Six elite cycling teams from around the world join nine previously announced teams to complete the elite field for the inaugural 2007 Tour of Missouri, the six-day, 600-mile (965.6km) stage race running September 11 to 16.
Currently ranking sixth in the world standings, Prodir-Saunier Duval of Spain leads the roster of international teams that will race the inaugural Tour of Missouri. The roster of teams rounds out with Team DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed of Great Britain, German Team Sparkasse, Canada's top pro squad Symmetrics Cycling, Mexico's Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and USA's Kodak Gallery-Sierra Nevada.
"For a first year event, we feel very proud to host this elite world-class field," said race director Jim Birrell. "As a North American race, it will be great to have the top Mexican and Canadian professional clubs competing alongside elite American and some top European teams. We will have teams from six different countries that will bring all-star teams of riders from an anticipated 20 countries; this is truly an international field."
ProTour team Saunier Duval, returns to the USA with third- and fourth-place Tour de Georgia overall finishers David Cañada and Rubens Bertogliati. Pro-Continental Team DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed will appear with Cameron Jennings and Gert Vanderaerden. UCI Continental Team Sparkasse from Germany, which scored 47 victories in 2006, will bring Timo Honstein and Christian Lademann to Missouri.
Current UCI America Tour leader Symmetrics Cycling is coming with a roster that includins USA Open Champion and 2006 Canadian Elite Time Trial Champion Svein Tuft, who is also the current leader of the American Tour Individual Rankings, 2007 Canadian National Champion Cam Evans and three-time Olympian Eric Wohlberg.
Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, originally founded in 1955 by students of the University, is a top UCI Continental team based in Mexico. Kodak Gallery presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will lead with 2006 Canadian National Champion Dominique Rollin, five-time Canadian National Road Champion Mark Walters and reigning U23 National Cyclo-cross Champion Jesse Anthony.
Discovery Channel, Slipstream-Chipotle, Health Net-Maxxis, Navigators Insurance, Toyota-United, BMC Racing Team, Colavita-Sutter Home-Cooking Light, Jelly Belly Cycling Team and the US Cycling National Development Team will round out the USA teams.
