Tour of Alberta host communities announced

The eleven official host communities to take part in the inaugural Tour of Alberta in September were announced Tuesday.

Starting on September 3, residents of those communities will have the chance to see cyclists ride through their area as part of the 850 kilometre journey.

The cycling festival will begin in Edmonton on Sept. 3 with time trials, followed by five point-to-point stage races starting Sept. 4:

A set route is still being finalized; a number of other communities that fall on the race routes will also be part of the event as cyclists pass through.

It’s estimated the event will host 150 professional cyclists, from more than 20 countries.

The Mayor of Devon is looking forward to playing host at the beginning of stage 2.

“The economic spin-off from this kind of event could be in the millions of dollars,” Mayor Anita Fisher said. “That’s a substantial gain for a community of our size.”

Fisher said the town has been bidding to be a host city for a few years.

The final route for the race will be announced in April.

With files from Michelle Gerwing