Teams finalized for Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California announced a complete list of eighteen teams for the eight-day, 650 mile stage race February 18-15. Joining previously announced Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, Team CSC, Predictor-Lotto, and Health Net Pro Cycling Team, are 14 additional teams including American squads Toyota-United Pro, Jelly Belly, and Colavita/Sutter Home Presented by Cooking Light.

Split between teams who compete on the UCI ProTour and those who race predominately in the United States, the field of 144 athletes will be one of the strongest appearing on US soil. Paolo Bettini is one of the riders making the field so strong. The Italian world champion will compete for his Quickstep - Innergetic squad.

"With the tremendous success of last year's race and the very positive 'word of mouth' among the professional cycling community, we were extremely fortunate that not only did all of the top teams from 2006 ask to return but we were also able to add some of the new favorites entering the upcoming racing season,” said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports.

Several of the 18 professional cycling teams will hold their pre-season training camps in California prior to the race.

BMC Racing Team (USA)
Colavita/Sutter Home Presented by Cooking Light Team (USA)
Crédit Agricole (France)
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Gerolsteiner (Germany)
Health Net Presented by Maxxis (USA)
Jelly Belly Cycling Team (USA)
Liquigas Pro Cycling Team (Italy)
Navigators Insurance Cycling Team (USA)
Predictor-Lotto (Belgium)
Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell (USA)
Quick Step-Innergetic (Belgium)*
Rabobank Cycling Team (Netherlands)
T-Mobile Team (Germany)
Team CSC (Denmark)
Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle (USA)
Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team (USA)
USA Cycling National Development Team (USA)