First 8 teams announced for 2009 Amgen Tour of California

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US-based cycling teams Columbia and Garmin-Slipstream are included among the eight ProTour teams that have announced for the Amgen Tour of California, Feb. 14-22, 2009.

Also competing will be Luxembourg's Astana team, which boasts two-time of defending champion Levi Leipheimer (left) as well as Lance Armstrong.

If invitations are forwarded to domestic teams Rock Racing and OUCH, we'll see a reunion of former US Postal Service teammates spread across five teams.

Among them are  Armstrong and Leipheimer (Astana), George Hincapie and Michael Barry (Columbia), Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie (Garmin), Floyd Landis (OUCH) and Tyler Hamilton (Rock Racing).

The eight ProTour teams that are confirmed for the 9-day stage race:


Ag2r-La Mondiale (France)

Astana (Luxembourg)

Garmin Slipstream (US)

Liquigas (Italy)

QuickStep (Belgium)

Rabobank (Netherlands)

Team Columbia Highroad (US)

Team Saxo  Bank (Denmark)

These teams will be battling each other all year on the way to the Tour de France, and beyond. You can read details at the cycling team pages at the Tour of California website.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/12/18/first-8-teams-announced-for-2009-amgen-tour-of-california/

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