Women's Challenge

The Women's Challenge bicycle race (originally known as the Ore-Ida Women's Challenge as the lead sponsor was the Ore-Ida brand of frozen potato products) was held annually in the western United States in southern Idaho, beginning in 1984 until its demise in 2002. Later primary sponsors were PowerBar and Hewlett-Packard.[1]

The peloton in 1998, at the start
of the Boise to Idaho City stage

Galena
Summit

Location in the western United States

Galena
Summit

Location in Idaho

During much of its 19-year history, it was the most prestigious women's cycle race in North America. From 1995, when it first obtained sanctioning from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI),[2] the international governing body for cycling, it developed into one of the strongest races in the world, attracting numerous World and Olympic Champions. Prior to that, in 1990, the UCI had refused to sanction the event, citing as their reason the "excessive climbing, stage distances, number of stages, and duration of event." The race that year, Idaho's centennial, began in northern Idaho at Sandpoint,[3][4][5][6][7] was 17 stages and 663 miles (1,067 km), and was won by Inga Thompson.[8][9] The fifth stage through Lewiston ended with the climb up the Spiral Highway, a twisty rise of two thousand vertical feet (610 m).[6][10]

The following year (1991) marked the debut on the international scene of a team representing Lithuania,[11] which had just recently declared its independence and was still awaiting recognition as a country. Professionals were allowed to compete beginning in 1993.[12]

The race, which was run almost entirely by volunteers, set a very high standard in terms of technical administration and conduct of the race itself. Jim Rabdau, the race founder, served as chief organizer of the race throughout its entire history.[13]

By the late 1990s, the race was able to attract sufficient sponsorship money to offer the richest prize fund ever in women's cycling and, for a while, was the richest prize fund race in North America, men's or women's. At its peak, it offered $125,000 in prizes.

However, cuts in sponsorship forced a reduction in prize money to $75,000 in its last year (2002)[14] and no title sponsor could be found to replace the outgoing sponsor for the following year, forcing the cancellation of the race. Race organizers cited a downturn in the economy as the reason.

One of the stages crested Galena Summit at 8,701 feet (2,652 m) above sea level on Highway 75, the Northwest's highest highway pass.[11][15]