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Rally UHC Cycling Is Headed to La Course by Tour de France
Rally UHC Cycling Is Headed to La Course by Tour de France
June 04, 2019
Rally UHC Cycling earned an invitation to the most prestigious day of racing on the women’s calendar, La Course by Le Tour de France. The team received one of only five wildcard spots available and returns to the race for the first time since 2015.
“We’re very happy with the news,” said team director Zach Bell. “This was a huge target for us and receiving the invite is a big compliment to our riders and organization.”
Held in the southern city of Pau on July 19th, the women will race on the same course as the men’s stage 13 time trial. The peloton will tackle five laps of a hilly 24.2 km circuit for a total of 121 km.
Described as a ‘puncheurs’ style course, the race will suit those with raw power more than the pure sprinters or climbers of previous editions. The main climb of the Côte d’Esquillot guarantees fireworks on every lap of the circuit around Pau.
“The circuit in Pau is a World Championship style course that’ll provide great drama,” said Bell. “It will be scrappy racing and for us, that’s how we like it.”
Following stage victories earlier this year at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, Valley of the Sun Stage Race, USA Crits Speedweek, and the Tucson Bicycle Classic, Rally UHC Cycling will arrive in France ready to do battle.
“The team has proven they’re competitive at every race they enter,” said Bell. “We have confidence in the depth of our roster and will field six strong riders that are ready to race their bikes from kilometer one.”
Rally UHC Cycling has a track record of success at La Course, with Canadian road champion Leah Kirchmann sprinting to third in the inaugural edition in 2014 behind World Champion Marianne Vos. This year’s race gives the team another crack at the top step of the podium.
Here's the full list of women's pro teams invited to the 2019 La Course by Le Tour de France:
Rally UHC CyclingMitchelton-Scott Women
Boels Dolmans Cycling Team
Canyon-SRAM Racing
Bigla
Ale Cipollini
CCC-Liv
FDJ-Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
Movistar Team Women
Park Hotel Valkenburg
Team Sunweb
Tibco-SVB
Team Virtu Cycling
Trek-Segafredo
Valcar Cylance Cycling
WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling Team
Astana Women’s team
BTC City Ljubljana
Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
Lotto Soudal Ladies