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It was the costliest of the five races.

“Going into the 2017 event we did not expect to lose money, however we were also working right up to the race on additional funding sources, some of which did not ultimately come through,” former APA president Scott Fisher wrote in an email responding to questions from Postmedia.

“I feel that with the APA board we managed a difficult situation to the best of our ability and aggressively pursued all avenues to save the Tour of Alberta. It is extremely regrettable that in the end we could not secure the funding required and that many vendors suffered as a result.”

When the ride was over, 80 businesses, individuals and cycling teams were left holding the bag. Twenty-five of the 80 creditors are based in Edmonton, another 17 are spread around Alberta, 22 in other provinces, 15 in the United States and one in Switzerland.

“Some of our biggest supporters got hurt the most,” said former APA board chair Peter Verhesen.

The Edmonton Journal is a creditor, so too its parent company, Postmedia, headquartered in Toronto. The total tab is about $35,000. That’s small potatoes compared to the $214,000 owed to The Westin in Edmonton and the $155,000 owed to M31 Design, an Edmonton-based TV production company. The largest debt is owed to the Tour’s former title sponsor ATB Financial, at $221,000, though it relates to a line of credit rather than sponsorship fees.

“That list of companies that took it on the chin are all these private businesses that acted in good faith; wanting it, helping it, nurturing it, were willing to be flexible,” said Cowan Graphics owner Blaine MacMillan, who was a race fan, vendor and sponsor and is owed $35,285 for signs.