Tour of Alberta gets title sponsor for fifth edition

ATB Financial have signed a multi-year title sponsorship with the UCI 2.1 Tour of Alberta for 2017 as the race celebrates it’s fifth anniversary. The race will run from September 1 to 4 and be accompanied by a mass participation event in Edmonton on the final day.

The race will return to the Rocky Mountains for the fifth edition with an opening stage entirely in Jasper National Park on September 1. The final three days of racing feature stages that start and finish in the metro Edmonton region. Full course details are expected to be announce later in the spring.

“The Alberta Peloton Association has decided to alter the way we create our stages, in addition to hosting four stages total this year, to alleviate some pressure from host communities while the Alberta economy is still recovering,” explained APA chairman Peter Verhesen. For the 2016 edition the race was shortened from five to four stages with the intention to one day go back to a five-stage model.

“The hub-and-spoke model is being implemented by RPM Events Group LLC in the USA with the Colorado Classic, and the strategy is proving to be a means to ensure long-term sustainability of professional cycling races in North America,” Werhensen said. “We are confident that this decision to have a region of Alberta opt to host the entire event will help to ensure a lasting future for the ATB Tour of Alberta.”

The ATB Tour of Alberta debuted in 2013 when Rohan Dennis won the race. Ryan Anderson was the top Canadian in the races firs two editions. In 2015, Benjamin Perry won the races polka dot jersey, the first and only Canadian to take the overall victory in the climbers classification. American Robin Carpenter won the 2016 Tour of Alberta.

Additionally, the mass participation events Velothon Edmonton presented by United Cycle and ATB Family Ride supporting CASA will return in 2017 on September 4. The stop in Edmonton is North America’s only UCI Velothon Majors event and will have 60 and 100 km options with closed roads and a similar route as the pros use. The ATB Family Ride will take a course through downtown Edmonton.