What tour of the gila does

Tour of the Gila is a Silver City, New Mexico-based nonprofit organization that produces one of the longest-running multi-day professional road cycling stage races in the United States, established in 1987 and currently operating as a 501(c)-type entity under two boards (Gila Community and Tourism Development, and Tour of the Gila). Its core product is a five-day, 334-mile UCI 2.2-sanctioned men's stage race — the only UCI-sanctioned stage race in the United States — paired with a UCI women's stage race, USA Cycling amateur stage races (priced at $180 and $240), low-cost citizen fun races ($5–$20), and a separate Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo held each October with 30/60/80-mile options. The event draws an average of 12+ international teams and a total field of 30+ teams (33 in 2026), supported by hundreds of volunteers, a host housing program, and an alumni list that includes Sepp Kuss, Kristin Armstrong, and Mara Abbott.

The organization monetizes the event through three principal revenue streams: race entry fees (paid only by amateur and citizen participants; UCI teams are invited and not charged), corporate sponsorship (with New Mexico True as title sponsor, Gila Regional Medical Center as Sprinter Jersey sponsor, Advanced Air as official airline, and Grant County as a local-government partner), and tourism-driven spectator spending that flows through the regional economy rather than the nonprofit's books directly. Operations are run by a small core team led by Race Director Jack Brennan (in role since 1987) and Media Director Jennifer Olson, with technology limited to the BikeReg registration platform and standard event-management tooling. Strategic positioning is anchored on the UCI America Tour calendar slot, a 39-year race heritage, and the brand association with elite professional cycling that the alumni roster provides.

The business is structurally a recurring event franchise rather than a venture-scalable business: revenue is bounded by sponsor willingness in a regional New Mexico market, the invitation-based nature of UCI participation, and the cap on amateur field size. The principal strategic assets are the UCI license itself, the 39-year operating history, the volunteer/housing ecosystem, and the equity of having produced Tour de France and Olympic medal winners, all of which would be difficult and expensive for a new entrant to replicate.

Name

tour of the gila

Legal name

Tour of the Gila

Website

https://tourofthegila.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tour of the Gila is a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 that produces the only UCI-sanctioned multi-day stage race in the United States, held annually in Silver City, New Mexico, serving professional UCI teams, amateur racers, and cycling tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Event Organization

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC)

Keywords

• Stage cycling race
• UCI road racing
• Amateur cycling events
• Gran Fondo cycling
• Cycling event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Race Entry Fees: Entry fees from amateur racers participating in USA Cycling-sanctioned stage races. 4-day race costs $240, 3-day race costs $180. Citizen races have nominal fees ($5-$10).
2. Sponsorship Revenue: Title sponsorship from New Mexico True, jersey sponsorships, and key sponsorships from regional businesses including healthcare, construction, and hospitality companies.
3. Spectator and Tourism Revenue: Indirect revenue from spectators traveling to Silver City, booking lodging, dining at local restaurants, and purchasing merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tour of the Gila organizes and operates an annual multi-stage road bicycling race held in Silver City, New Mexico. Its offering includes UCI-sanctioned professional men's and women's stage races, USA Cycling-sanctioned amateur 3-day and 4-day stage races, community citizen fun races for unlicensed participants, and a separate annual Gran Fondo. The event features five distinct stages (time trial, road races, and criterium) running on scenic and challenging courses through the Gila National Forest.

Product overview

Tour of the Gila is an annual cycling stage race event held in Silver City, New Mexico, offering multiple race categories over a five-day period. The core offering consists of UCI-sanctioned professional stage races (men's and women's) at the UCI 2.2 level, supported by USA Cycling-sanctioned amateur races (4-day and 3-day options), and recreational Citizen Fun Races. The UCI races feature five distinct stages: Tyrone Individual Time Trial, Mogollon Road Race, Inner Loop Road Race, Downtown Criterium, and the Gila Monster Road Race (queen stage). A separate annual event, the Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo held each October, offers recreational cyclists three distance options along the same scenic routes. The event serves as a key stop on the UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Pro Road Tour calendars, attracting over 30 teams including international participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tour of the Gila UCI Races: UCI-sanctioned 2.2 road cycling stage race for professional and elite amateur cyclists, part of UCI America Tour calendar
• USA Cycling Amateur Races
• Citizen Fun Races
• Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo

Products and services

• UCI Men's Stage Race Five-day UCI-sanctioned stage race for professional and elite cyclists, featuring 334 miles across a time trial, road races, and criterium stages. Part of UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Pro Road Tour calendars. Invitation-only for UCI Pro Teams, Continental Teams, and National Teams.
• UCI Women's Stage Race Five-day UCI-sanctioned stage race for professional and elite women cyclists, running concurrently with the men's race. Part of the UCI America Tour calendar.
• USA Cycling 4-Day Amateur Stage Race Four-day USA Cycling-sanctioned stage race for licensed amateur cyclists in Men 1,2 and Men 3 categories, with bonus competitions for riders 40 and over. Entry fee $240.
• USA Cycling 3-Day Amateur Stage Race Three-day USA Cycling-sanctioned stage race for licensed amateur cyclists including Women 1,2,3,4, Men 4,5, and Masters Men categories, with age-based bonus classifications. Entry fee $180.
• Citizen Fun Races Community fun races for recreational cyclists and families who want to participate without a USA Cycling license. Held during the Downtown Criterium day with age categories from kids (free under 12) to adults ($10). Includes a $20 citizen road race through Gila National Forest.
• Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo Annual recreational cycling event held each October featuring three distance options (80, 60, and 30 miles) along the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway, supported with rest stops and sag support. Named after ultra-endurance cyclist Lael Wilcox.

Quantifiable outcome

• Olympic athletes like Kristin Armstrong and Mara Abbott have competed; 2023 Vuelta a España winner Sepp Kuss developed career here
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• New Mexico TrueflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Title sponsor of Tour of the Gila. New Mexico True is the state's tourism marketing brand. Provides primary event sponsorship and promotes the race as a destination event for cycling tourism in Southwest New Mexico.
• Gila Regional Medical CentercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sprinter Jersey sponsor for the UCI races. Healthcare provider serving Grant County and the surrounding region. Provides medical support during the event.
• Advanced AircoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Official Airline Partner offering 15% off flights into Silver City during race week. Provides daily flights from Phoenix and Albuquerque to Grant County Airport.
• Grant County New MexicocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local government sponsor providing support for road closures, local logistics, and community engagement for the annual cycling event.
• Hidalgo Medical ServicesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Healthcare sponsor supporting the Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo event in October. Provides presentation sponsorship for the recreational cycling event.
• Lyman CommunicationsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor of the Mountains Classification (Polka Dot Jersey) for best climber competition in the UCI races.
• Brian and Lynn Robinson / Southwest Bone and Joint InstituteminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Sponsor of the Best Young Rider Jersey (White) for riders 23 and under. Local healthcare providers supporting cycling athletes.
• Freeport McMoRanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Mining company sponsor of the KOM/QOM Jersey competition. Operates mining operations in Grant County area.
• First New Mexico BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Presenting sponsor for Citizen Fun Races. Local community bank organizing the Saturday downtown criterium races for non-licensed participants. Provides free T-shirts for participants.
• Murray HotelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Historic hotel in Silver City providing preferred lodging for race participants and officials. Part of the event's lodging collaboration program.
• The Bike WorksminorOthers · 1 January 2026Local Silver City bike shop lending helmets to citizen race participants who need them. Phone: 575-388-1444.
• Gila Hike & BikeminorOthers · 1 January 2026Local bike shop hosting packet pickup for race participants. Start location for Gran Fondo events.
• Modern Adventure Pro CyclingcoreOthers · 1 January 2026UCI Pro road team participating in the 2026 UCI men's race. One of the professional teams bringing elite competition to the event.
• Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28coreOthers · 1 January 2026Continental professional women's cycling team and development program participating in UCI women's race. Key team in the women's field.
• Lael WilcoxflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2024Record-setting ultra-endurance cyclist who joined the Gran Fondo in 2024 and now serves as the namesake and celebrity guest for the Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo. Promotes the event internationally as an ambassador.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation): Organizer of the Tour de France and a portfolio of major cycling events including L'Étape Gran Fondo series; comparable as a broader incumbent in mass-participation stage-race event organization.
• USA Cycling: U.S. national governing body for cycling and the sanctioning authority for Tour of the Gila's amateur and pro categories; comparable as the broader institutional framework within which Tour of the Gila's amateur races operate.
• Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI): World governing body of cycling that grants Tour of the Gila its UCI 2.2 sanction and places the race on the UCI America Tour calendar; relevant as the broader regulatory incumbent that defines the competitive landscape.

Direct peers

• Maratona dles Dolomites: Premier European Gran Fondo held in the Italian Dolomites with mountain terrain, mass-participation cycling, and tiered distance offerings; closely comparable to Tour of the Gila's Gran Fondo on the recreational/challenging-route dimension.
• Gran Fondo New York: Major U.S. Gran Fondo event offering multiple distance options on closed-road cycling routes with a similar recreational-amateur customer base; comparable product format and pricing tier to the Lael Wilcox Gila Monster Gran Fondo.
• Redlands Bicycle Classic: Historic U.S. multi-stage road cycling race held annually in Redlands, California, operating at a similar amateur/USA Cycling-sanctioned tier; directly comparable in format, customer segments, and nonprofit-style community organization.
• Haute Route: Multi-stage amateur cycling event series held on iconic climbs worldwide, targeting amateur riders seeking a Tour-style experience; directly comparable in the multi-day stage-format amateur cycling segment.
• Cascade Classic: Long-running U.S. stage race held in the Pacific Northwest that similarly combines amateur stage racing with elite-level competition on challenging terrain; comparable in scale, customer mix, and regional nonprofit operating model.
• L'Étape by Tour de France: Global Gran Fondo series operated by ASO (Tour de France organizer) that licenses the Tour de France experience to amateur cyclists; directly comparable as a mass-participation road cycling event on iconic routes with tiered distance options like Tour of the Gila's Gran Fondo.
• Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah: Former UCI 2.HC stage race held across Utah that historically occupied the same U.S. professional stage-race niche as Tour of the Gila; directly comparable historically in format, tier, and team composition even though currently inactive.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tourofthegila
• Instagraminstagram.com/tourofthegila
• Xx.com/TouroftheGila

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about tour of the gila