Press Centre

JULY 30, 2013 Banff, AB – GranFondo Canada announced today that four time USA criterium champions, Team Smartstop p/b Mountain Khakis will ride the RBC GranFondo Banff on Saturday, August 24. The continental professional cycling team, in Alberta for high altitude training, is to compete in the Tour of Alberta September 3 – 8 and will incorporate the gran fondo into their training program.

“We chose to include the RBC GranFondo Banff in our training schedule because it was the perfect fit,” said team owner James Bennett. “The chance to train in scenic Banff National Park surrounded by cycling enthusiasts was too good to pass up.”

Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis, which includes two time Olympian Bobby Lea, will be one of 15 teams competing in the Tour of Alberta, Canada’s first major international pro cycling stage race. Other SmartStop riders will include Flavio De Luna, Travis McCabe, Eric Marcotte, and Frank Travieso.

Through an innovative “Making the Tour” program set up with this year’s Banff National Park Bike Fest, 22 year-old Albertan Kristofer Dahl of Team H & R Block earned a spot on the Team SmartStop roster and will compete in the Tour of Alberta. Dahl will join the team for the training camp in Banff.

Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis will be among 1,500 cyclists in the only gran fondo in North America that is fully contained within the boundaries of a national park. Starting and finishing in the beautiful mountain town of Banff, the 142 KM route takes participants into the heart of the Rockies to experience the awe-inspiring nature of Banff National Park. More information about the RBC GranFondo Banff can be found here: http://granfondobanff.com/

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Media Contacts

GranFondo Canada: Lindsay Carswell, [email protected]

Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis: Jamie Bennett [email protected]

About GranFondo Canada

Founded in 2007, GranFondo Canada is an event management company committed to providing world class cycling experiences in world renowned locations. Rooted in the growing domain of sport tourism, these events appeal greatly to cyclists seeking a unique and memorable experience. 2013 events include the second annual RBC GranFondo Banff on August 24, the fourth annual RBC GranFondo Whistler on September 7, and the inaugural GranFondo Niagara on September 14. For more information visit: www.granfondocanada.com

About Team SmartStop

The team began in 2007 as a development program when former professional racers Pat Raines, Erik Saunders and James Bennett saw a vacuum in the US racing scene in terms of rider development and decided to put together a team where young aspiring pros could learn on the job from veteran racers. The program has since grown into the nation’s premier professional criterium racing squad. The team has won four individual, two U25, and four USA Crits Championships since 2009. www.teamsmartstop.com