Amgen Tour of California rosters announced

By clippedin

AEG, presenter of the Amgen Tour of California announced rosters for the 11th annual stage race. This year’s field includes 11 World Champions, five Olympic medalists and Rio Olympic hopefuls.

The Amgen Tour of California is known for epic sprinter shootouts, and the 2016 edition will pit reigning World Champion and UCI’s top-ranked rider Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), also the California defending champion and sprint record holder, against rivals Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka), who came away with the green jersey last year, John Degenkolb (Team Giant-Alpecin) and Alexander Kristoff (Team KATUSHA).

In addition to Sagan, general classification hopefuls include 2014 race champion Bradley Wiggins, back with his development squad (Team WIGGINS), French sensation Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team), who placed second by seconds last year, Laurens ten Dam (Team Giant-Alpecin), Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team), Andrew Talansky (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) and Lawson Craddock (Cannondale Pro Cycling Team), two-time Best Young Rider at the Amgen Tour of California.

With 144 cyclists (18 teams), and the most ever WorldTour teams, preparing to face-off over a 782-mile course from southern to northern California May 15-22, some of the favorites in the most popular categories include:

General Classification (Overall Contenders)

  • Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
  • Bryan Coquard (FRA), Direct Énergie (DEN)
  • George Bennett (NZL), Team Lotto NL – Jumbo (TLJ)
  • Janez Brajkovic (SLO), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
  • Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  • Lachlan Morton (AUS), Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (JBC)
  • Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  • Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
  • Peter Stetina (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff

Sprinters

  • Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
  • Ben Swift (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
  • Danny Van Poppel (NED), Team Sky (SKY)
  • Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (ESP), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • John Degenkolb (GER), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  • John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
  • Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
  • Mark Renshaw (AUS), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
  • Niccolo Bonifazio (ITA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
  • Ryan Anderson (CAN), Direct Énergie (DEN)
  • Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Climbers

  • Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  • Laurens ten Dam (NED), Team Giant-Alpecin (TGA)
  • Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Phil Gaimon (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Robin Carpenter (USA), Holowesko Citadel p/b Hincapie Sportswear (HSD)
  • Tom Skujins (LAT), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Will Routley (CAN), Rally Cycling (RLY)

Stage Wins

  • Alex Howes (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Team KATUSHA (KAT)
  • Brent Bookwalter (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Danny Pate (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)
  • Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Jasper Stuyven (BEL), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • Javier Megias (ESP), Team Novo Nordisk (TNN)
  • John Murphy (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (UHC)
  • Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx–Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  • Keil Reijnen (USA), Trek – Segafredo (TFS)
  • Logan Owen (USA), Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team (AHB)
  • Mark Cavendish (GBR), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)
  • Peter Sagan (SVK), Tinkoff (TNK)
  • Samuel Sanchez (ESP), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  • Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Tyler Farrar (USA), Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (DDD)

Individual Time Trialists (2016 Time Trial takes place May 26 in Folsom)

  • Andrew Talansky (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Bradley Wiggins (GBR), Team WIGGINS (WGN)
  • Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), Etixx – Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (EQS)
  • Lawson Craddock (USA), Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (CPT)
  • Maciej Bodnar (POL), Tinkoff (TNK)
  • Peter Kennaugh (GBR), Team Sky (SKY)
  • Rohan Dennis (AUS), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team (BMC)
  • Tom Zirbel (USA), Rally Cycling (RLY)

“In an Olympic year, it is especially exciting to welcome so many elite competitors and Olympic gold hopefuls to the golden state,” said Kristin Klein, president of the race and executive vice president of AEG Sports. “The Amgen Tour of California is filled with talent this year, and as we kick off a new decade of California racing, fans will be treated to the most exciting edition yet.”

Viewers can keep up with the race with live nightly coverage on NBC Sports Network and NBC and the Microsoft Tour Tracker App for desktop and mobile.

Photo by Craig Ricker/Jorts Sports Photography