Lance Armstrong to lead Aspen Gran Fondo

For the second straight year, Lance Armstrong will lead the Aspen Gran Fondo, a 50-mile road cycling event held to kick off the summer biking season.

The city-organized Gran Fondo, which is in its third year, starts and finishes in Aspen on June 11, taking riders through Snowmass Village, Woody Creek and Old Snowmass.

"Despite Armstrong’s fall from the pinnacle of professional cycling amid allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs, organizers have no qualms about having him lead the informal peloton", said Nancy Lesley, the city’s director of special events and marketing.

“The participants seem to enjoy the camaraderie and the high energy of the ride — and riding with Lance,” she said.

"Armstrong, who rode last year with friends, is not paid for his role", Lesley said.

In addition to experienced cyclists like Armstrong, last year also saw the participation of the Hincapie Sportswear Development team, an elite squad of riders. Lesley said she wasn’t sure if the team will be back for this year’s ride.

The route has something for everyone, including steep climbs, rolling hills and flat sections, says a press release. Lesley said there is also a dirt section the road cyclists will have to navigate.

Armstrong, who lives in the West End and in Austin, Texas, is no stranger to local competitions, finishing second in the Power of Four mountain bike race in 2012 and running the city’s Golden Leaf Half Marathon. He’s also a regular on the hiking and mountain biking trails around Aspen.

The legendary cyclist has hosted local charity rides, and former Aspen mayor Mick Ireland even tried to establish a “Lance Day” in 2009.

Registration for the Gran Fondo is $75 and can be done at - http://www.active.com/aspen-co/cycling/races/aspen-gran-fondo-2016