A collection of 13 of the world’s best international and domestic men’s professional cycling teams have accepted invitations to compete at the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah on Aug. 3-9, 2015. Three additional teams will be added later this spring for “America’s Toughest Stage RaceTM”, for a total of 16 men’s teams in the final field of the UCI 2.HC men’s stage race. 
 
Four of these teams will travel to Utah directly from competition at the Tour de France, including three UCI ProTeams registered in the United States -- BMC Racing Team, Can nondale-Garmin Pro Cycling and Trek Factory Racing. The South African-based MTN-Qhubeka presented by Samsung team, registered at a Professional Continental level, is the first team from the African continent to receive a wild card invitation to the Tour de France. It is the second appearance for MTN-Qhubeka (2013) and Trek Factory Racing (2014) at the Tour of Utah. BMC Racing Team, which captured three stage wins at last year’s Tour of Utah, will make its seventh appearance. Can nondale-Garmin, which expects to bring two-time defending champion Tom Danielson (USA) again in August, will race as a Slipstream Sports squad for a sixth year.
 
Joining MTN-Qhubeka from the UCI Professional Continental ranks will be Team Colombia of Colombia, Drapac Professional Cycling of Australia, and UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling of the U.S. It is the first appearance for the South American squad, which scored the overall King of the Mountain classification title at this year’s WorldTour stage race, Tirreno-Adriatico, with climber Carlos Julian Quintero. Known as the “Blue Train,” UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling will make a record ninth appearance at the Tour of Utah, the most of any team. Drapac Pro Cycling returns for a second time, having raced in Utah in 2014.
 
Continental teams have a strong representation in this year’s field, already including four of the Top Five squads ranked on USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC). Team SmartStop expects to return with Jure Kocjan (Slovenia), who won the Utah Sports Commission Sprint points jersey in 2014. Hincapie Racing Team featured the best two climbers at the 2014 Tour of Utah, returning this year with American Robin Carpenter, who was second overall in the Ski Utah King of the Mountains classification.
 
UCI ProTeams (*world rankings as of April 12, 2015) 

BMC Racing Team (USA), No.5 on UCI WorldTour
Can nondale-Garmin Pro Cycling (USA), No. 17 on UCI WorldTour
Trek Factory Racing (USA), No. 13 on UCI WorldTour

UCI Professional Continental Teams (rankings as of March 25, 2015)

Drapac Professional Cycling (Australia), No. 2 on UCI Oceania Tour
Team Colombia (Colombia), No. 3 on UCI America Tour
Team MTN-Qhubeka presented by Samsung (South Africa), No. 1 on UCI Asia Tour
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA), No. 5 on UCI Asia Tour

UCI Continental Teams, America Tour (UCI ranking as of March 25, 2015)

Axeon Cycling Team (USA), No. 4 on UCI Oceania Tour
Hincapie Racing Team (USA), No. 7 on UCI Oceania Tour/ No. 5 on USAC NRC
Jamis-Hagens Berman presented by Sutter Home (USA), No. 6 on UCI America Tour/ No. 3 on USAC NRC
Jelly Belly presented by Maxxis (USA), No. 2 on USAC NRC
Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA), No. 17 on UCI Europe Tour/ No. 1 on USAC NRC
Team SmartStop (USA), No. 7 on UCI America Tour/ No. 7 on USAC NRC

“Each year we are honored to have such an impressive list of teams competing in the Tour of Utah. To have four teams already committed to travel to Utah from the Tour de France makes a big statement in the sports world about the growing prestige of the Tour of Utah. Our fans and our partners can expect more great racing battles from these world-class teams in August,” said Jenn Andrs, executive director of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, a division of Miller Sports Properties.
 
Earlier in April, 11 women’s professional and domestic elite cycling teams were announced as part of the field for the Tour of Utah Women’s Edition: Criterium Classic. The omnium-style competition will take place in Logan, Utah on Aug. 3 and Ogden, Utah on Aug. 4. Four women’s UCI teams were confirmed to compete, including the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team which captured the inaugural Tour of Utah Women’s Edition title in 2014.
 
The final fields for both men’s and women’s competitions will be announced later this spring. This year’s Tour of Utah will continue as the first internationally-sanctioned cycling competition in North America for men following the Tour de France. The Criterium Classic is sanctioned by USA Cycling as part of the National Criterium Calendar (NCC).