Pro Challenge, Amgen Tour on board for multi-day women’s events in 2015
Two of the biggest stage races in the U.S. announce expanded opportunities for women's professional racing
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LAS VEGAS (VN) — The two biggest stage races in North America, the Amgen Tour of California and the USA Pro Challenge, are planning on holding multi-day women’s events in 2015, race officials confirmed this week.
The Amgen Tour held two one-day events at this year’s event, a time trial in Folsom, and a downtown Sacramento circuit race.
AEG Sports, owner of the Amgen Tour, announced Wednesday that longtime partner SRAM “will once again be the presenting sponsor of the multi-day women’s professional race to be held during the 2015 Amgen Tour of California.”
No further details of the 2015 event were released, and Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the Amgen Tour of California and senior vice president of AEG Sports, declined to elaborate on whether or not the 2015 events would be part of a stage race, or again be a succession of one-day events.
USA Pro Challenge CEO Shawn Hunter told VeloNews on Thursday that the Colorado stage race plans to hold a multi-day stage race in 2015, likely toward the later half of the weeklong race.
“We are in the early stages in planning a women’s race for 2015,” Hunter said. “We’re taking input from USA Cycling, as well as some of the greats in the sport, like Connie Carpenter, who wants to play a role. It will probably be somewhere between three to five days, held inside the Pro Challenge. We’ll know more once we select the course for the men, and we’re probably a month away form announcing our 2015 cities.”
