With a worldwide reputation as a tune-up for the Tour de France, the Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T has perennially drawn the attention of teams from Europe and across North America. Staying with the event's tradition, Medalist Sports, which manages the event for the Tour de Georgia Foundation, will invite 15 professional teams. Each team fields eight riders for a field of 120 athletes to take the start in Tybee Island in April.
The majority of invitations have been extended, with seven additional teams being announced after the conclusion of the Amgen Tour of California (Feb 17-24):
Astana (Luxembourg), #12 in 2007
Team CSC (Denmark), #1 on ProTour in 2007
Gerolsteiner (Germany), #14 in 2007
Team High Road (USA)
Also accepting invitations to race in April are four UCI Professional Continental Teams. Two based in the U.S. are Team Slipstream/Chipotle presented by H30, which has just recently received an invitation to compete in the Giro d'Italia, and BMC Racing, in its first season as a Pro Continental squad.
Rounding out the field of early invitees are domestic Continental teams Bissell Pro Cycling Team (USA), formerly Priority Health, and Athens, Ga.-based Jittery Joe's Professional Cycling Team (USA).
"The Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T has established itself as a world-class stage race. It has solidified its position as one of the best stage races in the spring as well, for teams in the U.S. and abroad. Cycling fans continue to turn out in huge numbers for this event, and we are proud that events like Tour de Georgia provide a platform for these elite athletes to perform and entertain," said Sean Petty, chief operating officer for USA Cycling. "The great race organization by Medalist Sports and the quality of the racing by the U.S. domestic pro teams has helped attract better and better riders to the event." The Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T is part of the 2008 USA Cycling Professional Tour.
Team CSC, the #1 ranked ProTour team for the past three years, brings a strong squad and years of experience to Georgia. Fifth last year at the Tour de Georgia, CSC's team includes Argentinean sprinter Juan Jose Haedo, who took first place in last year's Stage 7, the Atlanta circuit, as well as the overall Sprint Leader's Jersey. Expect him to be joined by Americans Bobby Julich and Jason McCartney. Look for Julich, a former Olympian and national champion, to race to better his 4th place 2005 finish while McCartney, a transfer from Discovery, and KOM title holder from 2004 and 2006 Tours de Georgia, hopes to once again ride strong in the mountains.
Hoping to make a big splash and competing in Georgia for the first time is the Astana squad, led by former Discovery Director Johan Bruyneel. "I've always enjoyed attending the Tour de Georgia. We originally found success with Lance Armstrong and most recently last year with Jani Brajkovic. I now look forward to introducing the new Astana Cycling Team to this world-class event and I'm hopeful that we'll continue to put on a great show for Georgia," said Bruyneel, Astana Cycling Team General Manager.
On Astana, expect to see former Discovery rider Levi Leipheimer, who placed 3rd in the 2007 Tour de France and is the current U.S. National Road Champion, to return to Georgia. Astana expects Leipheimer to match, or better, his two stage wins from last year's race, including the epic Brasstown Bald Mountain stage. Teammate Chris Horner, a transfer from Predictor-Lotto, won the 2003 Tour de Georgia. In 2007 Horner assisted former teammate Cadel Evans to a second place overall finish at the Tour de France. Joining the Americans will be defending Tour de Georgia champion Janez Brajkovic of Slovenia, also crowned the Best Young Rider in 2006 and 2007 in Georgia while riding for Discovery. Another Discovery transfer, Spaniard Alberto Contador, won the 2007 Tour de France and Paris Nice, is expected to be on the Astana team this spring.
Team Gerolsteiner had a successful 2007 campaign with18 wins, including individual victories at the Amstel Gold Race, Giro d'Italia, German National Championship, and Flèche Wallonne. Returning to Georgia after a fourth place finish in 2005, Gerolsteiner is home to Italian Davide Rebellin, who was rankedsecond overall in the 2007 Pro Tour rankings. Joining him are Germans Fabian Wegmann, the2007 German National Road Champion and winner of the points competition in the 2004 Giro D'Italia, Robert Förster who has stage wins in both the Vuelta and the Giro to his credit, and Stefan Schumacher who placed 3rd at the 2007 World Championships and won the Amstel Gold Race.
Team High Road boasts a diverse roster with athletes from all over the globe, but is expected to bring several of its American riders to Georgia. New to High Road for 2008 is former U.S. Road Champion and 2007 Tour of Missouri winner George Hincapie, from Greenville, S.C. Look for him to be joined by second-year pro John Devine, also a transfer from Discovery. A transfer from Team Slipstream, Craig Lewis is expected to return to Georgia. Another Greenville resident, Lewis captured the U.S. Under-23 Road and Criterium Championships in 2006. Three-time world time trial champion and former Tour of Germany champion, Australian Michael Rogers, is another veteran expected to share his experience with his younger teammates.
Led by three Americans who transferred from ProTour teams, Team Slipstream/ Chipotle presented by H30 has Tour de France aspirations, and plans to lay a foundation for July at the Tour de Georgia. Tom Danielson (formerly with Discovery), won the 2005 Tour de Georgia and 2006 Tour of Austria champion. Christian Vande Velde (formerly Team CSC) placed second in Georgia last year. And David Zabriskie (formerly Team CSC) is a two-time U.S. National Time Trial Champion. Slipstream will be looking to better its 2007 6th place finish. Expected to join Team Slipstream here in April are David Millar, the British National Road and Time Trial Champion, and Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, who took first in the Georgia King of the Mountain competition last year and is the Canadian National Time Trial Champion.
The BMC Racing Team has a roster comprised of Swiss and American athletes.In 2007, the team took first in the Team Time Trial at theGiro del Friuli Venezia in Italy, and the top two KOM spots at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Americans Antonio Cruz, a transfer from Discovery, and Jeff Louder, a transfer from Health Net/Maxxis will lead the crusade in Georgia along with Scott Nydam, who placed sixth on GC at the 2007 Tour de Georgia. Swiss rider Alex Moos has had many podium finishes, including third place at the 2004 Swiss road championship.
The Bissell Pro Cycling Team debuted last year as Priority Health
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