 qualifier events, leading to the UWCT Final. The top 10% in each age group of the qualifier events will automatically have the right to compete in the UWCT Final and race for the coveted UCI rainbow jersey. The new final will be held in September of 2011 along parts of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege course in Belgium

The former UCI Masters Road World Championships held in St Johann Austria no longer has the distinction of "Finals". 

3. Commentary  There has been some debate about the format of the new UCI series. Echelon's qualifier in Fort Collins is sticking to true racing and running separate age categories on largely closed roads, similar to USA Cycling format. Some of the host countries are running their qualifying races as gran fondo style or mass starts where age groups will be scored separately. In a perfect world, each country would run separate age groups like we are in Fort Collins but not all countries have that luxury to close roads like we do in Fort Collins. 

UCI tells us they are working hard on permitting for the finals in Liege-Bastogne so that they can run separate age categories and we suspect they will. 

4. Why does Echelon support the new series then? We like the notion of qualifying for worlds and applaud UCI's attempt to set up an international series. In time other countries will follow. You can go to any country to qualify too. We don't support the gran fondo style of qualifying and we are sticking to true racing. We also just want to support amateur bike racing and our partner, USA Cycling.  Echelon also plans to add races to all of our fondos and we are expanding to foreign soils plus bonding with two of the best fondo operators in the world.   .

5. Why come to Fort Collins, Colorado this August?

Echelon is hosting the premier USA Qualifier for both the Road Race and the TT. Per above, we are running separate age groups on one of the best race courses in the country. Also going on that weekend is the Fort Collins Cycling Festival and the start of the Quiznos Pro Challenge the following Monday.  Fort Collins is easy to get to and accommodations are reasonable.

While our course is demanding (starts with a climb), it does not just favor climbers. After the initial climb there is a 43 mile run out down twisty canyons to the finish. Finally, you can enter as a fundraiser if you want for only $50 and the donations you raise will go to the USA Cycling Development Foundation. 

Please contact me personally with questions or comments.

www.echelongranfondo.org

Hunter Ziesing

Executive Director

PlanetZ/Echelon Gran Fondo

107 Reed Ranch Rd.

Tiburon, CA 94920

415.720-6789 ph

415.435-3686 fx

Fort Collins Release

For Immediate Release:

ORGANIZERS OF ECHELON GRAN FONDO AND FORT COLLINS CYCLING FESTIVAL COMBINE RESOURCES TO PRODUCE COLORADO’S BIGGEST CYCLING FESTIVAL

Multi-programmed August event will include Criterium, Road Race, Hand Cycling and Gran Fondo to be held in conjunction with Fort Collins free music festival, Bohemian Nights.

(San Francisco, CA – December 16, 2010) – The Echelon Gran Fondo Cycling Series by PlanetZ/Echelon, a non-profit organization that benefits cancer research and survivor support, has announced its partnership with the Fort Collins Cycling Festival (FCCF) to produce what will be Colorado’s largest cycling event slated for August 19^th through the 21^st, 2011. Echelon currently has five other events planned for 2011: Tucson, Napa, Seattle, Palo Alto, and Portland, Oregon.

The Fort Collins Cycling Festival, a cornerstone to cycling in Colorado, will partner with the Echelon team to augment its festival program with two events designed to raise money for local cancer related causes and organizations within Fort Collins and the Denver area regions. Added to the program will be the Echelon Gran Fondo and a Hand Racing competition that includes a fundraising component. According to FCCF Organizer, Charlie Weinbeck, “the Echelon events offer exactly what we need for a citizens challenge which will be held on some of the most beautiful roads in the state including the spectacular sweep up Rist Canyon.”

Echelon, who recently has become the largest operator of Gran Fondos in the US, will bring its 30, 60 and 100 mile courses that include a fanfare of  “theater on the roads” style to Fort Collins. Echelon will introduce its signature style of fun and frivolity to their Gran Fondo and allow the non-racers to get a taste of a mass high-energy start and finish.

“We are no doubt excited about entering Fort Collins”, said Hunter Ziesing, Echelon’s Executive Director. “The city is clearly wanting to become the next best cycling town and invite those from Colorado and beyond. We also believe the weekend is a perfect lead out for the Quiznos Pro Challenge, providing something for every amateur cyclist.”

Echelon, a unique series designed for cyclists of all levels, combines riding, racing, and fundraising, along with what the organizers call a “Tour de France-like frivolity” to offset the serious nature of fundraising.  What makes the Echelon event distinct from other charity-based cycling rides is the ride itself, or what Echelon’s Executive Director Hunter Ziesing calls “theater on the roads” –where cyclists are treated to an experience of riding in a grand tour for the day. At an Echelon event, a rider can expect announcers, balloons, cheerleaders, helicopters, live music, marching bands, epicurean treats, and a cast of characters typically found on Alpe d’Huez.  

About Fort Collins Cycling Festival:

Fort Collins Cycling Festival strives to create educational, entertaining and environmentally-sustainable cycling events with as much community involvement as possible. Founder, Charles Weinbeck, promotes cycling events to perpetuate his belief that eco-responsibility and fun-filled events are not mutually exclusive. Charlie’s motto: “stay green, be local, cycle often, and smile daily.”

About PlanetZ/Echelon:

PlanetZ is a non-profit global member organization that promotes human affairs including health, environment, and community, and is greatly committed to the cycling community at large by creating events and fitness challenges that are designed to raise money to local and national cancer focused institutions. LIVESTRONG® is Echelon’s national beneficiary. Each event city has its own locally named beneficiary for Echelon’s fundraising program. For more information, please visit www.echelongranfondo.org

Media Contact: Rebecca Kotch

Email: Rebecca@rlkpr.com

Phone: 323.806.5900