The 29th Tour de Beauce attracts 21 teams from around the world

The 29th edition of the UCI 2.2 Tour de Beauce in Canada is set to begin Wednesday with 21 teams from North America, South America and Europe competing over five days throughout the Beauce region of the Québec province. Organizers reduced the parcours by one day this year, leaving four road races and a 20km individual time trial to decide the overall winner after 639km of racing.

Canadian Continental squads Silber Pro Cycling and Garneau-Quebecor will join US teams 5-hour Energy, Hincapie Sportswear, Jelly Belly, Team SmartStop, Optum Pro Cycling and Jamis-Hagens Berman on the start line, along with Alpha Baltic from Latvia, Budget Forklifts from Australia, Bike Aid from Germany, Amore & Vita from Ukraine, ISD from Ukraine, Firefighters Upsala from Sweden, 4-72 from Colombia and Christina Watches from Denmark. Team Novo Nordisk from the US will represent the Pro Continental ranks, while elite squads Veloselect, Norco Bicycles, Ride with Rendall and H&R Block will also compete in Beauce.

Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.

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