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2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge Route to Include Mountaintop Finish at 8,100 Feet in Beaver Creek Village
BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (April 4, 2012) – Contenders for a stage win during the fourth day of competition at the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge will need to remember to keep some leg and lung power reserves in the tank as Beaver Creek Resort today identified the route for its Stage 4 mountaintop finish. The stage will take place on Thursday, Aug. 23, day four of the week-long 2012 edition.
 
The day’s stage, a 97.2 mile route to Beaver Creek from Aspen, includes 75 miles of climbing at altitudes of 9,000 feet and above, plus a sprint competition, all before landing at the base of Beaver Creek for the final climb to the mountaintop finish.
 
As the riders approach the finish, they will take a sharp left from Highway 6, dashing south through the Beaver Creek Welcome Gate on their 2.5 mile final climb that rises almost 1,000 feet to the finish line, which will be located just beyond the skier bridge at 8,100 feet in Beaver Creek Village.
 
“Beaver Creek’s mountain top finish promises to provide not only thrilling racing action,” offered Doug Lovell, chief operating officer of Beaver Creek Resort and president of the Beaver Creek Resort Company board, “but we also expect that this will be one of the largest crowds of the mountain stages, given our close proximity to the Front Range. With so many avid cycling fans in our community, we’re incredibly excited to host this stage, while also providing race fans with the resort’s signature hospitality and an enhanced Expo area that will contain events and activities leading up to and following the race. This is a day not to be missed in the Vail Valley.” 
 
Beaver Creek Mountain will provide a stunning backdrop as riders climb past the Beaver Creek Golf Club and private homes, with cheering spectators lining every inch of the route. Shortly before the finish line, the route will narrow and riders will need to remain focused on the last 100 yards, crossing the uphill finish line near the Centennial Station skier drop-off point.
 
“Given the location of the final climb in the grand scheme of the day’s race,” explained Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation, “it will provide not only exciting racing action, but it will also definitely have an impact on who emerges from the stage with the leader jersey.”
 
Complete details for where to watch Beaver Creek’s Stage 4 finish, events throughout the day and race-day logistics will be released in the weeks ahead. Stay up to date with local race news, including the local poster contest winner, @beavercreekmtn on Twitter or facebook.com/Beavercreek. For more information visit http://www.beavercreek.com/ and http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/city/beaver-creek
 
The 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge will test the riders’ strength and endurance over a more than 680-mile course. The entire route includes:
 
Stage 1: Durango to Telluride – Monday, Aug. 20
Stage 2:  Montrose to Crested Butte – Tuesday, Aug. 21
Stage 3:  Gunnison to Aspen – Wednesday, Aug. 22
Stage 4:  Aspen to Beaver Creek – Thursday, Aug. 23
Stage 5:  Breckenridge to Colorado Springs – Friday, Aug. 24
Stage 6:  Golden to Boulder – Saturday, Aug. 25
Stage 7:  Denver Individual Time Trial – Sunday, Aug. 26
 
About Beaver Creek Resort
On August 23, 2012 be sure to experience Beaver Creek’s mountaintop finish of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The arduous day culminates in a climatic uphill battle as the athletes dig deep for every last ounce of energy through the crowd-lined ascent to the finish line. A village-wide celebration will cap off Stage 4 and teams and fans can take advantage of Beaver Creek’s warm and friendly hospitality for the night.

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 USA Pro Cycling Challenge 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, a week proclaimed by Governor John Hickenlooper as “Colorado Cycling Holiday,” and travel through 12 host cities from Durango to Denver. More than 1 million spectators are expected to once again line the route to see if Levi Leipheimer will defend his title as reigning champion, while millions more around the world watch the race live on television and online through the Tour Tracker.
 
More information can be found online at www.USAProCyclingChallenge.com and on Twitter at @USAProChallenge

About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, and the Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar California in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort property and hotel company, manages casually elegant properties. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.

Contact(s)

 Media Contacts:
Beaver Creek Stage Local PR Committee:
 Jen Brown, Beaver Creek Resort PR, (970) 754-5292, jbrown@vailresorts.com
John Dakin, Vail Valley Foundation, (970) 777-2015, jdakin@vvf.org
Kristin Williams, Vail Resorts Public Affairs, (970) 754-2712, kwilliams@vailresorts.com
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