Following months of uncertainty, the worst possible news for cycling in America has been confirmed: there will be no USA Pro Challenge in 2016.

“The timing and work involved in this endeavor does not allow us to produce the event in 2016 and achieve all the goals of our important stakeholders. Instead, we have targeted 2017 to restart this iconic race,” race CEO Shawn Hunter said in a statement released Friday afternoon.

Hunter had been piecing together investors to keep the race alive, but he has decided that his efforts are better focused on ensuring the race will be run in 2017. 

"While forming a new ownership group for the event, we have been focused on ensuring the longevity of the race, expanding its coverage, and aligning it with other United States cycling events and activities," Hunter said in a statement released by the race. "Building a solid platform of this type takes time and the efforts of many diverse stakeholders, and while we will not be conducting America’s Race this year, we are diligently working to complete the necessary pieces for 2017.”

"We have made great strides over the past months and look to re-launch when we finish this phase of the process," he said. "We thank all of our world-class Colorado communities, sponsors and benefactors that have and continue to help us achieve the goal of producing the best race in the world. A special thank you goes to Rick and Richard Schaden who originally launched the race in 2011. Without their vision and support we would not be here."

The only UCI professionally ranked races above the 1.1 category in 2016 will be the Amgen Tour of California and the Tour of Utah.