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| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | April – May |
| Region | New Mexico, United States. (North America) |
| Competition | UCI America Tour |
| Type | Stage race |
| Organiser | Tour of the Gila Inc. |
| Web site | www |
| History (men) | |
| First edition | 1987 |
| Editions | 36 (as of 2024) |
| First winner |  Andy Bishop (USA) |
| Most wins | Drew Miller (USA) Burke Swindlehurst (USA) (3 wins) |
| Most recent | Tyler Stites (USA) |
| Women's history | |
| First edition | 1987 |
| Editions | 35 (as of 2024) |
| First winner | Nancy Shipp (USA) |
| Most wins | Mara Abbott (USA) (6 wins) |
| Most recent | Lauren Stephens (USA) |
The Tour of the Gila is a cycling stage race for both men and women located in New Mexico, United States. It is sponsored by the component maker SRAM.[1] The "Gila" began in 1987. Beginning in 2012, the men's Gila has been added to the UCI America Tour as a UCI classification 2.2 stage race, which permits UCI ProTeams to enter if they so choose; beginning in 2015, the women's Gila has also been added to the women's UCI international tour as a UCI classification 2.2 stage race.[2]
Beginning in Silver City, New Mexico, the men's course covers around 540 kilometres (340 miles) over five days, while the women's course covers about 100 kilometres (62 miles) less. It consists of three road races (stages 1, 2 and 5, nicknamed the "Gila Monster"), an Individual Time Trial (stage 3) and a Criterium (stage 4). Through 2011, the Tour of the Gila was classified as a national race, which prohibits both UCI ProTour and UCI ProContinental teams from competing in it. In 2009 and 2010, through a special agreement with the UCI, individuals from those teams could compete as part of teams that were limited to three competitors, which led to a resurgence of interest among male cyclists in the Tour of the Gila.
Beginning in 2011, though, individuals from UCI ProTeams were completely prohibited from competing in such races. The Gila planned to upgrade to a UCI Americas Tour race in 2011 as a result, but it was not able to secure sufficient funding and had to revert to a U.S. national race. However, it upgraded to UCI America Tour status for 2012 and has remained on the UCI Americas Tour ever since, despite the collapse in American cycling sponsorship in 2013.[3]
The women's race remained a U.S. national race through 2014, but was also added to the UCI Americas calendar in 2015, which was accompanied by a funding crisis that threatened the cancellation of both races.[4] In the end, however, sufficient additional funding was found to continue both races as UCI events.
During the 2017 edition, Chad Young, a 21-year-old rider on Axeon–Hagens Berman, died from injuries sustained in a crash on a downhill section of the queen stage.[5]
- ^ "Tour of the Gila". FirstCycling.com. 2023.
- ^ "Tour of the Gila (Usa) - Cat.2.2". Memoire-du-cyclisme.eu (in French). Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ Cyclingnews (December 14, 2011). "SRAM Tour of the Gila added to UCI America Tour for 2012". CyclingNews.com. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
- ^ Pat Malach (March 11, 2015). "Gila seeking funds for women's UCI race". CyclingNews.com. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ "American cyclist Chad Young dies from injuries sustained in crash". NBC Sports. April 29, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.