Hesjedal healthy for Tour of Alberta
A handful of marquee riders convened at the opening press conference for the inaugural Tour of Alberta on Labour Day Monday in Edmonton. One of those riders was the 2012 Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) who says he is healthy and in good form for the start of the six-day event.
The Tour of Alberta kicks off with a prologue on Tuesday afternoon in downtown Edmonton and will conclude on Sunday in Calgary.
“It’s great to be here. It’s overwhelming. It’s incredible to have an event like this in Canada. I’ve been patiently waiting for it,” said Hesjedal, who’s season was negatively impacted by injury and illness. “I haven’t felt very great this year. I’ll keep fighting. I’m just happy to be here and in good form. I finally feel healthy.”
His fellow countryman, Zach Bell (Champion System) is pleased to wear his new national road champion outfit on home soil. Bell won the national title in Saint-Georges, Que., in June. “I started my career in Calgary. To be able to ride in the maple leaf all this week is great. I feel we have a good team to fly the colours.”
Sprint sensation, Peter Sagan (Cannondale) is looking forward to the opening prologue and says his team will have a good shot at winning. “We have few riders. We’re only six [riders] but I think it’s no problem. We’ll do good in tomorrow’s prologue.”
When asked if he could outrun a grizzly bear, he said, “I think so.”
Hesjedal’s Garmin-Sharp teammate Christian Vande Velde recently announced his retirement from the sport. The American raced in his last event in his home country at the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado two weeks ago.
“I’ve always wanted to see where [Wayne] Gretzky came from,” he told the press. “It’ll be a good time for sure.”
U.S. road champion Fred Rodriguez (Jelly Belly presented by Kenda) thinks that the event caters to sprinters like himself. “We were just joking that we should give [Peter] Sagan a handicap,” he tweeted. “That’s how good he is right now.”
“I was able to pre-ride the prologue course today during The Family Ride,” he added in the press conference. “It was great to see the kids out there today.”
Belkin’s Robert Gesink, winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California and runner-up at the 2011 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, is a regular competitor in many of the top stage races in North America. He welcomed the new Tour of Alberta to the UCI calendar. “I would like to support any initiative to get more races in North America,” he said. “I tend to ride well here.”
ProTeams competing in the event are BMC, Cannondale, Garmin-Sharp, Argos-Shimano, Belkin and Orica-GreenEdge. Professional Continental teams include Champion System and UnitedHealthcare. Continental outfits include Bissell, Garneau-Québecor, Jelly Belly presented by Kenda, Optum presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies, SmartStop presented by Mountain Khakis and 5 Hour Energy presented by Kenda. Cycling Canada Cyclisme is also sending a national team to participate in the race.
Additional reporting and photo by Jeff Bartlett.
