World Champions, National Champions and Olympians Will Line up in Ventura Thursday for UCI WorldTour Stage Race
AEG, producer and presenter of the Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM announced rosters for the annual women’s stage race that kicks off Thursday*.
Over three days from May 16-18, the elite field of 16 teams comprised of 96 riders representing 21 countries will compete over a 177-mile course for the first time exclusively in Southern California, including the race start in Ventura, the “Queen Stage” from Ontario to the summit finish atop Mt. Baldy, and the overall race conclusion from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. Seven of the world’s current top-9 UCI ranked women’s teams will compete in the three-day road race, including top-ranked Boels Dolmans (NED).
The only UCI women’s stage race on the continent, and fifth longest of the 23 UCI WorldTour races, America’s Greatest Race will showcase Boels Dolmans’ Olympic gold medalist and current World Champion Anna Van der Breggen (2017) and the top-three finishers in last year’s edition including California-based reigning race champion Katie Hall (2018) returning to compete along with six current National Road Race Champions.
The elite field will include former World Champions Lizzie Deignan (2015/Trek-Segafredo) and Chantal Blaak (2017/Boels Dolmans); WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team‘s German rider Lisa Brennauer and Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team’s Amber Neben (USA), who both hold multiple World and National Champion titles.
Starting off in their hometown of Ventura, Calif. sisters Kendall Ryan (TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank) and Alexis Ryan (CANYON//SRAM) will try their home court advantage on a punchy stage that includes 5,000 feet of climbing and ends with an unforgiving ascent to Serra Cross over gifted climbers Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (CCC – Liv) and Kasia Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM), who took third place at last year’s race.
Astana’s Arlenis Sierra (Astana), who claimed the green jersey at the 2017 California event and a stage win in Sacramento last year will return, as will Trek-Segafredo U.S. riders Tayler Wiles, who placed second in last year’s edition, and Ruth Winder, who claimed a stage at the 2018 Giro d’Italia Femminile.
The world will watch to see what the field’s upcoming cyclists have in store, including 2020 Tokyo Olympic hopefuls Emma White (Rally UHC); Chloé Dygert (Sho-Air TWENTY20), who set a World Record on the track for individual pursuit last year; and Tustin, Calif.-based speedster Coryn Rivera (Team Sunweb), who at age 26 holds 72 national titles and a 2017 stage victory in California.
With equal prize money being awarded each stage, the final three stages of the men’s Amgen Tour of California event run consecutively beginning with a stage finish in Ventura Thursday making it the only multi-stage men’s and women’s duel event on the UCI WorldTour calendar. Fans can tune into NBC Saturday for the thrilling live conclusions of both races. Following the awards ceremony at Pasadena’s famed Rose Bowl, public are invited to the inaugural Rose Pedal open streets event, where attendees can cycle, run, or walk the closed course and participate in fitness activities for the remainder of the day.
FAVORITES IN POPULAR CATEGORIES INCLUDE:
General Classification (Overall Contenders)
· Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA), CCC-Liv
· Chantal Blaak (NED), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), CANYON // SRAM Racing
· Tayler Wiles (USA), Trek-Segafredo
· Juliette Labous (FRA), Team Sunweb
· Lisa Brennauer (GER), WNT ROTOR Pro Cycling Team
· Lizzie Deignan (GBR), Trek-Segafredo
Sprinters
· Arlenis Sierra (CUB), Astana Women’s Team
· Coryn Rivera (USA), Team Sunweb
· Kendall Ryan (USA), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
· Chloe Dygert (USA), SHO-AIR Twenty20
· Skylar Schneider (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Alison Jackson (CAN), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
Climbers
· Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), CANYON // SRAM Racing
· Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA), CCC-Liv
· Brodie Chapman (AUS), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
· Krista-Doebel-Hickok (USA), Rally UHC Cycling
· Clara Koppenburg (GER), WNT Rotor Pro Cycling Team
Stage Wins
· Arlenis Sierra (CUB), Astana Women’s Team
· Coryn Rivera (USA), Team Sunweb
· Kendall Ryan (USA), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
· Chloe Dygert (USA), SHO-AIR Twenty20
· Skylar Schneider (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Alison Jackson (CAN), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
· Katie Hall (USA), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
· Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), CANYON // SRAM Racing
· Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA), CCC-Liv
· Brodie Chapman (AUS), Team TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank
· Krista-Doebel-Hickok (USA), Rally UHC Cycling
· Clara Koppenburg (GER), WNT Rotor Pro Cycling Team
· Marta Cavalli (ITA), Valcar Cylance Cycling
· Blanca Moreno (COL), Astana Women’s Team
· Amalie Dideriksen (DEN), Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
*Rosters subject to change
