World Tour stage racing returning to the USA? Discussions underway for five-stage tour in Sepp Kuss' home state

The UCI World Tour really is just that in modern cycling with races hailing from across the globe. Although the likes of Canada, Australia and even China have races on the modern World Tour calendar though, the USA is a notable absentee. Discussions are currently underway however, to change that fact and bring elite stage racing back to the land of slam dunks and hot dogs.

If plans set out by British-based Infinity Events Group are successful, a five-stage tour in the home state of former Vuelta a Espana champion Sepp Kuss - Colorado, could be a reality as soon as September 2026. “What we’re looking for is to create a race that has the standing of races there in the past — the Coors Classic, the USA Pro Challenge or the Colorado Classic,” Infinity Events Group director Scott Taylor says to the Denver Post. 

“In terms of Colorado, amazing topography, amazing scenery, an incredible backdrop for a cycle race. Year One would be a men’s race only. The intention is to introduce a women’s race in future years. The focus at the moment is getting Year One up and running, and establishing it on a sustainable long-term basis," Taylor adds. “I think the opportunities are huge if we can get it up and running for the first year.”

It's still not quite locked in just yet, with a search for sponsors ongoing, but Taylor seems optimistic. “We didn’t approach sponsors until we had the governor’s backing,” he explains. “The point of making the release is, we do want to start talking about what we’re trying to do, but it is all dependent upon getting the necessary commercial partners. We’re confident and we’re optimistic that the timing is good, but it all hinges on getting the financial backing in place.”

The US has long been a nation with cycling pedigree (although some of it controversial), but big racing has been lacking from the nation for a while now. “It’s not easy, there is a huge challenge because these events cost a lot of money,” Taylor says, perhaps explaining the lack of US World Tour action. “And, they take a huge amount of work to put them on. What’s different now? I think timing is perhaps on our side a little bit. There is an optimism around cycling, in Colorado and more broadly across the United States.”

Some of that renewed cycling optimism in the US and especially in Colorado, is down to Team Visma | Lease a Bike star Sepp Kuss. Far removed from the controversy of the likes of Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie and Floyd Landis among others, Kuss has gained a reputation as an almost universally loved rider, ready and willing to sacrifice himself completely in order to aid others. The fact that Colorado has the nickname of the Rockies also surely does nothing but help the idea of potentially exciting racing.

“Colorado is an epicenter of American road cycling,” says Brendan Quirk, chief executive and president of USA Cycling. “If any place in America should have a stage race, it should be Colorado. You look at the number of great champions who have come out of Colorado. Any professional road racer, where do they want to train when they’re in the United States, it’s Colorado. I am so stoked about the vision. Colorado needs a race like this. America needs a race like this. We’re excited to work with the state of Colorado and the event organizers in trying to make this vision come to life.”