Virtual Tour of the Gila draws in top North American teams

Virtual Tour of the Gila organiser Project Echelon Racing announced on Monday that the event has drawn in the top North American teams to participate in the three-stage race, which will take place from May 22-24. 

The event will provide a race platform for 25 men's teams and 155 starters, and for 11 women's women's teams and 75 starters, including a Women's US national team.

"Project Echelon Racing is excited to create an opportunity for North American and international men's and women's domestic elite and professional teams to connect during the coronavirus pandemic (and beyond), to create a platform for our athletes to continue to compete and connect with cycling fans and our communities," read a press statement. 

"Additionally, we hope the events will offer a unique opportunity for teams and athletes to create authentic content for their sponsors so that they may continue to support them during these difficult times."

The 25 men's teams participating in the event are Project Echelon Racing, Elevate-Webiplex, Landis-Trek, Above & Beyond, CS Velo, DC Bank Probaclac, E-Stellas, First Internet Bank, Hamilton United, Kelly Benefit Strategies, L39ION of LA, Red Truck Racing, Rio Grande Elite, Saris + The Pro's Closet, Skyline, Subaru Santa Monica, Super Clean Sport, TaG Cycling, California p/b HMS, Vorarlberg Santic, Team Tor 2000-Kalas, Toronto Hustle, Vitus Pro and Wildlife Generation.

The 11 women's teams include TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank, Twenty20 Pro Cycling, Velocity Vixen, Agolio BMC, Amy D. Foundation, Femme Equipe-Swisse Wellness, Impetu Ciclismo Femenino, and the US National Team, whose roster has yet to be announced.

The event features three stages, beginning with a team time trial on May 22, followed by a circuit race on May 23 and a mountain stage on May 24. The men's and women's teams will compete on the same courses and across the same distances. The women will race first for the opening stage at 6:45pm CDT and the men at 8pm CDT. The men will race first on stages 2 and 3 at 11:00am CDT and the women at 1:00pm CDT. The stages will be streamed on Zwift Community Live.

The organisers of the Tour of the Gila announced in March that they were forced to cancel the race due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. It was initially set to run from April 29 to May 3 in Silver City, New Mexico. USA Cycling later announced that it had suspended all racing, camps and clinics through May 31, forcing races to be either cancelled or postponed until later in the season. 

"It has been amazing to see how these events have grown over the past two months," said Eric Hill, the Director of Project Echelon and of the Virtual Race Series that also organised a successful virtual Redlands Classic. 

"We started facilitating these races through meet-ups as something fun to do and a means to keep a competitive edge. Now we are running live-broadcasted, private events that are drawing elite international fields."

Virtual Tour of the Gila – Start list

Men's Teams

Women's Teams