Leadville Airport Featured in Aviation Magazine
It’s always nice to be recognized. So kudos to the Leadville/Lake County Airport for grabbing some great press in Aviation’s Fly-Low Magazine. The story features all of the recent upgrades the local airport has undergone, including interviews with Manager Mike Huemann and Asst. Manager Andy Kapustensky. For those who were not able to attend the big 4th of July Grand Opening of the new office and Snow Removal Equipment (SRE) facility, there are some great pictures of all the incredible aircrafts on display during the event. Great job, guys and keep up the good work!
Pro Challenge to pass through Lake County…Twice!
Elia Viviani (R) of Itay riding for Liquigas-Cannondale finishes first as he out sprints Michael Morkov (L) of the Netherlands riding for Saxo Bank Sungard who finished second in stage four of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge from Avon to Steamboat Springs on August 26, 2011. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
One week from today the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will mark its first of two days passing through Lake County. 
Similar to last year’s course, Stage 3 of the race on Wednesday, Aug. 22 will run from Gunnison to Aspen, skirting the southern end of Lake County, traveling through Twin Lakes and over Independence Pass. Road closures will echo the same as last year, with Highway 82 being closed to traffic from about noon until 4 p.m. on Aug 22, stated Lake County Emergency Manager Mike McHargue.
The next day, Stage 4 of the race on Thursday, August 23 will run from Aspen to Beaver Creek. This is when the course will have its biggest impact on Leadville and Lake County. 
“This will provide one more opportunity for Leadville and Lake County to stand out in people’s mind,” explained Lake County Commissioner Mike Bordogna.
Note: Local officials will be releasing a full report of road closures for the two days the race comes through Lake County. Leadville Today will pass that information along when we receive it.
Hometown Celebration
Leadville will be rolling out the welcome mat to host the world-class athletes and the thousands of fans anticipated to come and watch the event. The “Hometown Celebration” will include a parade, many fun-filled, bike-oriented events and some live music from locals’ favorite Leadville Cherokee will round out the day’s festivities on Thursday Aug. 23.
So get your group together or go solo, but be sure to be a part of the fun. For participation form, CLICK HERE.
Leadville will also have the only Sprint included on Stage 4 of the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
So a quick translation of what this means for all you non-cycling geeks: more spectators, more racing fans and more tourism for Lake County.
“The Sprint on Harrison Ave. will begin somewhere around the southern curve of Hwy 24, just as it turns into Harrison Ave, with the finish line ending at the stoplight,” explains Bordogna. This will also give racers time to recover before they head into that 90 degree turn on 9th Street and blaze out of town en route to Beaver Creek.
Another translation for the non-cycling geek: A Sprint is a short race within a race where competitors “turn on the power” for approximately a half mile with speeds of up to 50 mph. The first racer to cross the Sprint finish line wins a special prize. This event will draw even more spectators into downtown to cheer on their favorite Sprint racer.
“This will make Leadville a hub for people coming to watch the race,” says Bordogna, but quickly followed up with, “Even though it is a time when our citizens and businesses are already taxed, it is a great opportunity for them to try one last big effort in rounding up those dollars from tourists.”
It’s worth noting that according to race organizers, participating cities generally need to come up with roughly $250,000 to host a stage of the race. Certainly that’s what Durango and Boulder are anticipating as the start and finish for the race. So what about Leadville and Lake County – what’s the price tag?
“My hope is that we can garner that same type of attention (as the host cities) without spending the money,” said Bordogna.
About the USA Pro Cycling Challenge
For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure – more than two miles in elevation. One of the largest cycling events in United States history, the 2012 race will feature the best of the best in professional cycling, competing on a challenging course through some of America’s most beautiful scenery.
Referred to as “America’s Race,” the second annual USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 20-26, 2012. More than 1 million spectators are expected to once again line the route to see if Levi Leipheimer will defend his title as winner of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, while millions more around the world will watch the race on television and online through the Tour Tracker.
The inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge attracted more than 1 million spectators from around the state, the country and the world, and the Colorado economy was the beneficiary of $83.5 million in economic impact thanks to a successful first-year event, which took place August 22-28 and visited 11 Colorado host communities. As a virtual postcard for the State of Colorado, the race received 25 hours of national television coverage on NBC and Versus, in addition to airing in 161 countries and territories internationally.
The race has also been upgraded to a 2.HC ranking, “the highest registration level next to the Tour de France,” according to race promoters. For the full 2012 stage breakdown, and list of all the participating pro-cyclists, visit www.USAProCyclingChallenge.com.
