Amgen Tour of California’s invitational women’s time trial gains 1.1 UCI rating

Women’s cycling in North American received a shot in the arm last week when the UCI announced that it sanctioned the 2015 Amgen Tour of California’s Invitational Time Trial with a 1.1 rating, the highest outside of World Cup events. The time trial will be contested May 15 in Big Bear.

American Alison Powers (UnitedHealthcare) won last year’s time trial in Folsom while Canadians Laura Brown (Colvita), Jasmin Glaesser (Team Tibco) and Annie Ewart (Optum) placed 6th, 7th and 9th respectively.

The Tour of California has held a women’s event since 2011; in 2015, it will be expanded to four days.

Other North American races with high UCI ratings are the Winston Salem Cycling Classic (1.2) in April, The Philadelphia Cycling Classic (World Cup 1.1) along with Canada’s Chrono Gatineau and Grand Prix cycliste de Gatineau (both 1.1) in June, and BC Superweek’s White Spot Delta Road Race in July (1.2).