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Tour of the Gila: Saturday is when the fun really begins for fans
Cyclists line up for the 40-lap UCI race at Tour of the Gila on Friday.
Saturday is traditionally the most spectator-friendly stage of Tour of the Gila, the five-day bike race pedaling through southwest New Mexico this week. Since 1987, people have crowded around the 1.08-mile course for the Downtown Criterium presented by the Town of Silver City.
One of the longest continually running bike races in the country, Tour of the Gila in Silver City is where road cyclists aspiring to the sport’s highest levels can secure UCI points that count toward events like the 2028 LA Summer Olympics.
Olympians like Kristin Armstrong and Mara Abbott point to the race’s role in their path to the top.
The 2023 Vuelta a España winner Sepp Kuss also rose through the ranks via Tour of the Gila.
This year, notable up-and-comers competing at Tour of the Gila include 17-year-old Sidney Swierenga, who is just 01:39 behind the overall UCI women’s leader, and 22-year-old Keiran Haug, who is leading the UCI men’s race.
For fans in the southwest, the importance of Tour of the Gila in professional road cyclists’ careers translates to a premier spectating experience.
Saturday begins with amateur racers pedaling off the start line at 8 a.m. The UCI women begin at 1:30 p.m., and the UCI men launch at 3:10 p.m.
When the pros are on course, live commentating spurs on the crowd’s roars, and clanging cowbells add to the cacophony.
At 12:30 p.m., the “Citizen fun races” begin, which gives every age and ability a chance to compete.
“My favorite part of the entire week is when the tiny little ones line up to race 100 yards during the Downtown Silver City Criterium,” race director Jack Brennan said. “It’s even more fun when the whole state shows up to cheer them on.”
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For schedules and more information, visit TourOfTheGila.com.
