Thor Hushovd in his Norwegian champion's jersey(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Argos-Shimano team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Garmin-Sharp team includes Thomas Dekker(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Radioshack-Leopard(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Ivan Basso (Cannondale) returns after his difficult spring caused by a saddle sore(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Leopard) is back in action(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Colombian climbers will be looking for success in the Dolomites(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Sylvester Szmyd and Giovanni Visconti lead Movistar(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Astana team were missing several riders on stage but has Nibali as team leader(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
NetApp-Endura on stage(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Polish CCC team waves to the crowd(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Vacansoleil-DCM line-up(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Race director and former pro rider Czeslaw Lang(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Lotto Belisol team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Lampre-Merida line-up includes Michele Scarponi (Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Euskaltel-Euskadi(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Ivan Basso (Cannondale)(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Team Sky on stage without Bradley Wiggins(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Italian national champion Ivan Santaromita(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Taylor Phinney is in the BMC team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Belkin team show of their new colours(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Cannondale team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Domenico Pozzovivo leads the Ag2r-La Mondiale team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Katusha team(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The Colombian riders seem excited to be riding a WorldTour race(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Saxo-Tiknoff(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step on stage(Image credit: Luca Bettini)
The 23 teams that will compete in the 70th edition of the Tour de Pologne attended the official presentation on Friday evening, as Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) and Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Leopard) all began the second half of their season with the weeklong WorldTour race.
This year's Tour of Poland begins in Italy, with two mountain stages in the Dolomites before transferring north to Poland on Monday for the final five stages. The race ends on August 3 with a 37km time trial to Krakow.
Nibali and Wiggins face each other for the first time since the Giro d'Italia but the Tour of Poland is the first race for both riders and their form remains a mystery. Both were also absent from the team presentation due to arriving late in Rovereto. However Team Sky can also count on Rigoberto Uran and has Ben Swift for the two expected sprint stages.
Other big names in action at the Tour of Poland include Ivan Basso (Cannondale), Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida), Giovanni Visconti, Sylvester Szmyd (Movistar), Thor Hushovd, Taylor Phinney, Marco Pinotti and new Italian national champion Ivan Santaromita (BMC). Thomas Dekker and Johan Vansummeren stand out in the Garmin-Sharp line-up.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
