EDMONTON, Alberta
Race organizers for the ATB Tour of Alberta announced a roster of 12 teams for the September 1 – 4, 2017 event, headlined by America’s Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team, the squad of Rigoberto Uran, the second-place finisher at this year’s Tour de France.
Canada’s top professional teams Silber Pro Cycling, H&R Block Pro Cycling Team, and Garneau-QuebecorPro Cycling Team are part of the list of teams, according to ATB Tour of Alberta’s President Scott Fisher.
Rounding out the list of teams are Amore & Vita – Selle SMP p/b Fondriest (Albania), Team Medellin-Inder(COL), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA), Team Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS (USA), Rally Cycling (USA), Aevolo Cycling Team (USA), Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling (USA) and Holowesko/Citadel Racing presented by Hincapie Sportswear (USA), the team of defending-champion Robin Carpenter.
“Last year’s Tour of Alberta was a milestone in my career and I have fond memories up there,” said Carpenter. “The people, the scenery are pretty magnificent, so, I’m looking to come back to Alberta and defend my title. It’s always a bit nerve-racking when you come back to defend a title. But, I’m going for the neon gold.”
The leader’s jersey won by Carpenter and sponsored by new title sponsor ATB Financial will be heavily contested by a field by some of the world’s top cyclists.
“With one of the top teams from this year’s Tour de France in Cannondale-Drapac, our defending champion returning, and Canada’s top teams, it is shaping up to be a great field,” said Fisher. “The ATB Tour of Alberta has always been a preview to rising stars of the sport.”
The race has played host to cyclists that have gone on to do big things on the world circuit, including Peter Sagan, the current world champion and Tom Dumoulin, who won the 2017 Tour of Italy, and 2015 race champion Bauke Mollema, who won a stage of this year’s Tour de France.
2017 TEAMS
Cannondale-Drapac (USA)
Silber Pro Cycling (CAN)
H&R Block Pro Cycling Team (CAN)
Garneau-Quebecor (CAN)
Amore & Vita – Selle SMP p/b Fondriest (ALB)
United Healthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Team Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS (USA)
Rally Cycling (USA)
Aevolo Cycling Team (USA)
Holowesko/Citadel Racing presented by Hincapie Sportswear (USA)
Team Medellin-Inder (COL)
Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling (USA)
ATB TOUR OF ALBERTA QUICK FACTS
Date: September 1 – 4, 2017
Stages
September 1: Delta Airlines Stage 1 / Jasper to Marmot Basin Ski Area (Jasper National Park), road race
September 2: Stage 2 / Spruce Grove, road race
September 3: Pomeroy Inn & Suites Stage 3 / Edmonton (University of Alberta), circuit race
September 4: EllisDon Stage 4 / Edmonton (Churchill Square), circuit race
Total Kilometres: 546
Total Number of Cyclists: 96 (all world class)
Event Organizers: Alberta Peloton Association
Website: tourofalberta.ca
The ATB Tour of Alberta is Canada’s first and highest ranked professional road cycling stage race. Held September 1 to 4, 2017, the ATB Tour of Alberta will see 96 of the world’s best cyclists race across Alberta throughout the four-day stage race. The course includes a diverse and beautiful landscape of nearly 546 kilometres of rural and urban roads across Alberta, including a mountain top finish. At each start and finish location, event goers will be able to enjoy a festival, free of charge and packed with live entertainment, interactive vendors, local food varieties and fun activities. The ATB Tour of Alberta is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale and Canadian Cycling Association, and has received a 2.1 ranking, the highest ever for a Canadian stage race.