The final roster for the 2007 Amgen Tour of California is posted on the bike race website, and it's a more impressive group than I expected. This is going to be exciting.
We already knew that many of the world's top teams were showing up to race in the 8-stage race beginning Sunday; now we learn they're sending many of their best cyclists into the fray.
One of the surprises is Norwegian Thor Hushovd for Credit Agricole. He won the prologue and Stage 20 at the 2006 Tour de France, and his close sprint finishes earned him a 3rd overall in the green jersey competition.
Other stage winners from last year's Tour de France who are racing include Jens Voight of Team CSC (Stage 13), Matteo Tosatto of Quick-Step (Stage 18), and Michael Rasmussen of Rabobank (Stage 16 and the King of the Mountains winner).
In addition to long-anticipated 2006 World Road Race Champion Paolo Bettini of Quick-Step, the World Champion Time Trial winner Fabian Cancellara (CSC) also is racing.
And it's already been reported that 2006 Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso will be riding for Discovery Channel during the race.
There's a long list of top US riders in the peloton; here's the list:
Discovery Channel
Tony Cruz
Tom Danielson
George Hincapie (wore yellow jersey at '06 Tour de France; won stages 2 and 5 at Tour of California, finishing 4th overall)
Levi Leipheimer (won prologue, finished 6th overall and won King of Mountains for '06 Tour of California)
Jason McCartney
Team CSC
Bobby Julich (3rd overall at Tour of California)
Christian Vandevelde
David Zabriskie ('06 World Time Trial silver medalist, '06 Tour of California 2nd overall)
Predictor-Lotto
Chris Horner
Fred Rodriguez
T-Mobile
Aaron Olson
The field is rounded out with nine pro continental teams, continental teams and the national team that include many more US riders. They're all listed on the final roster.
In all, 144 cyclists will be racing on 18 teams in this year's Tour of California, which starts in Sunday's prologue in San Francisco and runs through Feb. 24 with the Long Beach finish.
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