With the recent weather we’ve had, my bike has been sitting in my garage way too much. It’s time to battle the elements and get out there and get tuned up for a biking season. I’ve got to get in shape for some rides this summer, get in the mood for cycling season and get ready for the really big event coming up this summer.

The clock is ticking — three months and counting until the Overall Start of the USA Pro Challenge hits Steamboat Springs and Routt County. Are you ready? This year is special, with the overall start here, and with media and riders in town the week prior, it will indeed be the summer of cycling. Hosting the Start, the Stage 1 Circuit and the Stage 2 Start will be the biggest undertaking yet for our Local Organizing Committee.

You have a chance to get close to the action and into that coveted VIP area at the race. We’ve opened up two new sponsorship packages. If you want to experience this world-class sporting event the best way possible, reward your employees or clients, or simply have a good time (and support our efforts); we could use your partnership.

Sponsorships include access to the “Go Ride Steamboat” citizens’ ride on Aug. 15, where you can ride with cycling celebrities on the Stage 1 Circuit route or opt for the 25-mile ride. Join us that evening in the VIP tent at the Free Summer Concert Series to watch the team announcement on stage before the concert.

On Monday, you’ll be in the Lexus Club VIP tent at the finish line of the circuit race downtown. And on Tuesday, you’ll have access to the Start VIP Lounge with rider autograph opportunities.

Sound like fun? These packages start at $1000, and we’ll recognize sponsors in our advertising and marketing efforts leading up to and during the race.

As you may remember, the vast majority of the cost for hosting the USA Pro Challenge is born by the Local Organizing Committee. Hosting the overall start brings great value in terms of excitement, positioning our community as Bike Town USA and generating media exposure in more than 160 countries. However, the associated costs this year are much larger than in the past. As I’ve said here before, Steamboat Springs is an amazingly generous community.Our city and lodging properties have been incredibly supportive, as have a number of businesses, many of which we will tell you about very soon as we honor their contributions. These packages give individuals and smaller organizations the opportunity to be a part of the effort and join in the excitement.

These won’t be around long, so grab ‘em while you can. You can contact me at jim@steamboatchamber.com or 970-870-7007.

And, while on the subject of cycling, remember the week of June 8 is Bike Week. Folks are encouraged to bike to work. As the weather warms, please be sure to share the road; drivers and cyclists need to be courteous to each other. More and more people will be riding on two wheels, so let’s all be safe and have fun. See you on the road.

Jim Clark is the CEO of the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association.