cycling. Boulder, Durango, Winterpark, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs, Aspen and Vail all hosted races that attracted the top competitors in the country. The best thing was, even with the high level of competition, the races had a modest atmosphere. It all seemed very approachable for a newcomer. People camped in the parking lot and everyone attended the post race barbecue to share a beer and tales from that day’s adventure. For $25 you could race, eat and get a cool Tshirt. In the next few years, things would change dramatically. NORBA began looking for new venues around the country. The National Championship Series and the UCI World Cup took off and the top riders began chasing points and sponsors. Good for the growth of the sport? Perhaps. But racing in the country changed. The overall attitude at the events became less microbus and more SUV. Things got serious. Everything was geared towards sponsorship and the eyes of race promoters became fogged with the elusive goal of getting television
coverage. Hype was the rumbling, throaty hotrod and dinero was the tattooed, leather-bound driver. Some of the riders and most of the fans started
Beer, Pizza and Door Prizes. Is this Bingo Night or a Bike Race? to lose interest. Luckily they only lost interest in traveling and paying huge entry fees, but they did not lose interest in racing.
To meet the demand for regional racing, high quality events sprang up. New formats like 24-hour racing and the freeride scene emerged. For the dedicated racer, it’s never been hard to find a good venue in the Rocky Mountain region. The Mountain States Cup offers a professionally run, wonderfully competitive series. Thanks in part to the American Cycling Association, the road racing schedule is growing steadily. There are even more bike races in this region than rodeos! But what about those who can’t travel every weekend to chase a point series around the state? What if you’re not that serious, and you miss the days when beer was a recovery drink. Or maybe you like a good race but aren’t willing to blow your retirement savings on traveling. You have job commitments, families or other interests that keep you from devoting your life to racing. You may be part of the majority of cyclists looking for something different. For you and many other cyclists, the Town Series is the perfect answer. Mountain Flyer
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