131 MILE DAY OVER 2 12000 PASSES AS THE RACERS COME INTO ASPEN. Stage 2: Gunnison to Aspen (August 24) The Queen Stage is the crown jewel of the seven stages. The journey from Gunnison to Aspen will be the hardest, longest and highest of the race, summiting two 12000-foot peaks in one day. This promises to be the toughest stage in America, and the toughest day of racing of the entire year. You won’t want to miss it! First riders will leave the authentic Western town of Gunnison and travel through Gunnison National Forest. Then they will ascend 2740 feet over 13.7 miles to reach the first King of the Mountain line of the day on top of 12126-foot-high Cottonwood Pass, the highest point during this seven-day race. In a unique twist, the ascent up Cottonwood Pass is on a dirt road, an extra challenge for these racers’ thin road tires. After a tough climb and a fast descent comes another beautiful but grueling climb up Independence Pass. The road is narrow and steep with a 6.5% gradient and numerous switchbacks. This second King of the Mountain line will certainly separate the true competitors from the peloton. At 12095 feet, the oxygen level is only 60 percent that of what athletes inhale at sea level. After 131 miles, this take-no-prisoners stage ends in downtown Aspen in the shadow of the Maroon Bells, Colorado’s most photographed mountain peaks
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