Strong women's field includes Schneider sisters, Compton, Dragoo, Winder, Wiles
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Rigoberto Uran on the stage 9 podium at the Tour de France
Brent Bookwalter (BMC) on his way in for second place.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Taylor Phinney signing polka dots jerseys after his stage 2 breakaway(Image credit: ASO)
Skylar Schneider wins the final stage of the Lotto Thuringen Ladies Tour(Image credit: Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour)
Alex Howes (US National Team) celebrates victory(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Tour de France runner-up Rigoberto Urán will headline the men's field at the inaugural Colorado Classic next month, the race announced Thursday in a press release revealing the highlights of the provisional start list.
Cannondale-Drapac, BMC Racing, Trek-Segafredo and UAE Team Emirates comprise the quartet of men's WorldTour squads set to take on the four-day stage race, a 2.HC-ranked event. Several Pro Continental squads will also line up alongside seven Continental teams slated to make the start, with Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, Nippo - Vini Fantini, Novo Nordisk, UnitedHealthcare and Israel Cycling Academy all set to take part.
Urán headlines a Cannondale squad that also includes Lawson Craddock – giving the team multiple GC options – as well as potential stage hunters Taylor Phinney and Alex Howes.
BMC's Brent Bookwalter, who has had success racing in Colorado in the past, finishing second overall at the final running of the USA Pro Challenge in 2015, figures to be another potential overall title contender.
Americans Kiel Reijnen and Gregory Daniel – the 2016 national road champion – will line up for Trek-Segafredo.
Overall challengers and stage contenders are also likely to come from the second- and third-division teams in attendance, with the likes of Evan Huffman and Rob Britton set to headline Rally Cycling and Robin Carpenter on Holowesko-Citadel's provisional roster.
The women's side is packed with top-tier American talents. Cascade Cycling Classic winner Allie Dragoo will bring strong form into the race for Sho-Air Twenty20. Skylar and Samantha Schneider, who have thrived on the domestic circuit all year, headline a Team ISCorp roster that will also include cyclo-cross star Katie Compton.
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Fellow 'cross specialist Emma White is also set to attend the event, riding for Rally Cycling.
UnitedHealthcare will have several cards to play in Ruth Winder, Tayler Wiles and Katie Hall, among others.
The race kicks off on August 10 in Colorado Springs, with stage 2 taking on a challenging circuit at Breckenridge. The men's event continues on for two more days of racing in and around Denver, with a three-day music festival coinciding with the race, running from August 11 to 13.
"Our high-caliber field means fast-paced, competitive racing on courses that offer fans multiple chances to see the action," said race director Jim Birrell of Medalist Sports. "Not only will they be competing on extremely tough terrain, they'll be ripping through the course multiple times, testing their own strength and endurance."
