The return to pro cycling by Lance Armstrong after three years of retirement puts the 2009 Tour Down Under on the map, but he isn't the only high profile cyclist at the bike race.
Five former Tour Down Under champions will be racing. They are Andre Greipel (2008, Germany) on Team Columbia, Martin Elmiger (2007, Switzerland) on AG2R, Luis Leon Sanchez (2005, Spain) on Caisse Epargne, Michael Rogers (2002, Australia) Team Columbia, and Stuart O'Grady (1999 and 2001, Team Saxo Bank).
The 2006 Tour de France winner, Oscar Pereiro, also will compete for Caisse Epargne.
The roster for the 2009 Tour Down Under is filling up as 133 racers are expected to represent 19 teams that are competing in the South Australia bicycle race Jan. 18-25.
In addition to Armstrong, other US cyclists listed on the official rosters are George Hincapie (Columbia), Timmy Dugan (Garmin), and Ivan Dominquez (Fuji).
The official start list for the 2009 Tour Down Under is reprinted below:
Team Columbia (USA)
1. Andre GREIPEL GER
2. George HINCAPIE USA
3. Michael ROGERS AUS
4. Bernhard EISEL AUT
5. Mark RENSHAW AUS
6. Greg HENDERSON NZL
7. Adam HANSEN AUS
Astana (LUX)
11. Lance ARMSTRONG USA
12. Assan BAZAYEV KAZ
13. Jesus HERNANDEZ ESP
14. Michael SCHAR SUI
15. Maxim IGLINSKIY KAZ
16. Steve MORABITO SUI
17. Jose Luis RUBIERA ESP
AG2R La Mondiale (FRA)
21. Martin ELMIGER SUI
22. Sebastien HINAULT FRA
23. Vladimir EFIMKIN RUS
24. Alexandr PLIUSCHIN MDA
25. Nicholas ROCHE IRL
26. Rene MANDRI EST
27. Alexander EFIMKIN RUS
Silence-Lotto (BEL)
31. Mario AERTS BEL
32. Glenn D'HOLLANDER BEL
33. Pieter JACOBS BEL
34. Olivier KAISEN BEL
35. Jonas LJUNGBLAD SWE
36. Matthew LLOYD AUS
37. Tom STUBBE BEL
Team Katusha (RUS)
41. Robbie McEWEN AUS
42. Gert STEEGMANS BEL
43. Kenny DE HAES BEL
44. Juan HORRACH ESP
45. Stijn VANDENBERGH BEL
46. Sergey KLIMOV RUS
47. Nikolay TRUSOV RUS
Team Saxo Bank (formerly CSC, Denmark)
51. Stuart O'GRADY AUS
52. Jens VOIGT GER
53. Nicki SORENSEN DEN
54. Kasper KLOSTERGAARD DEN
55. Matthew GOSS AUS
56. Frank HOJ DEN
57. Anders LUND DEN
BBOX Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
61. Matthieu SPRICK FRA
62. Mathieu CLAUDE FRA
63. Vincent JEROME FRA
64. Laurent LEFEVRE FRA
65. Rony MARTIAS FRA
66. Alexandre PICHOT FRA
67. Perrig QUEMENEUR FRA
Cofidis (FRA)
71. David MONCOUTIE FRA
72. Mickael BUFFAZ FRA
73. Aliaksandr USAU BLR
74. Guillaume BLOT FRA
75. Florent BRARD FRA
76. Julien EL FARES FRA
77. Rein TAARAMAE EST
Francaise des Jeux (FRA)
81. Mikael CHEREL FRA
82. Remy DI GREGORIO FRA
83. Timothy GUDSELL NZL
84. Jussi VEIKKANEN FIN
85. Yoann OFFREDO FRA
86. Jeremy ROY FRA
87. Wesley SULZBERGER AUS
Caisse d'Epargne (ESP)
91. Oscar PEREIRO ESP
92. Luis Leon SANCHEZ ESP
93. Jose ROJAS ESP
94. Pablo LASTRAS ESP
95. Nicolas PORTAL FRA
96. Imanol ERVITI ESP
97. Mathieu DRUJON FRA
Quick Step (Belgium)
101. Allan DAVIS AUS
102. Matteo TOSATTO ITA
103. Dries DEVENYNS BEL
104. Davide MALACARNE ITA
105. Francesco REDA ITA
106. Hubert SCHWAB SUI
107. Kurt HOVELIJNCK BEL
Euskaltel – Euskadi (ESP)
111. Josu AGIRRE ESP
112. Pablo URTASUN ESP
113. Inaki ISASI ESP
114. Andoni LAFUENTE ESP
115. Markel IRIZAR ESP
116. Sergio DE LIS ESP
117. Aitor HERNANDEZ ESP
Milram (Germany)
121. Christian KNEES GER
122. Luca BARLA ITA
123. Martin MULLER GER
124. Markus EICHLER GER
125. Willem STROETINGA NED
126. Thomas ROHREGGER AUT
127. Ronny SCHOLZ GER
Lampre – NGC (ITA)
131. Matteo BONO ITA
132. Emanuele BINDI ITA
133. Andrea GRENDENE ITA
134. Mauro SANTAMBROGIO ITA
135. Vitaliy BUTS UKR
136. Volodymyr ZAGORODNIY UKR
137. David LOOSLI SUI
Rabobank (NED)
141. Graeme BROWN AUS
142. Stef CLEMENT NED
143. Mathew HAYMAN AUS
144. Jos VAN EMDEN NED
145. Rick FLENS NED
146. Tom LEEZER NED
147. Kai REUS NED
Liquigas (ITA)
151. Maciej BODNAR POL
152. Cladio CORIONI ITA
153. Gianni DA ROS ITA
154. GJacopo UARNIERI ITA
155. Aliaksandr KUCHYNSKI BLR
156. Francesco CHICCHI ITA
157. Frederick WILLEMS BEL
Garmin – Slipstream (USA)
161. Julian DEAN NZL
162. Trent LOWE AUS
163. Timmy DUGGAN USA
164. Chris SUTTON AUS
165. Cameron MEYER AUS
166. Ryder HESJEDAL CAN
167. Christian MEIER CAN
Fuji – Servetto (ESP)
171. Daniele NARDELLO ITA
172. Ermanno CAPELLI ITA
173. Hilton CLARKE AUS
174. Javier MEGIAS ESP
175. Davide VIGANO ITA
176. William WALKER AUS
177. Ivan DOMINQUEZ USA
UNiSA (Australia)
181. Baden COOKE VIC
182. Aaron KEMPS QLD
183. Scott DAVIS QLD
184. Travis MEYER WA
185. Jack BOBRIDGE SA
186. Simon CLARKE VIC
187. TBA
Updated Jan.6, 2009
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