Tour of Missouri announces team lineup
The two American-based representatives from the Tour de France — Columbia and Garmin-Chipotle — are among the 15 teams announced Monday as the competitors in the second Tour of Missouri, scheduled for Sept. 8 to 14.
Columbia, of course, is the new team of defending race winner George Hincapie, and Garmin-Chipotle won the team title last year as Slipstream-Chipotle. Christian Vande Velde, who finished fifth in the Tour de France, is expected to be on the Garmin squad in Missouri.
They’ll be joined by three prominent newcomers: the Liquigas boys from Italy, the UCI Pro Tour team that rides American-made bicycles (Cannondale); Rabobank, a Pro Tour Team that will send its development team; and American continental teams Rock Racing, owned by the colorful Michael Ball
American continental teams Bissell and Kelly Benefits-Medifast also are race newcomers.
The other returning teams are:
– Jelly Belly, featuring Springfield, Mo., native Brad Huff, and perhaps St. Lousians Michael Lange.
– Toyota-United, featuring double ToM stage winner Ivan Dominguez
– BMC– Health Net-Maxxis
– Colavita-Sutter Home
– Symmetrics
– Sparkasse
– Tecos-Trek
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