Impressive field set for Amgen Tour
| Tuesday, Apr 06 2010 09:08 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Apr 06 2010 09:08 PM
These 16 pro cycling teams are in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California:
Bissell (U.S.)
BMC Racing Team (U.S.)
Cervelo TestTeam (Switzerland)
Fly V Australia (Australia)
Garmin-Transitions (U.S.)
Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda (U.S.)
Kelly Benefit Strategies (U.S.)
Liquigas-Doimo (Italy)
Quick Step (Belgium)
Rabobank (The Netherlands)
Spidertech Powered by Planet Energy (Canada)
Team HCT-Columbia (U.S.)
Team RadioShack (U.S.)
Team Saxo Bank (Denmark)
Team Type 1 (U.S.)
UnitedHealthCare Presented by Maxxis (U.S.)
Some of the world's best professional cycling teams, along with a strong group of North American teams, have been invited to compete in the Amgen Tour of California, an 800-mile, eight-stage race modeled after the Tour de France which will be held May 16-23.
Stage 5 will finish atop the Panorama bluffs at Bakersfield College on May 20.
The 16-team, 128-athlete event is considered to be the most popular and important professional cycling race in the U.S.
"These teams, with the riders we expect to compete, represent one of the strongest fields we have had at the Amgen Tour of California," said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, the presenter of the race. "We are also pleased to have a selection of top North American-based continental teams, who will have a chance to compete with some of the world's best riders."
The teams will be led by prominent UCI ProTour and Pro Continental teams, such as the three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong's team, RadioShack from the United States; 2009's No. 1-ranked Team HTC-Columbia from the U.S., which features sprint sensation Mark Cavendish; Team Saxo Bank from Denmark, which features Tour of Flanders winner Fabian Cancellara and Tour de Fance runner-up Andy Schleck; a young and promising Italian team, Liquigas-Doimo; Colorado-based Garmin-Transitions; and BMC Racing Team from the U.S., which features current U.S. pro champion George Hincapie, who has won four stages of the Tour de France.
