Schlecks, Evans, Horner all coming to Colorado

Big name riders at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Update 08/09/11: Start List announced The team roster list for the 2011 USA Pro Cycling tour in Colorado

Cadel Evans headlines early Colorado tour startlist Published by VeloNews Aug 9th 2011 7:08 PM

It was announced that Cadel Evans will be coming to Colorado to race in August. The winner of the 2011 Tour de France joins Andy and Frank Schleck, who are reported to have committed to the USA Pro Cycling Challenge as well. So too has Chris Horner (now doubtful after a pulmonary blood clot diagnosis August 1st) and Tom Danielson. It is big news for the race that 4 of the top 10 riders from the recent Tour de France will be meeting to compete in Colorado in 2011.

Other American local names already listed on the rider roster include George Hincapie, Danny Pate, Ted King, Timmy Duggan, and Levi Leipheimer. Other possibilities revealed on the USA Pro Cycling Challenge website of teams looks like David Zabriskie, Christian Van de Velde, Tejay Van Garderen and one of the US Jacques-Maynes twin brothers. For you cyclocross fans it appears Jeremy Powers will be riding on the road for this one. For Canadian fans look for Ryder Hesjedal.

HTC Highroad might also be bringing Tony Martin. Under Team Garmin there are pictures of Hesjedal, Van de Velde, Danielson, and Zabriskie listed on the official USA Pro Cycling Challenge website, no Hushovd anymore (it was recently removed)

The other members of the Leopard Trek team seems to be Stuart O'Grady and Jens Voigt (Jens leaked that he his coming during a TDF interview)! Luiqigas is an unknown, the team will be here but whether Peter Sagan will be here to repeat his green jersey success at this year's Amgen Tour of California or Ivan Basso (whose picture is now up on the USA Pro website - hm?) will be here has not yet been announced. Rabobank has Lars Boom, Robert Gesink, Luis-León Sanchez, Juan Manuel Garate, and Peter Weening featured.

With these riders on the rosters this is shaping up to be a Tour of California rematch. However since only Andy Schleck and Tom Danielson rode the California race in May, Cadel Evans and Frank Schleck will make the challenge in Colorado complete. 

No mention of Fabian Cancellara, or Alberto Contador attending the USA Pro Challenge race in Colorado. The Quickstep Team (Tom Boonen) is not one of the teams competing in the Colorado race and local Coloradoan Taylor Phinney will be competing in Spain at the Vuelta a Espana. I hear no Mark Cavendish as well, although they are using his face to promote the event. And it looks like no Oscar Freire or Thor Hushovd now. 

Andy Schleck, Frank Schleck and Cadel Evans, are not listed on the roster for the Tour of Utah and should be well rested by August 22nd for the opening Prologue in Colorado Springs. Tom Danielson and Levi Leipheimer are racing the Tour of Utah two weeks before (August 9-14) the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado (August 2-28). Both races are calling themselves “America’s Toughest Stage Race™” - but the Tour of Utah trademarked the phrase, so they win.

Schleck brothers, who were Tour of France stars, commit to USA Pro Cycling Challenge (Denver Post)

Leopard Trek brothers reveal they will skip the Vuelta to race in Colorado (CyclingNews)

Cadel Evans confirmed for Colorado stage race (VeloNews)

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