I’m sad to report that the USGP flyover that stood proudly at the top of the hill on South College Ave for 5 years is no more. The expense of safely dismantling and transporting the flyover, poor general condition and a looming property sale meant that our beloved Blue Beast had to come down quickly and ultimately with no hope of complete reconstruction. Pieces of it may make their way to the North 40 CX course to be used for creek crossings but that has yet to be determined. The North 40 CX course will host TCCX this weekend. http://goo.gl/ESA1zN
Members of the Ciclismo Youth Foundation, First City Cycling Team and the USGP local organizing committee started the somber task of demolition on Thursday, November 12th and hoped to have it completed by Monday, November 16th.
The structure, having been rebuilt twice and exposed to the elements for 5 long years, was in poor general condition and would not have survived another cycle of being dismantled, transported and rebuilt in another location without considerable expense. Unfortunately, the original design did not call for easy dismantling, transport and reconstruction. It was indeed modular but the pieces measured 8’x12′, weighted several hundred pounds and were suspended 9′ in the air. The Cross of the North team was able to shore it up for one final season earlier this year but a close evaluation proved that COTN 2015 would be its’ last race weekend. As part of the land use agreement, the property owners required that the flyover be removed from the grounds by Oct 31st of this year. 
The 31′ long, 12′ tall and 12′ wide flyover was funded by the Fort Collins cycling community and used for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 USGP of Cyclocross races as well as the 2013 and 2015 Cross of the North cross races. Marcel Van Garderen designed the flyover for the Neenan Company who also donated heavily to the project. Even though the original design called for it to be a primarily stationary structure, it was transported and used for New Belgium CX after the 2010 USGP and was brought back to the Vineyard Church property for the USGP in 2011.
Every effort was made to find a new home for the flyover but with the estimated cost of disassembly, transportation, reassembly and repairs at $1500.00 and the deadline to have it moved already past, saving it proved impossible.
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