Two More Tour de France Teams Added to September’s Maryland Cycling Classic

July 11, 2023

World Tour Teams Cofidis and Astana Qazaqstan Team to Appear

BALTIMORE, Maryland /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare, America’s top cycling race and highest-ranked UCI event, announced the participation of two World Tour teams currently participating in the Tour de France – Team Cofidis and Astana Qazaqstan Team – for the September 3, 2023 race.

One of France’s premier teams over the past two decades, Cofidis has enjoyed a great first week in this year’s Tour de France with a win by Victor Lafay in Stage 2. Teammate Bryan Coquard currently remains in second place in the Sprint Points jersey competition and Guillaume Martin is in 17^th in the overall standings.

Astana Quzaqstan is the team of Mark Cavandish, the British sprinter who is tied with the great Eddy Merckx for the most Tour de France stage wins. Cavandish unfortunately crashed out of the Tour de France Saturday after finishing second in the previous day’s stage. Astana has consistently finished in the top 10 of the UCI’s world rankings the past decade. The team’s general manager Alexender Vinokourov is a 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the road race and a four-time Tour de France stage winner.

“The Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare, continues to attract elite teams as it enters its second year,” said Terry Hasseltine, President of the Sport & Entertainment Corp. of Maryland. “The addition of two teams currently competing in the Tour de France gives the event and our civic and corporate partners tremendous momentum heading toward race weekend. It’s a boost for American cycling and its fans.”

The event previously announced the participation of the following teams currently competing in the Tour de France: Lidl-Trek, who scored a stage victory this past Friday by Denmark’s Mads Pederson; EF Education-EasyPost which features American Neilson Powless, who is currently in the King of the Mountain jersey; Israel-PremierTech, which won Sunday’s stage behind the legs of Canadian Michael Woods, and Jayco-AlUlu, which features Simon Yates, who currently resides in 6^th place overall after the first week of the Tour de France.

“We’ve confirmed one of the most competitive and electric fields assembled in the U.S. in a long time, which is a testament to the leadership and support of SECMD and its private and public partners,” said Chris Aronhalt, President of Medalist Sports, the event management group responsible for most of the top professional cycling races over the past two decades. “Success and sustainability in the sport is built on the foundation of integrity, relationships and ability – and we are proud that the international teams, spectators, sponsors and media all recognize the early tradition and prominence of the Maryland Cycling Classic. The rolling hills of Baltimore County and downtown circuit of Baltimore city provide the perfect backdrop for this world-class event.”

The Maryland Cycling Classic is part of the prestigious UCI Pro Tour and is already one of the top-ranked events in North and South America. Other previously announced teams include: Human Powered Health, Corretec-Selle Italia, Team Novo Nordisk, L39ION of Los Angeles, Hagens Berman Axeon, Toronto Hustle, Team Medellin-EPM, Team Skyline, Project Echelon, and a composite team from USA Cycling.

Over the weekend, 2022 Maryland Cycling Classic race champion Sep Vanmarcke of Israel-Premier Tech announced his retirement effective immediately due to a medical concern. Vanmarcke outsprinted three other riders, including Powless who finished third, to win last year’s inaugural race.

Sanctioned by the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) and USA Cycling, the Maryland Cycling Classic, presented by UnitedHealthcare is managed by Medalist Sports, LLC of Peachtree City, Ga., and marketed and promoted by KOM Sports Marketing of Colorado Springs, Colo. The companies have been the industry leaders in producing professional road cycling events for the past two decades. The event is a production of the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland. The event’s chairman is John Kelly.

More information: marylandcyclingclassic.us. For 2023 race jersey artwork and 2022 race images, click here. All photos courtesy of Maryland Cycling Classic. To be added to distribution list: contact info@komsports.com. For sponsorship/partner information: info@komsports.com or info@marylandclassic.us.

Media Contacts

Katrina Younce, KOM Sports Graham Whaples, Md. Sports Commission

1.310-995-3619 | katrina@komsports.com 1.410-385-4671 graham@marylandcyclingclassic.us