America's Colavita/Sutter Home has announced the squad it will send to August's Tour of Ireland, which will include former Irish national champion David McCann and reigning Canadian national criterium champion Charles Dionne. The squad is one of three American teams invited to contest the August 22-26 race, with Professional Continental squads Team Slipstream and Navigators Insurance also contesting the race.
"We're honored to be selected to join UCI ProTour teams for the debut of the new Tour of Ireland," said director sportif Tom Schuler. "We're particularly proud that David McCann, one of Ireland's favourite athletes who has represented his home country in major cycling events all over the world as well as two Olympic Games, will be racing in Colavita/Sutter Home colors as the Tour of Ireland returns to the international cycling calendar after a 15-year absence."
The squad will take a strong climber in American Anthony Colby, who won the King of the Mountain competition at the Tour de Toona in July. Colby also put in an impressive display of his climbing prowess on the Tour de Georgia's notorious Brasstown Bald climb at this year's event, finishing third behind Discovery Channel's Levi Leipheimer and Thomas Danielson.
"With Charles Dionne's speed and Anthony Colby's climbing skills, Colavita/Sutter Home has an excellent shot at winning stage victories at the Tour of Ireland," added Schuler. "In the last two months alone, Charles has won Canada's National Criterium Championship and La Coupe de la Paix as well as the overall points competition at the International Tour de Toona, one of the toughest stage races in North America."
Colavita/Sutter Home's Tour of Ireland roster: Adam Bergman (USA), Anthony Colby (USA), Charles Dionne (Can), Andy Guptill (USA), David McCann (Ire), Dan Vaillancourt (USA), and Tyler Wren (USA).
