The Virtual Tour of the Gila will happen again this weekend, and you can watch the live broadcast on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. The 3-stage Virtual Tour of the Gila is scheduled for January 7, 8, and 9, 2022. Schedule and links to places to watch below.

The Virtual Tour of the Gila is a part of the Echelon Racing League using modified, virtual versions of our in-real-life courses. The Echelon Racing League features men's and women's teams from across North America, as well as select esports and international teams.

The Echelon Racing League will be on the virtual platform RGT Cycling. What is unique about RGT is that they have the capability of making virtual versions of our real Tour of the Gila racecourses. GPX files of our 3 racecourses, the Tyrone Individual Time Trial, the Mogollon Road Race, and the Gila Monster Road Race, were created and sent to RGT. The folks at RGT then created our in-real-life racecourses onto their cycling platform. When the Pro Men and Pro Women race the Virtual Tour of the Gila, they will be actually racing and experiencing, online, the road profiles that make up our Tour of the Gila. "That is really cool!" Race Director Jack Brennan exclaimed.

Here is this weekend's Virtual Tour of the Gila livestream race schedule:

Tyrone Individual Time Trial: Friday, January 7
Pro Men: 4:10PM MST
Pro Women: 5:00 PM MST

Mogollon Road Race: Saturday, January 8
Pro Men: 9:10AM MST
Pro Women: 11:10AM MST

Gila Monster Road Race: Sunday, January 9
Pro Men: 9:10AM MST
Pro Women: 11:30AM MST

The live broadcasts of the Virtual Tour of the Gila will certainly cover all the minute-to-minute happenings on the racecourses. But there will be a lot more going on. Local community members, from many areas of expertise, will also be a part of the live coverage providing their in-depth knowledge as to why southwest New Mexico is such a wonderful place. The whole point of doing the Virtual Tour of the Gila and the live broadcasts is to have the opportunity to reach a national and international audience. We want to let people know what a special place the Gila is and hopefully people will want to learn more about our area and will make plans to visit.

Here is a list of community members that will be participating in this weekend's live broadcast:

• Lt Governor Howie Morales
• Senator Siah Correa Hemphill
• Representative Luis Terrrazas
• Representative Rebecca Dow
• Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner
• Axie Navas: Director of the New Mexico Outdoor Division
• Dr. Cynthia Ann Bettison: Mimbres Scholar and Director Emeritus of Western New Mexico University Museum
• Dr. Garrett Peltonen: WNMU Assistant Professor of Kinesiology

Here are links to tune-in to the live broadcast:

• Tour of the Gila
www.facebook.com/TouroftheGila 

• Gila Hike & Bike
www.facebook.com/gilahikeandbike 

• Silver City Mainstreet and Arts & Cultural District
www.facebook.com/downtownsilvercity 

• Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce
www.facebook.com/silver-city-grant-county-chamber-of-commerce-and-conference-center-103957038768160  

• New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Business Alliance
www.facebook.com/endeavornm 

•Echelon Racing League will also have links on YouTube for the races. They aren't up yet, but, you can go to YouTube, search for Echelon Racing League. What's up right now is from a prior virtual Tour of the Gila.