Snowmass history: The Coors International Bicycle Classic

“On a course they called ‘not very hard,’ three Colombians, who seem to like riding their bikes up steep hills better than anything else in the world, left the rest of the field gasping as they breezed to victory on Suicide Hill in Tuesday’s Snowmass stage of the Coors International Bicycle classic,” reported The Aspen Times on June 17, 1982.

“Julio Rubiano, of Bogota, was first across the line, finishing the 17-lap, 30-mile race in one hour, 18 minutes, 26 seconds. Placing second — apparently intentionally — just inches behind, was his teammate, Jose Patrocinio Jimenez, whose finish settled him securely in first place in the overall standings after nine stages of the 13-stage race. Third place went to Martin Ramires, also a member of the Colombian team, who led for five laps early in the race on a solo breakaway, before he faded to third, finishing some 30 seconds behind.” Local favorite Alexi Grewal came in 14^th but had a third-place finish in the Maroon Creek Road time trial later that same day, leaving him seventh overall as they left for Denver for the final stages.

The photo is of racers lapping under the pedestrian bridge to Assay Hill for the circuit around Brush Creek and Owl Creek roads with a finish up Suicide Hill, taken by Bob Krueger in 1982.