2016 Tour of Alberta a showcase for career beginnings and ends

For legendary Canadian cyclist Ryder Hesjedal, one of his final competitive races will take him through the wide open Alberta prairies and beneath the gaze of the Rocky Mountains. 

At the end of this years' season, Hesjedal will retire, but not before racing the Tour of Alberta at the start of September.

In a gruelling five stage event, thirteen teams and 102 cyclists from all over the world will be racing all across the province.

The race, which runs from Sept 1 - 5, begins in Lethbridge, and makes it way up through Olds, Rocky Mountain House, Drayton Valley and before reaching Edmonton.

"We're bringing a strong team to Alberta, for sure," Hesjedal said in a press release. 

"The guys with the best legs and feeling the best are the guys you need to support. It's about winning."

Over his career, Hesjedal has become one of the most celebrated cyclists in Canadian history.

In 2012,  the rider from Victoria, B.C. became the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour when he took home first in the Giro d'Italia, the biggest race outside of the Tour of France.

He was named Canada's top athlete in 2012 and dubbed Canadian cyclist of the decade in 2009.

Hesjedal will racing alongside teammate, Tour of Alberta's 2015 defending champion, Bauke Mollema. Mollema, who finished just outside of the top ten in the Tour of France this year, will be the first defending champ to race in the Tour the year after their win. 

While Hesjedal has said he would like to take home victory in the race, he expects Mollema will be a strong contender.

"You never know sometimes until you get into the race as to who has the best form," said Hesjedal. 

"So, we'll see. The strongest usually wins."

Started in 2013, the Tour of Alberta has grown bigger and bigger each year. Last year's race was viewed by 47 million viewers internationally and was able to reach 180 million homes. 

A showcase for the young

Tour of Alberta`s CEO, Duane Vienneau, said that it`s not just the well-known names in the world of cycling that make this race exciting but also the unknowns. 

"This race has always previewed future stars from Peter Sagan and Rohan Dennis in 2013 and Tom Dumoulin in 2014," said Vienneau. "Many of the young riders in this year's race will be household names in future years."

Many of the young riders in this year's race will be household names in future years.- Duane Vienneau

The route, a little different from last year, will be 606 kilometres long. One of the unique features of this year's race is a time trial occurring near the end of the race in Edmonton`s Hawrelak Park.

"This is definitely a different course than last year, which offered stages in high mountains and a team time trial," said Vienneau in July. "We feel this course offers yet another look at Alberta and highlights some new areas for international and national television viewers."

It is expected that the Tour of Alberta will be broadcast to 200 million homes this September.