Breaking: Rohan/Armstrong win Pro Challenge

In the final day of competition for the state’s biggest bike race, Rohan Dennis seized the title, while Kristin Armstrong won the women’s title.

After seven days of racing over some of the highest terrain the world-class cyclists have ever seen, and hundreds of miles, both the men’s and women’s races came down to a matter of inches at the final finish line.

For the men, John Murhpy of Team United Health Care, followed by Boulder’s Taylor Phinney (BMC) crossed the stage 7 finish line in first and second.

The day’s race started the day in Golden, looping around North Table Mountain, before making the iconic climb up Lookout Mountain’s switchbacks, before plunging down to the plains, for a series of laps arund a downtown circuit, before a sprint finish.

Dennis, riding for the dominant Team BMC, looked comfortable, sitting near the front of the peloton for much of the day, even as assorted breakaway riders did persist until the final circuit.

Brent Bookwalter (BMC) and Rob Britton (Team Smartstop) rounded out the overall leaders podium for the men.

BMC was clearly the team of the tour. In addition to the one, two finish, the team also added stage wins by Bookwalter, and Phinney — all this despite not bringing the 2014 USA Pro Challenge defending champion Tejay van Garderen to the competition.

Women take to the road

Armstrong held on to her half-second lead to win the inaugural women’s USA Pro Challenge.

The third and final day of racing took place on a criterium in the heart of Golden. The racers sped up and down the hilly streets for one hour before a furious sprint to the finish to close out the competition.

It was an all-American podium finish in the general classification, with Tayler Wiles in second, and Mara Abbot (Boulder) finishing third.

The stage winner was American Coryn Rivera, riding for United Healthcare Professional.

 

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