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The Tour of Pennsylvania — starting Tuesday in Philadelphia — features an international field of U25 riders

By Ophir Sefiha
Published: Jun. 23, 2008

With the Univest Grand Prix no longer a U25 amateur-only event, organizers of this year’s inaugural Tour of Pennsylvania stage race are wasting no time stepping up to claim the unofficial title of the biggest U25 amateur race in the country.

While even the best domestic events typically have humble beginnings, thanks to generous sponsorship from American Eagle Outfitters and the enthusiastic backing of the city of Pittsburgh, organizers seems to be launching one of North America’s top-notch stage races virtually from scratch.

In fact, the combination of generous prize money, an international field and an ambitious route has earned the race a UCI 2.2 ranking — a status it shares with such luminaries of the domestic calendar as the Redlands Stage Race. Yet this year’s Tour of Pennsylvania, beginning Tuesday, is the only top tier stage race in the country open exclusively to U25 riders.

The race offers $150,000 in total prize money, the richest in the world for Espoir class riders. The event is being organized as part of a statewide celebration of Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary.

Racers will battle for the leader’s jersey along a route rich in American history. Beginning in Philadelphia and ending in Pittsburgh, the tour traces a path westward roughly following Forbes Trail, forged in 1758 by British Gen. John Forbes and Col. George Washington.

The race will visit Downingtown, Carlisle, Camp Hill, Bedford, Latrobe and Ligonier, finishing Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Stages

Stages will consist of a prologue time trial, a criterium, four road races and a concluding circuit race.

The most likely stages for a GC shakeup during the 420 mile event will come on stages three and four. Stage 3 is a 105 mile ride from Camp Hill to Bedford featuring two significant climbs interspersed between plenty of large rollers for a total elevation gain of over 8,000 feet.

The next day’s Bedford to Latrobe road race will has over 6,000 feet of climbing in just 60 miles. “When you factor in that this will be the fourth day of racing and it comes on the heels of a hard stage, this will definitely be a decisive day,” predicted David Chauner, Pro Cycling Tour president and executive director of the race.

The teams

The line-up includes teams from The Netherlands, Argentina, Germany, Canada, Belgium and South Africa. Additionally, continental professional teams Kelly Benefits Strategies-Medifast, Time Pro Cycling and Canada’s RACE Pro will be sending their best U25 riders.

Kelly Benefit Strategies will undoubtedly field one of the strongest teams. On the heels top results including wins at Baltimore’s Kelly Cup and the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, Canada’s David Velliux will surely be one of the most formidable riders. Nineteen year-old, two-time junior national champ Ben King will provide additional firepower to this already stacked squad.

When the road goes up, look for riders from Argentina’s Esco-Telefonicos squad, which is bringing a climber-heavy roster includes Gustavo Borcard, the reigning under-23 Argentinean national road champion.

The Belgium-based American team of the Johan Bruyneel Cycling Academy will also field a squad. The JBCA team recently won the best young rider and best climber jerseys at Spain's Volta a Galicia stage race (former winners include Andy Hampsten, Miguel Indurain, Abraham Olano and Frank Vandenbroucke). Steven Van Vooren took the final mountain leader's jersey and Jim Camut the U23 jersey.

California-based Giant Strawberries brings a solid roster of homegrown talent. Team leadership will likely fall to Max Jenkins, the reigning American U23 champ.

Colorado-based VMG-Felt is the development arm of Slipstream-Chipotle. One of the strongest riders they are sending to Pennsylvania is Boulder native Peter Stetina, whose string of impressive results includes best young rider honors at last year’s Tour de Toona and fourth overall at this year’s San Dimas stage race.

Finally, although the US national team will not be sending a squad, the composite outfit ZteaM, directed by Frankie Andreu, will include national team riders Eric Riggs and Chad Beyer, both of whom have international experience. The addition of former Toyota-United rider and 20007 Mount Hood mountains classification winner Stefano Barberi will bolster the chances of this already experienced team.

The stages

June 24th
Stage 1A 10am Philadelphia Time Trial (Memorial Hall), 2.5 miles
Stage 1B 6:30pm Philadelphia Criterium (Memorial Hall), 30 miles

June 25th
Stage 2 10am Downingtown to Carlisle, 91 miles

June 26th
Stage 3 10am Camp Hill to Bedford, 105 miles

June 27th
Stage 4 11am Bedford to Latrobe, 60 miles


June 28th
Stage 5 12pm Ligonier to Pittsburgh, 91 miles

June 29th
Stage 6 5pm Downtown circuit race in Pittsburgh, 50 miles