With an impressive lineup of some of the top professional cyclists in the world, the provisionary team rosters for the 2014 USA Pro Challenge were released earlier today. Rosters include Pro Challenge defending champion and fifth-place finisher in last month’s Tour de France Tejay van Garderen, as well as 2014 Tour de France KOM Jersey winner Rafał Majka and teammate and Tour de France stage winner Michael Rogers.

With a history of attracting some of the world’s top professional cyclists to Colorado, this year's USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 18-24 and will travel through ten official host cities on a scenic tour of the famed Colorado Rockies.

"I’m really looking forward to defending my race title in Colorado this month," BMC Racing Team's Tejay van Garderen commented from his home in Aspen, Colorado. "Because this year's USA Pro Challenge starts in my hometown, it’s different and more relaxed. To race in front of my family and friends is always special. We are bringing a really motivated team and with a summit finish this year, it promises to be another hard race.”

Hot off this year's Tour de France, many riders are in their peak form and are set to be strong competitors in the Pro Challenge. Three riders competing in the 2014 Pro Challenge finished in the top-12 places at the 2014 Tour de France, including van Garderen in fifth, Leopold König in seventh and Frank Schleck in 12th. Majka, who took the KOM Jersey at this year’s Tour de France and also won two stages, will be racing in Colorado. Additionally, the race also will feature two riders who finished on the podium in previous editions of the Tour de France – Ivan Basso, who also is a two-time Giro d’Italia winner, and Frank Schleck – and multiple riders who've captured a stage win – Jens Voigt, Basso, Schleck, Rogers and Majka.

"In less than two weeks the USA Pro Challenge will kick off in Aspen and the best of the best in professional cycling will charge the streets of Colorado,” commented Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “The race features riders from all over the world and a diverse roster of talent ranging from established veterans to the new generation of incredibly talented young guys. The competition this year will be tough and it’s going to be a great show for fans around the world."

The current and former USPRO National Champions in road race will line up in Colorado (Eric Marcotte – 2014, Fred Rodriguez– 2013). In addition to Marcotte, the race will include three other current national champions – Schleck (LUX), Hayden Roulston (NZL) and Riccardo Zoidl (AUT). Other known international riders competing in the 2014 Pro Challenge include current junior world champion Matej Mohorič, Tour of Slovania winner Tiago Machado, Columbian climbing sensation Janier Acevedo, as well as Denmark's Michael Mørkøv and Matthew Lloyd, who both won stages in the Giro d’Italia.

The 2014 USA Pro Challenge will include five of the top-six finishers from last year's thrilling edition of the race, including van Garderen, Gregory Brenes, Tom Danielson, Janier Acevedo and Lachlan Morton. Almost all of the jersey winners from 2013 will be back to defend their titles this year as well – Leader Jersey winner van Garderen, Denver resident and KOM Champion Matt Cooke, Best Young Rider Morton and overall Most Aggressive Rider Ben King.

"I’m super excited to be coming back to race the USA Pro Challenge with my Garmin-Sharp-POC teammates," said Danielson. “Personally, it’s the one event every year I really look forward to because of the huge and crazy crowds and the general vibe of the race. It’s like no other race. Plus, our team is headquartered in Denver, so we have extra motivation."

In what is being dubbed as his “Farewell Tour,” fan favorite Jens Voigt of Germany will compete in his last professional race during the 2014 Pro Challenge. Best known for his courageous attacking skills and positive, fun-loving - yet sometimes brisk - attitude, Voigt’s professional cycling career has spanned 17 years and has been punctuated by many incredible performances and victories.

"I chose the Pro Challenge as my final race because of the fans," Berlin resident Voigt explained. "So many fans in Colorado love outdoor activities, so they are all experts…they know exactly how hard it is to go up those crazy-long climbs. It’s a beautiful state and I just always love the warm welcome and the support I get from the fans."

The elite professional roster of teams, which includes 128 riders from 30 countries, is comprised of six teams who participated in the Tour de France. Following is the preliminary complete list of riders that are currently confirmed to compete in the 2014 USA Pro Challenge.

Rosters for USA Pro Challenge 2014:

UCI ProTeams:

BMC Racing Team (USA) @BMCProTeam
1.    Ben Hermans (BEL)
2.    Brent Bookwalter (USA)
3.    Martin Kohler (SUI)
4.    Michael Schär (SUI)
5.    Peter Stetina (USA)
6.    Rick Zabel (GER)
7.    Tejay van Garderen (USA)
8.    Yannick Eijssen (BEL)

Cannondale Pro Cycling Team (ITA) @cannondalePro
1.    Alan Marangoni (ITA)
2.    Cristiano Salerno (ITA)
3.    Davide Formolo (ITA)
4.    Ted King (USA)
5.    Elia Viviani (ITA)
6.    Ivan Basso (ITA)
7.    Matej Mohorič (SLO)
8.    Michel Koch (GER)

Team Garmin - Sharp - POC (USA) @Ride_Argyle
1.    Alex Howes (USA)
2.    Ben King (USA)
3.    Gavin Mannion (stagiare) (USA)
4.    Janier Acevedo (COL)
5.    Lachlan Morton (AUS)
6.    Phil Gaimon (USA)
7.    Thomas Dekker (NED)
8.    Tom Danielson (USA)

Tinkoff-Saxo Team (RUS) @tinkoff_saxo
1.    Bruno Pires (POR)
2.    Edward Beltran (COL)
3.    Jesper Hansen (DEN)
4.    Michael Mørkøv (RUS)
5.    Michael Rogers (AUS)
6.    Pawel Poljanski (POL)
7.    Rafał Majka (POL)
8.    Rasmus Guldhammer (NOR) (stagiare)

Trek Factory Racing (USA) @TrekFactory
1.    Calvin Watson (AUS)
2.    Fränk Schleck (LUX)
3.    Hayden Roulston (NZL)
4.    Jens Voigt (GER)
5.    Markel Irizar (ESP)
6.    Matthew Busche (USA)
7.    Riccardo Zoidl (AUT)
8.    Robert Kiserlovski (CRO)

UCI Professional Continental Teams:

Drapac Professional Cycling (AUS) @DrapacCycling
1.    Adam Phelan (AUS)
2.    Bernard Sulzberger (AUS)
3.    Darren Lapthorne (AUS)
4.    Jai Crawford (AUS)
5.    Jonathan Cantwell (AUS)
6.    Lachlan Norris (AUS)
7.    Robbie Hucker (AUS)
8.    Wesley Sulzberger (AUS)

Team NetApp – Endura (GER) @NetAppEndura
1.    Bartosz Huzarski (POL)
2.    David De La Cruz (ESP)
3.    Gregor Muhlberger (AUT)
4.    Jose Mendes (POR)
5.    Leopold König (CZE)
6.    Michael Schwarzmann (GER)
7.    Patrick Konrad (AUT)
8.    Tiago Machado (POR)

Team Novo Nordisk (USA) @TeamNovoNordisk
1.    Andrea Peron (ITA)
2.    Charles Planet (FRA)
3.    David Lozano (ESP)
4.    Javier Megias (ESP)
5.    Joonas Henttala (FIN)
6.    Kevin De Mesmaeker (BEL)
7.    Martijn Verschoor (NED)
8.    Scott Ambrose (NZL)

UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA) @UHCprocycling
1.    Ben Day (AUS)
2.    Danny Summerhill (USA)
3.    Isaac Bolivar Hernandez (COL)
4.    Jeff Louder (USA)
5.    Jonny Clarke (AUS)
6.    Kiel Reijnen (USA)
7.    Lucas Euser (USA)
8.    Marc De Maar (CAR)

UCI Continental Teams:

Bissell Development Team (USA) @BissellDT
1.    Chris Putt (USA)
2.    Daniel Eaton (USA)
3.    Gregory Daniel (USA)
4.    James Oram (NZL)
5.    Keegan Swirbul (USA)
6.    Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL)
7.    Nicholai Brøchner (DEN)
8.    Tanner Putt (USA)

Hincapie Sportswear Development Team (USA) @HincapieDevo
1.    Chris Butler (USA)
2.    Dion Smith (NZL)
3.    Joe Lewis (AUS)
4.    Joey Rosskopf (USA)
5.    Oscar Clark (USA)
6.    Robin Carpenter (USA)
7.    Toms Skujiņš (LAT)
8.    Ty Magner (USA)

Jamis-Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home (USA) @TeamJamisHB
1.    Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA)
2.    Carson Miller (USA)
3.    Daniel Jaramillo (COL)
4.    Gregory Brenes (CRC)
5.    Ian Crane (USA)
6.    Luis Amaran (CUB)
7.    Matt Cooke (USA)
8.    Rob Squire (USA)

Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis (USA) @JellyBellyTeam
1.    Freddie Rodriguez (USA)
2.    Ian Burnett (USA)
3.    Jacob Rathe (USA)
4.    Kirk Carlsen (USA)
5.    Luis Davila (MEX)
6.    Matthew Lloyd (AUS)
7.    Serghei Tvetcov (ROM)
8.    Steve Fisher (USA)

Optum Presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA) @OPTUMpbKBS
1.    Alex Candelario (USA)
2.    Bjorn Selander (USA)
3.    Carter Jones (USA)
4.    Jesse Anthony (USA)
5.    Ryan Anderson (CAN)
6.    Scott Zwizanski (USA)
7.    Thomas Zirbel (USA)
8.    William Routley (CAN)

Rapha Condor JLT (GBR) @raphacondorjlt
1.    Daniel Whitehouse (GBR)
2.    Elliott Porter (GBR)
3.    Graham Briggs (GBR)
4.    Hugh Carthy (GBR)
5.    Kristian House (GBR)
6.    Michael Cuming (GBR)
7.    Richard Handley (GBR)
8.    Tom Moses (GBR)
 
Team SmartStop (USA) @TeamSmartStop
1.    Eric Marcotte (USA)
2.    Flavio De Luna (MEX)
3.    Julian Kyer (USA)
4.    Jure Kocjan (SLO)
5.    Michael Torckler (NZL)
6.    Rob Britton (CAN)
7.    Travis McCabe (USA)
8.    Zach Bell (CAN)