With the USA Pro Cycling Challenge time trial on Sunday in Denver, the nation’s premier professional cycling event came to a close. Event organizers, local officials, and fans alike had rave reviews for the race.

From the Denver Post editorial page:

The second go-round for the USA Pro Challenge is officially over, and what a treat it was to have had the world-class cycling event in our backyard for a second time.

Enthusiasm for the event was most evident in the number of spectators who lined the route up Flagstaff Mountain on Saturday. Some in the sport believe the stage that started in Golden and ended in Boulder drew the largest crowd for a single day of pro cycling in U.S. history (official estimates won’t be available for several weeks)…

[Sunday’s time trial] capped a week of great racing that brought spectators to a dozen towns — and to spots alongside the roads that link them — across the state.

Last year’s race brought 1 million spectators and $83 million in economic impact to Colorado, according to organizers. We suspect the final tallies for this year’s event could exceed those numbers.

And here’s USA Pro Cycling CEO Shawn Hunter and USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson with some post-race analysis:

Sweet USA Pro Cycling Challenge jerseys and t’s still available!