Raceday fun for Golden

The race this year is unique because it is the inaugural year for the women’s race. The women’s race will be a criterium race in downtown Golden beginning at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 23. The racers will continuously loop the course for one hour, after which it becomes a three-lap race with a sprint to the finish. Each lap of the course is about 1.3 miles.

The official starting line for both USA Pro Challenge races will be just north of 13th Street and Washington Avenue.

From there, the women will go right on 18th Street to Illinois Street, where they will take a right and proceed through the Colorado School of Mines campus to 14th Street. They will follow 14th Street to Arapahoe Street where they will make a sharp left turn. From Arapahoe Street, they will turn right onto 11th Street, and follow it back to Washington Avenue, where they will go right to the starting line.

Spectators can watch the race from the sidelines. Exact time has not been determined, but people will also have an opportunity to see the women’s awards ceremony, which will take place at the starting line.

The men will race at 1:10 p.m. Aug. 23 starting in Golden, but their race will finish in Denver. The men have the same starting line as the women, but they will do a 4-mile climb up Lookout Mountain, loop through Golden, then race through Wheat Ridge and Lakewood en route to Civic Center Park in downtown Denver.

People can watch the men race along the route in Golden, or on the switchbacks of Lookout Mountain.

In addition to the races, the city has two additional activities planned.

To kick things off, the Local Golden Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Parfet Park at 10th Street and Washington Avenue.

The festival will include a beer garden, food trucks and a USA Pro Challenge information booth. Local merchants and non-profits will be showcasing their businesses and organizations.

A Jumbotron screen will be showing the race live, as the men race to Denver.

At 1:50 p.m., about 25 to 30 children will participate in the Two Angels Foundation’s Kids Adaptive Dash, which takes place at the official starting line for the USA Pro Challenge and continues south to 12th Street and Washington Avenue.

Two Angels Foundation is a nonprofit that provides bikes to children with physical disabilities.

On race day, downtown restaurants merchants will be open and ready to host visitors and residents, Doane said.

People can gear up for race day at Peak Cycles, 1224 Washington Ave. The bike shop has 2015 USA Pro Challenge jerseys available for men and women, Dwyer said. The store will have business hours on Aug. 23.

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