“When you’re happier, you can train harder,” says Lidl-Trek rider Quinn Simmons, who prepares for WorldTour racing on the very roads Tour of the Gila uses as race courses.

While this rider appreciates the high altitude challenges available in southwest New Mexico, Quinn Simmons skipped to the WorldTour early in his career and never raced Tour of the Gila. For most American riders, though, Tour of the Gila plays a key role in their racing trajectory, whether they rise to the WorldTour or ride at the top level stateside. This is true of both Simmons’ brother Colby and his friend Richard Holec, who both competed in Tour of the Gila as juniors. (Holec trains with Simmons in Silver City each winter and is pictured in the video below.)

As one of the last remaining UCI-sanctioned races on the continent, Tour of the Gila provides a critical stop on the journey for North American cyclists ascending the ranks. And for those who already skyrocketed to the sport’s highest ranks, Tour of the Gila race courses (coupled with our welcoming and vibrant town) make up a desirable high altitude training ground on par with European cycling meccas. Simmons and Holec laid out all the reasons why they do their winter training in Silver City in a post-ride interview at Javalina Coffee House downtown.