Prologue, 2011

The first USA Pro Cycling Challenge opened with a time trial out of Garden of the Gods. One rider a minute off the ramp, down Ridge Road, the hard turn onto Pikes Peak Avenue, then flat out along Colorado Avenue to the line at Cascade.

Every rider who started that day is out there with you at their real pace. Catch the rider ahead, hold off the one behind, and see where your time lands against Gretsch, Evans, Hincapie and Voigt.

THE COURSE

THE RESULT

All 130 riders are in the game. Results: cyclingranking.com; start order: Cyclingnews.

QUESTIONS

Where was the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge prologue?

In Colorado Springs on Monday, August 22, 2011. It started on a ramp inside Garden of the Gods, ran down Ridge Road, turned onto Pikes Peak Avenue and finished on Colorado Avenue at Cascade Avenue downtown: 8.3 km, mostly downhill.

Who won the 2011 prologue?

Patrick Gretsch of HTC-Highroad in 8:27, two seconds ahead of Christian Vande Velde. Cadel Evans, that year's Tour de France winner, was ninth at eight seconds. Danny Pate, from Colorado Springs, was eleventh.

Can I beat Gretsch's time?

That is the point. All 130 riders are on the road as ghosts at their real pace, starting a minute apart in the real start order. Your time goes into the real result and the finish sheet tells you where you would have placed.

Where do I start?

Pick a slot: first off the ramp, a minute ahead of Gretsch so the winner is chasing you, or last off behind Evans with the whole field ahead of you.

Is it the real course?

Yes. The roads are from OpenStreetMap with real elevation, from the park to the finish at Colorado and Cascade.

Do I need a smart trainer?

No. A smart trainer is best for a time trial, but a speed sensor on any trainer works with estimated power, and the arrow keys work on anything.