The town of Golden has become a regular feature for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge as both a start city and a mid-stage spectating zone. That's because ofGolden's versatility as a cycling destination, not to mention its vast array of restaurants, cafes and breweries. And the city's "Howdy Folks! Welcome to Golden: Where the West Lives" banner makes for great race photos.

Seated at the base of the foothills, Golden offers flat roads as well as soaring climbs, such as the fan-favorite Lookout Mountain Road. Most of these routes easily loop back into town, where a post-ride beer is easy to find. 

This year Golden hosts the starting line of the final stage, which again finishes in front of the Colorado State Capital building in Denver. It also hosts the final stage of the women's race, which finishes below Golden's iconic sign. For those fans hoping to catch the action in Golden, we've plotted out a perfect day for you:

Get There Early
We recommend arriving to Golden before 10 a.m. If you're hoping to ride, we recommend tacking on at least another two hours. That's because this year Golden also hosts the final stage of the women's USA Pro Challenge, which features a fan-friendly criterium race around downtown. That event starts at 10:30 a.m. and finishes approximately an hour later.
The men start at 1:30 p.m., however the team busses arrive around noon. In the hour before the start, you can watch the men warm up for the race, snag autographs and snap lots of photos. Trust us: if you show up just for the 1:30 rollout, you're going to miss most of the fun! But don't leave too early. After descending from Lookout Mountain, the men will loop back through downtown Golden at approximately 2:30 p.m. before heading into Denver.

The Cup of Coffee:
Start your day with a cup of Joe and a pastry from Café 13 at 1301 Arapahoe St in downtown Golden. Located in the old Golden armory - which is built entirely from river-polished rock - the café is a favorite for local cyclists.

The Ride:
If you've come to Golden to ride, then you need to tackle Lookout Mountain Road. The route soars above downtown as it crisscrosses Mount Zion (emblazoned with an "M") and finishes atop the tree-covered Lookout Mountain, which is topped with radio towers. With its European-like switchbacks and views of Golden and Denver, the route has become a favorite for the race. 

On race day, you won't have to worry about any car traffic on Lookout Mountain Road. The Colorado Department of Transportation will close the road to car traffic starting at noon on Saturday, August 22. Still, we recommend riding it early, since plenty of spectators will ride and walk up the road that morning. 

From downtown, the out-and-back route is approximately 12.5 miles, while the full loop comes in at 17.5 miles. You're looking at anywhere from 1,300 to 1,500 total feet of climbing.
From downtown Golden, ride west on 13th street and take a left at Illinois St. The short climb will take you through the School of Mines campus. At 19th street, take a right, and start the climb. Pass through the stoplight at U.S. Hwy 6 and proceed up the road.
The official start of the climb is at the two rock pillars, and the finish is at the turnoff for Buffalo Bill's Grave. Many cyclists prefer to turn around and descend down the climb, as the twists and turns provide a fun way down. Others create a loop out of the ride, and continue along Lookout Mountain Road to U.S. Hwy 40, which takes you back to town via Heritage Road and the bike path along Hwy 6.

The Lunch:
Downtown Golden has a collection of great restaurants. For pizza, we recommend Woody's Wood Fired Pizza at 1305 Washington Ave. For sandwiches, head

over to D'Deli. The Golden Hotel's Bridgewater Grill has a brunch buffet that runs until noon on weekends. For a great all-around menu, 

Victory Beers:
Of course Golden is known for it's beers- it's Colorado! The city is a hotspot for Colorado's craft beer industry, and supports smaller breweries that make delicious small-batch beer. 

About the author: 
Fred Dreier is a journalist living in Denver, Colorado. 
He has written about professional bicycle racing since 2004, and his work has appeared in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Dreier has covered the USA Pro Cycling Challenge since its debut in 2011. He regularly rides his bicycle on many of the roads used by the race.