Levi Leipheimer wants to add a third overall victory to his track record in California. (Image credit: Mitch Clinton)
The organisers of the Tour of California have announced a star-studded line-up for 2009. The illustrious field includes two Tour de France champions, Lance Armstrong and Carlos Sastre, and former Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso. There are also 11 World Champions, 17 Tour de France stage winners and 25 current and former national champion amongst the peloton.
Thanks to the return of Floyd Landis, the winners of the first three editions will start (Landis and Levi Leipheimer). Climbing sensation Robert Gesink, a regular at the race, and winner of the young rider classification for the past two years, will also race.
There are also several riders who have won distinct jerseys in the past. Two of the three previous mountains jerseys will attend (Levi Leipheimer and Scott Nydam). The same is true for the sprinter's jersey (Juan José Haedo and Dominique Rollin).
Haedo has won the most stages (five), closely followed by Leipheimer (four) and George Hincapie (three). Leipheimer has spent the most days in gold (15), triple that of Landis (five). The only other gold wearers are Cancellara, Hincapie and Tyler Farrar, all of whom will line up in 2009.
The start list of the 2009 peloton is on the Tour of California page.
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