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Press Releases
Road information for Memorial Day Weekend
Background information for the Iron Horse
Durango, CO – Memorial Day Weekend and the 41st Annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic begins on Saturday May 26th. For an added safety measure for both participants and vehicles, Highway 550 from the Iron Horse Inn to County Road 203 in Hermosa will be limited to northbound vehicular traffic traveling in the southbound shoulder while Iron Horse participants will be traveling in the northbound lane. Southbound traffic will be detoured onto County Road 203 at the railroad tracks in Hermosa and coming out onto the Highway at Mountain Mania (the old Sweeney’s location). This slight detour will be in effect from 7:15am until 9:00am on Saturday May 26, 2012. Animas Valley residents are encouraged to come out and cheer on the riders as they race the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Train to Silverton.
For the past 13 years Highway 550 has been closed between Durango Mountain Resort and Silverton on Saturday May 26th from 8:00 until 1:00p.m. Due to the additional traffic, drivers should plan on 50 minute travel time from Durango to Durango Mountain Resort. A permit is obtained every year from the Colorado State Patrol to increase safety for drivers and cyclists.
On Sunday access to all of the churches along East Third Avenue will remain open, but there will be a number of detours. Here are some hints; Main Street will be closed from 10th Avenue until 8th.
Second Avenue will be closed from 10th until 8th.
Third Avenue will be closed from 10th Avenue until 8th.
All ATM’s at the local banks will be open but it may require customers to park and walk to their favorite ATM.
There will be a time trial race on County Rd 250, on Monday May 28th from 6:30am until 1pm. The north bound lane of traffic will be closed. All vehicles will have to use the south bound lane and go south.
ABOUT THE IRON HORSE BICYCLE CLASSIC
The three-day event, to be held May 26-28, 2012, will mark the 41st anniversary of Colorado’s largest, oldest and most renowned cycling event. Nationwide, the IHBC is the third oldest and continually run road race.
2012 events include:
Friday: 5:30p.m. until 7:30p.m.
Vendor expo and social event at Buckley Park (Main Avenue between 12th and 13th)
Final registration for Quarter Horse, Criterium, Mountain Bike Race and Time Trial.
Swim for the Narrow Horse Triathlon at the Durango Rec Center
Saturday: McDonalds Citizen 50-mile Tour to Silverton
Durango Coca Cola Road Race to Silverton at Durango High School 7:20a.m.—8:00a.m.
Durango Mountain Resort Quarter Horse-to-Purgatory 25-mile Tour 8:45a.m. start in front of McDonald’s.
North American Trials Championship Series located at Santa Rita Park beginning at 10:30a.m. (pro and experts ride at 1:30)
Sunday all events are downtown starting at 7:00a.m. until 5:00p.m.
Spite’s kid’s race
Subaru Morehart Murphy Criterium,
Mountain Bike Specialists Mountain Bike Race
Cruiser Crit,
Trails Demo-invitation only
Specialized Demo rides
Narrow Gauge Run
Monday BP Time Trial on County Road 250 from 7:00a.m. until 1:00p.m.
Specific times can be found on www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com
The road tour was named by Outside Magazine as an experience to be added to your bucket list of life accomplishments. Tour riders take off with the train, traveling over two mountain passes that approach 11,000 ft. with over 6,000 ft. of elevation change to the historical mining town of Silverton. There are four aid stations with food and water along the route, no technical support on course and 27 miles of the route are on a closed portion of Highway 550 North.
Last year (2011), 4000 cyclists from 44 states, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Germany traveled to Durango for the festivities. This year the tour to Silverton (which has a cap of 2500 riders) sold out in just 6 days on December 7th with many race categories selling out within hours.
The organizers of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic have once again selected the Mercy Health Foundation as its primary beneficiary for 2012 community donation. In 2011, the event generated $48,000 in donations to groups such as the Durango Devo, Fort Lewis College, and the Town of Silverton. In 2012, Team Livestrong will once again bring riders to the event in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Organizers of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic are grateful to all participants, the community, the event’s tireless volunteers, local government representatives, and hundreds of loyal sponsors for their support over the past 40 years.
