10 Amazing Insights: Colorado’s Epic ‘Tour Of The Moon’ Race

Grand Junction's famous "Tour of the Moon" road bike race got its start as part of Colorado's Coors International Bicycle Classic (1980 to 1988), sponsored by the Coors Brewing Company.

Read More: How John Otto Made the Colorado National Monument a National Park

The 2024 version of the Tour of the Moon race will bring more than 2000 riders to the Colorado National Monument for a chance to enter two different versions of a race showcasing the beautiful red rock canyons of the Western Slope.

Get our free mobile app

What is the Tour of the Moon?

The 2024 Tour of the Moon bike race features two versions of a course that showcases the Colorado National Monument which many have compared over the years to the moon's lunar surface. A portion of the proceeds for this year's race will benefit Bicycle Colorado and One Riverfront. 

How Long Is the Tour of the Moon Race?

The Tour of the Moon race starts and ends in Grand Junction with two versions of the course for riders to choose from. The Classic Loop is the 41-mile version of the race similar to the course's earliest days. There is also a 64-mile (Metric Century) version of the course that adds additional miles around the city of Fruita to the race.

What 80s Movie Featured This Race?

The 80s film 'American Flyers' features portions of the Tour of the Moon race during the film's climax. The movie co-stars Kevin Costner who spent several weeks in Grand Junction filming scenes with the rest of the crew during July and August of 1984.

Everything you could want to know about this year's race can be found at Theridecollective.com/tourofthemoon.