Some big names in pro cycling are heading to the inaugural Tour of Alberta in September, including the best road cyclist in Canadian history.
Ryder Hesjedal, who last year became the first Canadian to win one of the sport’s grand tours by taking top prize at the 2012 Giro D’Italia, will make the trip with his Team Garmin-Sharp squad, along with fellow star teammates Christian Vande Velde of the U.S., David Millar of Great Britain and U.S. time trial champ David Zabriske, all of whom are regulars in the Tour de France.
Also coming to Alberta with his BMC Racing Team is Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour de France winner, who remains one of the top pro riders in the world (and may have flashbacks to winning a World Cup mountain bike race in Canmore when he was in his early 20s). BMC Racing will also be bringing in American Brent Brookwalter, who finished second in the U.S. road race and time trial national championships this year.
Peter Sagan, the world’s No. 2 ranked rider was previously announced, which is a coup for the Tour’s first year because the Slovak is a fan favourite, thanks, in some ways to this remarkable stunt video.
Also making the trip with be recent Tour of Poland winner Peter Weening of the Netherlands. He has also won a stage in the Tour de France and the Giro D’Italia. Cam Meyer, another stage winner, is also set to join.
Other big names include Dutchman Robert Gesink, who won the 2012 Tour of California, Danish time trial champ Brian Vandborg and Tim-Jelte Slagter, the 2013 winner of the Tour Down Under.
Here’s a full list of the racers that were announced today:
UCI Pro Teams:
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Cadel Evans
Brent Bookwalter
Marcus Burghardt
Amael Moinard
Steve Morabito
Lawrence Warbasse
Silvan Dillier
Jakub Novak
Team Garmin-Sharp (USA)
Ryder Hesjedal
Thomas Dekker
Rohan Dennis
David Millar
Lachlan David Morton
Fabian Wegemann
David Zabriskie
Christian Vande Velde
Orica GreenEDGE (AUS)
Pieter Weening
Cam Meyer
Jens Keukilere
Aidis Kroupis
Fummi Beppu
Tomas Vaitkus
Daniel Teklehaimanot
Jiyong Kang
Cannondale Pro Cycling (ITA)
Peter Sagan
Damiano Caruso
Edward King
Michel Koch
Nariyuki Masuda
Brian Vandborg
Team Argos-Shimano (NED)
Patrick Grestsch
Jonas Ahlastrand
Thomas Damuseau
Simon Geschke
Koen De Kort
Tobias Ludvigsson
Luka Mezgec
Michael Olsson
Belkin-Pro Cycling Team (NED)
Robert Gesink
Jack Bobridge
Jetse Bol
Marc Goos
Moreno Hofland
Steven Kruijswijk
Tom Jelte Slagter
Dennis Van Winden
UCI Professional Continental Teams:
Champion System Pro Cycling Team (CHN)
Zachary Bell
Ryan Roth
Clinton Avery
Chad Beyer
Chris Butler
Matthias Friedemann
Craig Lewis
Fu Shiu Chueng
United Pro Health Care Cycling Team (USA)
Benjamin Day
Robert Forster
Davide Frattini
Aldo Ilesic
Christopher Jones
Luke Keough
Jeffrey Louder
John Murphy
UCI Continental Teams:
Bissell Pro Cycling (USA)
Jason McCartney
Jeremy Vennell
Carter Jones
Frank Kevin Pipp
Andrew Dahleim
Tommy Nankervis
Nicholai Brochner
Kirk Carlsen
Equipe Garneau-Quebecor (CAN)
Bruno Langlois
Michael Woods
Adam Farabaugh
Pierrick Naud
Simon-Pierre Gauthier
Michael Chauner
Alexander Cataford
Geoffroy Dussault
Jelly Belly p/b Kenda (USA)
Charles Huff
Benjamin Wolfe
Sean Mazich
Emerson Oronte
Fred Rodriguez
Jeremy Powers
Serghei Tvetcov
Nic Hamilton
Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)
Ryan Anderson
Michael Friedman
Chad Haga
Ken Hanson
Thomas Soladay
Eric Young
Tom Zirbel
Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis (USA)
Eric Marcotte
Kristofer Dahl
Travis McCabe
Benjamin Chaddock
Flavio De Luna
Clay Murfet
Shane Kline
Bobby Lea
5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda Racing Team (USA)
Francisco Mancebo Perez
Robert Sweeting
Taylor Shelden
David Williams
Max Jenkins
James Stemper
Andres Diaz
Shawn Milne
Canadian National Team (CAN)
Hugo Houle
Will Routley
Rob Britton
Antoine Duchesne
Stuart Wight
Ryan Aitcheson
Jean-Sebastien Perron
Garrett McLeod
