The Tour de France announces its team selection for the ’09 race
Twenty teams have been selected for the 2009 Tour de France, but Fuji-Servetto won’t be among them. 20 teams for 2009 Tour de France France: Ag2r-La Mondiale, Agritubel, Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, FDJeux Belgium: Quick Step, Silence-Lotto Spain: Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi USA: Columbia-Highroad, Garmin-Slipstream Italy: Lampre, Liquigas
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By Andrew Hood
Twenty teams have been selected for the 2009 Tour de France, but Fuji-Servetto won’t be among them.
France: Ag2r-La Mondiale, Agritubel, Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, FDJeux
Belgium: Quick Step, Silence-Lotto
Spain: Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi
USA: Columbia-Highroad, Garmin-Slipstream
Italy: Lampre, Liquigas
Netherlands: Rabobank, Skil-Shimano
Germany: Milram
Denmark: Saxo Bank
Kazakhstan: Astana
Russia: Katusha
Switzerland: Cervélo TestTeam
The Spanish-based team — the former Saunier Duval team scorched by CERA positives by Riccardo Riccò and Leonardo Piepoli in last year’s edition — was the only ProTour team not among invitations released Tuesday by Tour organizers.
Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) invited three continental pro teams: Cervélo TestTeam of defending champion Carlos Sastre, French squad Agritubel and Dutch team Skil-Shimano.
Astana, which was kept out of last year’s Tour, will be back for the start in Monaco.
The American teams Garmin-Slipstream and Columbia-Highroad each received bids to start the Tour, July 4-26.