The USA Pro Challenge, announced the 16 teams that will participate in this month’s edition today.
“It’s always an exciting time when we get to announce the phenomenal level of talent and super star teams who will ride in our race,” said Shawn Hunter, the CEO and co-chairman of the USA Pro Challenge. “This year we have some new additions who will make their debut at the USA Pro Challenge in front of millions of people.”
The teams announced are the Pro Continental Teams of Novo Nordisk (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team (USA), Drapac Professional Cycling (AUS), and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (ESP), a first-time American race participant.
In addition, Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA), Team SmartStop (USA), Hincapie Racing Team (USA), Jamis-Hagens Berman (USA), Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS (USA), Axeon Cycling Team (USA), Team Budget Forklifts (AUS) and Cycling Academy, the first-ever professional team licensed from Israel.
BMC Racing will be led by Rohan Dennis, winner of Stage 1 and first one to wear the yellow jersey of this year’s Tour de France. Alongside him will be Damiano Caruso, a top finisher in this year’s Tour of Italy. Trek Factory Racing will feature current U.S. Champion Matthew Busche and Haimar Zubeldia, a four-time Tour de France top 10 finisher. Tinkoff-Saxo is considered cycling’s “Dream Team” and the home to such stars as Alberto Contador, Peter Sagan and Roman Kreuziger with Kreuziger slated to take the start. The Cannondale-Garmin team, based in Denver, will feature Davide Formolo, a stage winner at this year’s Tour of Italy, Ruben Zepuntke of Germany, the third place overall finisher in last year’s Tour of Alberta, and Colombian Janier Acevedo, who finished 3rd overall in the 2013 Amgen Tour of California.
Most of the top teams in the Americas will be featured, including UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, led by Kiel Reijnen, the winner of the opening stage of last year’s race and stage winner and early leader in this year’s Tour of Utah. Young upstart teams like Hincapie Racing, led by American Robin Carpenter, a stage winner in last year’s USA Pro Challenge and Axeon Cycling Team’s Gregory Daniel of Golden, Colorado, and U.S. Under 23 U.S. National Time Trial Champion Daniel Eaton, highlight the young rising talent that will be featured at this year’s event.
“The USA Pro Challenge has always been a proving ground for rising young talent and this year will be no different,” said Hunter. “We are definitely seeing a changing of the guards in the international level cycling and it’s exhilarating to see it first hand on the roads of Colorado.”
Here is the roster of the 2015 USA Pro Challenge:
UCI WORLD TEAMS BMC Racing Team (USA) Team Cannondale-Garmin (USA) Trek Factory Racing (USA) Tinkoff-Saxo (RUS)
UCI PROFESSIONAL CONTINENTAL TEAMS Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (ESP) Drapac Professional Cycling (AUS) Team Novo Nordisk (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA
UCA CONTINENTAL TEAMS Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA) Team SmartStop (USA) Hincapie Racing Team (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman (USA) Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS (USA) Axeon Cycling Team (USA) Team Budget Forklifts (AUS) Cycling Academy (ISR)
About the USA Pro Challenge Referred to as “America’s Race,” the USA Pro Challenge will take place August 17-23, 2015. For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Colorado Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure. The inaugural Women’s USA Pro Challenge is a three-day invitation-only event and will kick off in Breckenridge on August 21st and conclude in Golden on August 23rd. One of the largest cycling events in U.S. history and the largest spectator event in the history of the state, the USA Pro Challenge is back for 2015. Featuring a challenging course, the fifth annual race will spotlight the best of the best in professional cycling and some of America’s most beautiful scenery.
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