Who will be racing? Some of the best, and certainly some of your favorites.
Froome, Porte, Dombrowski, Sagan x2, Voigt, Schleck, VandeVelde, van Garderen, King x2, Talansky, Rogers, Sutherland, Duggan, Millar, Danielson, Zabriskie, Zirbel, Rodriguez.
This is certainly the year to travel to see the pro race in Colorado! You will see the returning 2012 Champion Christian VandeVelde compete against the recent winner of the Tour de France - Chris Froome. This is Chris Froome's first time racing in Colorado with his team SKY and he brings with him his trusty side-kicks Richie Porte (The Tasmanian Devil) and Peter Kennaugh. Defending Best Young Rider Joe Dombrowski (one of the best climbers in the field) will join SKY in Colorado.
All the jersey winners from last year are returning except for Tyler Farrar from team Garmin-Sharp, who won the green sprint jersey last year. Instead we will have the good fortune of watching recent Tour de France green jersey winner, Peter Sagan, sprint for the line in Steamboat Springs and Denver, Colorado, and maybe a few other stages - if the breakaway is caught. Peter's older brother Juraj Sagan is also on the roster for Cannondale Pro Cycling.
Jens Voigt is back in Colorado to thrill the fans, and guess who is leading the posse of RadioShack-Leopard-Trek riders - Andy Schleck. Andy is team leader for the USA Pro Challenge in 2013. Andreas Kloden (Germany) returns, he was here last year and came in 4th. They are joined by Ben King (USA), George Bennett (NZL), Hayden Roulston (NZL), Tony Gallopin (FRA), Tiago Machado (POR).
Australian Rory Sutherland (winner of the Flagstaff Stage in 2012) returns this year, but on his new Saxo-Tinkoff team. He will race for fellow Aussie and team leader Michael Rogers. Tejay van Garderen, Andrew Talansky, Tom Danielson, David Millar, Timmy Duggan, Lucas Euser - are all names you will recognize from last year.
New to the race, wearing a shinny new American National Champion Road Jersey covered in red, white and blue jelly beans, is Freddie Rodriguez. His team Jelly Belly missed out on 2012, but are back for 2013. The incredible COLUMBIA team returns in 2013 to once again wow us all with their climbing skills. And the Bontrager Cycling Team returns with their young squad of very talented riders.
Ted King (Cannondale) is coming! Let's give him a huge welcome back from his injury at the Tour de France. David Zabriskie is on the team Garmin-Sharp roster, I am super excited to see him back from his injury at the Tour of California. Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), from Belgium, just won Stage 1 of the Tour of Utah yesterday - he will be racing in Colorado as well.
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| At the start line in Breckenridge ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer® |
6 current National Champions Road - Fred Rodriguez (USA), Hayden Roulsten (NZL), Luis Enrique Lemus (MEX), Michael Olsson (SWE), Michael Schär (SUI) and Peter Sagan (SLO).
2 current National Champions Time Trial - Tom Zirbel (USA), and Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus).
The preliminary complete startlist for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge pro race in Colorado:
UCI ProTeams
BMC Racing Team (USA) @BMCProTeam
Tejay van Garderen (USA)
Stephen Cummings (GBR)
Mathias Frank (SUI)
Michael Schär (SUI)
Greg Van Avermaet (BEL)
Lawrence Warbasse (USA)
Julien Taramarcaz (SUI)
Brent Bookwalter (USA)
Cannondale Pro Cycling (ITA) @cannondalePro
Peter Sagan (SVK)
Damiano Caruso (ITA)
Alessandro de Marchi (ITA)
Edward King (USA)
Nariyuki Masuda (JPN)
Fabio Sabatini (ITA)
Juraj Sagan (SVK)
Davide Villella (ITA)
RadioShack Leopard Trek (LUX) @RSLT
Andy Schleck (LUX)
Ben King (USA)
George Bennett (NZL)
Tony Gallopin (FRA)
Andreas Klöden (GER)
Tiago Machado (POR)
Hayden Roulston (NZL)
Jens Voigt (GER)
Sky Procycling (GBR) @TeamSky
Christopher Froome (GBR)
Richie Porte (AUS)
Joshua Edmonson (GBR)
Ian Boswell (USA)
Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA)
Peter Kennaugh (GBR)
Danny Pate (USA)
Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR)
Team Argos-Shimano (NED) @1t4i
Patrick Gretsch (GER)
Thomas Damuseau (FRA)
Simon Geschke (GER)
Tann Huguet (FRA)
Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE)
Luka Mezgec (SLO)
Michael Olsson (SWE)
Nikodemus Holler (GER)
Team Garmin-Sharp (USA) @Ride_Argyle
Christian Vande Velde (USA)
Thomas Danielson (USA)
Thomas Dekker (NED)
Rohan Dennis (AUS)
David Millar (GBR)
Lachlan David Morton (AUS)
Andrew Talansky (USA)
David Zabriskie (USA)
Team Saxo-Tinkoff (DEN) @TeamSaxoTinkoff
Michael Rogers (AUS)
Anders Lund (DEN)
Bruno Pires (POR)
Christopher Juul Jensen (DEN)
Jay McCarthy (AUS)
Rory Sutherland (AUS)
Timothy Duggan (USA)
Jesper Hansen (DEN)
UCI Professional Continental Teams
Champion System Pro Cycling Team (CHN) @TeamChampionSys
Chad Beyer (USA)
Gang Xu (CHN)
Gregory Brenes Obando (CRC)
Chris Butler (USA)
Craig Lewis (USA)
Ryota Nishizono (JPN)
Chun Kai Feng (TPE)
Ying Hon Yeung (HKG)
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA) @UHCprocycling
Lucas Euser (USA)
Alessandro Bazzana (ITA)
Jonathan Clarke (AUS)
Benjamin Day (AUS)
Philip Deignan (IRL)
Christopher Jones (USA)
Jeffry Louder (USA)
Kiel Reijnen (USA)
Team Novo Nordisk (USA) @TeamNovoNordisk
Fabio Calabria (AUS)
Javier Megias Leal (ESP)
David Lozano Riba (ESP)
Joonas Henttala (FIN)
Martijin Verschoor (NED)
Andrea Peron (ITA)
Kevin de Mesmaeker (BEL)
Christopher Williams (AUS)
COLOMBIA (COL) @Col_Coldeportes
Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (COL)
Julio Alexis Camacho Bernal (COL)
Robinson Eduardo Chalapud Gomez (COL)
Marco Corti (ITA)
Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (COL)
Jarlinson Pantano (COL)
Michael Rodriguez Galindo (COL)
UCI Continental Teams
Bissell Pro Cycling (USA) @BissellCycling
Phil Gaimon (USA)
Jason McCartney (USA)
Jeremy Vennell (NZL)
Christopher Baldwin (USA)
Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA)
Carter Jones (USA)
Michael Torckler (NZL)
Kirk Carlsen (USA)
Bontrager Cycling Team (USA) @BontragerCT
Nathan Brown (USA)
Lawson Craddock (USA)
Antoine Duchesne (CAN)
Ryan Eastman (USA)
Connor O'Leary (USA)
James Oram (NZL)
Tanner Putt (USA)
Nathan Wilson (USA)
Optum Presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA) @OPTUMpbKBS
Alexander Candelario (USA)
Marsh Cooper (CAN)
Jesse Anthony (USA)
Michael Friedman (USA)
Tom Zirbel (USA) - American National Champion Time Trial
Thomas Soladay (USA)
Ryan Anderson (CAN)
Ken Hanson (USA)
Jelly Belly p/b Kenda (USA) @JellyBellyTeam
Fred Rodriguez (USA) - American National Champion Road
Morgan Schmitt (USA)
Ian Burnett (USA)
Alex Hagman (USA)
Serghei Tvetcov (MDA)
Sean Mazich (USA)
Luis Lemus (MEX)
Nic Hamilton (CAN)
Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home (USA) @TeamJamisHB
Janier Alexis Acevedo Calle (COL)
Juan José Haedo (ARG)
Matt Cooke (USA)
Tyler Wren (USA)
Carson Miller (USA)
Luis Romero Amaran (CUB)
James Driscoll (USA)
Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA)
A great roster a riders
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| Jens Voigt wins Stage 4 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in 2012 ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer® |
This race is a big deal
I like quotes, and especially quotes from the race owner and the man that makes all of this possible - Rick Schaden, so I will share Rick's comments included in the official press release this morning announcing the teams:
“The diverse field of cycling stars participating in the USA Pro Challenge presents an opportunity to celebrate the sport of cycling on a global scale,”
“As the race continues to grow, we are seeing increasing enthusiasm from both the fans and the riders, and these impressive rosters are a testament to that.”
“The USA Pro Challenge is quickly becoming a globally recognized leader in cycling. Having the 2013 winner of the Tour de France is evidence of this race’s stature.”
A message from Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge:
“This competitive level of the field for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge is by far one of the best that has ever raced on American soil,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “Chris Froome swept headlines last month after winning the Tour de France and to have on the start line for the USA Pro Challenge will be amazing. The competition this year should be faster and tougher than ever.”
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| Tom Danielson on Independence Pass in 2012 ©Photo by Mike for PedalDancer® |
Stages for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge include:
Stage 1: Monday, Aug. 19 – Aspen/Snowmass Circuit
Stage 2: Tuesday, Aug. 20 – Aspen/Snowmass to Breckenridge
Stage 3: Wednesday, Aug. 21 – Breckenridge to Steamboat Springs
Stage 4: Thursday, Aug. 22 – Steamboat Springs to Beaver Creek
Stage 5: Friday, Aug. 23 – Vail Individual Time Trial
Stage 6: Saturday, Aug. 24 – Loveland to Fort Collins
Stage 7: Sunday, Aug. 25 – Denver Circuit
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| Joe Dombrowksi in Aspen in 2012. ©Photo by Karen at PedalDancer® |
2012 Final General Classification
1 Christian VandeVelde (GARMIN-SHARP) 25:57:34
2 Tejay van Garderen (BMC RACING) + 0:21
3 Levi Leipheimer (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) + 0:24
4 Andreas Kloden (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 1:08
5 Janez Brajkovic (ASTANA) + 1:14
6 Jakob Fuglsang (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 1:24
7 Thomas Danielson (GARMIN-SHARP) + 1:28
8 Matthew Busche (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 1:32
9 Peter Stetina (GARMIN-SHARP) + 1:39
10 Joe Donbrowski (BONTRAGER) + 1:40
* Joe Dombrowski now rides for SKY Procycling
2012 Jersey Winners
Yellow (Overall) - Christian VandeVelde
Green (Sprint) - Tyler Farrar
Red (Mountain) - Jens Voigt
Blue (Young) - Joe Dombrowski
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| Jens Voigt racing through City Park in Denver in 2012 ©Photo by Laurie Valaer for PedalDancer® |