Tour of Alberta gets funding for three years, announces some details of 2014 route

The Tour of Alberta announced Wednesday that the race has found financial backing for the next three years. Last year’s inaugural event was won by Rohan Dennis (Australia/Garmin-Sharp), and Peter Sagan was victorious in half the stages. Organizers also released some details regarding the 2014 route.

Tour of Alberta executive director Duane Vienneau couldn’t provide details about the funding, but told the Calgary Sun, “Getting the three-year commitment is huge. This year has been all hurry up and wait. It won’t be like that next year and the year after. All the budgeting and financial commitments can be arranged this year. We can even plan our next year’s routes this year.”

The 2014 edition of UCI 2.1-rated race will start on September 2 with a prologue in Calgary and end in Edmonton on September 7, with the course running south to north in opposite direction of last year’s route. Lethbridge is expected to be the start and finish city of stage 1, stage 2 will start in either Innisfail or Sylvan Lake and end in Red Deer, and stage 3 is planned to run from Wetaskiwin to Canada Forces Base Edmonton.The final two days, September 6 and 7, would be based in Edmonton.

The 2013 race featured six UCI ProTour squads. Ryan Anderson of Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies placed fourth on stage 1 and finished as top Canadian on GC at 8th.