Tour Champion Froome Headlines USA Pro Challenge

DENVER (AP) — Tour de France champion Chris Froome of Sky Procycling and points jersey winner Peter Sagan of Cannondale Pro Cycling will headline the field for the USA Pro Challenge.

The provisional start list for the race was announced Wednesday.

Froome will make his first appearance in the Colorado stage race Aug. 19 in Aspen, when he returns to the bike after his win on the Champs-Elysees. Froome will be joined on the Sky team by Richie Porte, who helped pace him in the mountains of France.

BMC Racing Team will be led by Tejay van Garderen. Fellow American Taylor Phinney will remain in Europe to race. Phinney won the USA Pro Challenge time trial last year.

Other prominent riders include former Tour champion Andy Schleck, David Millar and Christian Vande Velde of U.S.-based Team Garmin-Sharp and German Jens Voigt.

The seven-stage race ends Aug. 25 in Denver.

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