In The NOCO


Colorado’s mountain passes and great weather make it a destination for competitive cyclists. But the history of professional cycling races in Colorado is a rocky one.   

Races like the Colorado Classic, the Coors Classic, and The USA Pro Cycling Challenge have all come and gone over the years. 

So, we were intrigued when an events company recently announced plans to create the Tour of Colorado – a five-day men’s road biking race through the Rockies that will attract worldclass cycling teams. The first edition would be held in September 2026. And organizers recently received encouragement from Gov. Jared Polis, who praised the plan. 

Betsy Welch is a freelance writer who reported on the proposal for the Colorado Sun. She spoke from her home in Carbondale with Erin O’Toole  about whether this new proposal looks promising and why professional road racing in Colorado has been so hard to sustain.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

What is In The NOCO?

KUNC's In The NOCO is a daily look at the stories, news, people and issues important to you. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show explores the big stories of the day, bringing context and insight to issues that matter. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we explore the lighter side of news, highlighting what makes this state such an incredible place to live.