This coming August, sandwiched between two of the three Grand Tours, is the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is expected to be the largest spectator event in Colorado history and may possibly be one of the largest sporting events to ever take place in the United States. For seven consecutive days, 128 of the world’s top athletes will race across 518 miles through the majestic Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure, more than two miles in elevation. The inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 22-28, 2011, starting in Colorado Springs and traveling to Salida, Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison, Aspen, Vail, Avon, Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge and Golden, ending in Denver for the finish.
Just about every cycling stage race has custom jerseys created to designate the ‘race leader’ from day to day – the USA Pro Challenge is no different. USA Pro Challenge will award jerseys daily to top athletes in various standings including the leader, sprinter and climber. In addition, the best young rider as well as the rider who tackles the course with the most tenacity and aggression will wear jerseys commemorating their accomplishments. 
In a special tribute to Davis Phinney, the first American to win a stage at the Tour de France and the last reigning champion of the Coors Classic (the most famous stage race in America), the USA Pro Cycling Challenge is sponsoring an auction of one of each of these jerseys. Davis Phinney, at the age of 40, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease – the same disease that Michael J. Fox has been battling since 1991. These jerseys are autographed by professional riders including Davis Phinney, Ron Kiefel and Dale Stetina, and will be posted on CharityBuzz.com through August 2, 2011. All proceeds from this auction will benefit the Davis Phinney Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides information, inspiration and tools to help people with Parkinson’s disease to live well today.
Along with the auction of the USA Pro Challenge leader jerseys, bidders will have a chance at winning a true cycling classic – an authentic Team 7-Eleven jersey! This particular auction includes the jersey and a 5 x 7 photograph of some of the riders as well as autographs by 13 team members from 1986-1989, such as Davis Phinney, Ron Kiefel, Bob Roll and Alex Steida.
Sports apparel company Pearl Izumi, which has also joined the race as an official partner, will produce the USA Pro Challenge leader jerseys to be presented to riders who display exceptional skill in each stage of the race in the following categories:
- 2011 Quiznos Leader Jersey
- 2011 Smashburger Sprint Jersey
- 2011 Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey
- 2011 Sheets Best Young Rider Jersey
- 2011 Exergy Most Aggressive Rider Jersey
With more than one million spectators expected at the event, as well as national television exposure on NBC and the cable network VERSUS, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will be the race to celebrate in America. Visit www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com for all the details on who is competing and how you can watch, or catch us on Facebook or Twitter @USAProChallenge.
Auction items can be found at the Davis Phinney Foundation Auction