Colorado peloton gets underway Monday in Steamboat Springs
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Sunday's lineup for the 2015 USA Pro Challenge press conference. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Taylor Phinney (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Taylor Phinney cracks a smile and laugh in the press conference(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Taylor Phinney continues his comeback from injury at the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
There will be plenty of bidons used throughout the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC getting ready for the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC team owner Andy Rihs at the team truck(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz and BMC team owner Andy Rihs off for a ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A lull in the questions for the riders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A packed press conference(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The expected main protagonists at the press conference(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Kiel Reijnen will be man to watch this week(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Shawn Hunter is the CEO of the USA Pro Challenge(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Davide Formolo will be Cannondale-Garmin's man for the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) isn't entirely sure how he'll adapt to the high altitude in Colorado(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Ted King at the press conference(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Sorenson was the Tinkoff-Saxo rider representative(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matthew Busche was a late addition to the start list for Trek as he is still suffering from injuries sustained in a recent crash(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) is the rider to watch for some(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis (BMC)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Ted King (Cannondale) talks about racing in Colorado for his last race in the US.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Matt Busche (Trek) explains coming back after his recent crash.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Garmin) is looking forward to the weeks big climbs at the USA Pro Challenge.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) goes into the 2015 USA Pro Challenge as one of the overall favorites. (Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Taylor Phinney (BMC) speaks about racing in his home state at the 2015 USA Pro Challenge.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthcare) will be going after stage wins this week in Colorado.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Taylor Phinney (BMC) happy to be in Colorado after a successful test in Utah(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Rohan Dennis (BMC) all smiles at Sunday's USA Pro Challenge press conference.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Riders and media gathered Sunday at the The Steamboat Grand Ballroom in Steamboat Springs for a queston-and-answer session ahed of the USA Pro Challenge, the seven-day UCI 2.HC race that starts here Monday and concludes next Sunday in Denver.
Cannondale-Garmin's Ted King and Davide Formola joined BMC's Rohan Dennis and Taylor Phinney, Trek's Matthew Busche, Tinkoff-Saxo's Chris Anker Sorenson, Novo Nordisk's David Lozano, UnitedHealthcare's Kiel Reijnen and Hincapie Racing's Dion Smith on the dais.
The big news from the assembly, especially for this riders targeting the overall win, came from Lexus Vice President for North America Brian Smith, who announced that the winners of the men's and women's races will each receive a two-year lease on the new Lexus 200 Turbo. Aside from that, riders talked about the course, the high elevation of the race and what their team and individual goals are for the week.
Check out the photo gallery above for a brief look at the press conference on the eve of the 2015 race.
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