Tour Divide kicking off

The annual Tour Divide race along the North American Continental Divide will begin on Friday, June 12 in Canada and run for several weeks, heading south over 2,745 miles. This year's event has attracted its largest-ever field with 37 participants.

The Tour Divide is the first of two races this year along the Continental Divide. The Great Divide Race will begin in Roosville, Montana, on June 19, starting in Montana and covering only the American portion of the trail.

Among those racing the Tour Divide are John Nobile, last year's Great Divide Race winner and the current course recordholder. Joe Meiser, this year's Trans Iowa winner will be there to challenge him along with Kurt Refsnider, the winner of the Arizona Trail 300 in April. Organizer Matt Lee may also be racing.

"Like previous years, the race will include both the Canadian and the American portions of the trail," said Lee to Cyclingnews. "But we've created a new course through Canada's endangered flat lands which the American Cycling Association will be adopting as part of the official Trail route coming in fall."

New for 2009 is a tandem category. Jay Petervary, who won the Great Divide Race in 2007, and his wife Tracey will give it go on a 29er tandem rig.