Alberta, 2014-04-28 — /Travel PR News/ — The host communities for the 2014 Tour of Alberta, scheduled for September 2-7, were announced by Executive Director, Duane Vienneau; Calgary, Lethbridge, Innisfail, Red Deer, Wetaskiwin, Strathcona County, and Edmonton will participate as either a host start or finish community for this year’s Tour of Alberta.
“The commitment by our host communities is fundamental,” said Duane Vienneau, the Tour of Alberta’s Executive Director. “They are true partners in every sense of the word. Through their commitment, we will be able to stage a second and successful race across the Province of Alberta.”
The opening weekend will be hosted by the city of Calgary, the host of the 1988 Winter Olympics. The opening ceremonies and other special events will kick off this year’s race with the ?rst race day commencing on Tuesday, September 2. The opening stage will be a short time trial called a prologue, an individual race against the clock. The top ?nisher and rider with the lowest time will be the race’s leader.
Lethbridge will play host to Stage 1 of the race on Wednesday, September 3. The world-class field will start and finish in Lethbridge, a first-time host city for the event, and compete on a circuit with both hills and flat plains along the route.
Stage 2 on Thursday, September 4, will start in Innisfail and ?nish in Red Deer. Red Deer played host to a stage ?nish in 2013. This year will mark Innisfail’s first host community experience as a part of the Tour.
The next three stages will be contested in and around Edmonton.
“Edmonton is once again proud to host the Tour of Alberta cycling race and we’re excited to host the finest professional cyclists in the country,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “The 2014 Tour of Alberta is also another great opportunity to showcase our city to the world.”
Stage 3 starts in ?rst-time host Wetaskiwin and routes into Edmonton. Stage 4 will start in Edmonton and ?nish at Strathcona County, a start host city in 2013. The ?nale, in a reverse of last year, will start and ?nish in Edmonton’s downtown core with a circuit race.
“The Tour of Alberta is an exhilarating event for Albertans that also has a huge economic impact on communities across the province. As an internationally broadcast event, it’s a great opportunity to highlight the Edmonton experience, our hidden gems, down-to-earth culture, and our volunteer spirit,” said Brad Ferguson, President and CEO of Edmonton Economic Development.
Exact routes by stage will be released this summer.
COURSE SUMMARY
Prologue / September 2 / Calgary (Time Trial)
Stage 1 / September 3 / Lethbridge (Circuit Race)
Stage 2 / September 4 / Innisfail to Red Deer (Road Race)
Stage 3 / September 5 / Wetaskiwin to Edmonton (Road Race)
Stage 4 / September 6 / Edmonton to Strathcona County (Road Race)
Stage 5 / September 7 / Edmonton (Circuit Race)
QUICK FACTS
Type of Teams:
Elite Professional
Number of teams/Athletes per team:
15 (8 cyclists per team)
2013 Winner:
Rohan Dennis, Team Garmin-Sharp, Australia
Sanctioning Body:
Canadian Cycling Association
Union Cycliste International (UCI)
For more information, please contact:
Local Contact:
Kylee Quinn
Marketing & Office Manager, Tour of Alberta
Phone: 780.909.3536
Email: kyleeq@albertapeloton.ca
International Contact:
Steven Brunner
President, KOM Marketing
Phone: 1.719.322.7022
Email: sgbrunner@KOM-sports.com