Tour of Britain organiser Sweetspot has released details of the final five team rosters for next month’s Tour of Britain. The race starts on Saturday with a 132.6km stage between Rochdale and Blackpool, Lancashire, finishing on the seaside resort’s iconic promenade.
The race should see the return to action of German-turned-Australian Heinrich Haussler at the head of the Cervélo TestTeam. The 26-year-old has not raced since he was brought down in a crash with Mark Cavendish in the Tour de Suisse in mid-June; he underwent successful knee surgery at the end of the month but this week ruled himself out of Australia’s World Championship team.
The Cervélo TestTeam, which is strongly rumoured to be folding at the end of the season, also includes Britons Jeremy Hunt and Daniel Lloyd, as well as last year’s third place Martin Reimer.
Also announced are the Colnago-CSF Inox team, which includes Giro d’Italia stage winner Manuel Belletti, ISD-Neri Giambenini, Ireland and Vacansoleil.
“We are very happy with the seventeen teams we have riding The Tour of Britain this year,” said Race Director Mick Bennett, “and in particular the provisional rider line-up we have, which shows how highly the teams think of the event.
“We have stage winners from all three Grand Tours, current World, Olympic and Commonwealth Champions, plus a whole host of reigning National Champions.
“It is important to note we have our best ever line-up of British riders in The Tour of Britain, with a number capable of becoming the first Briton to win The Tour overall since it’s re-birth in 2004. At the same time we have a number of excellent riders from around the world, so I’m sure it will once again be an entertaining, and open race.”
Provisional Cervelo Test Team line-up for The Tour of Britain:
Heinrich Haussler; Jeremy Hunt; Ignatas Konovalovas; Daniel Lloyd; Gabriel Rasch; Martin Reimer
Reserves: Philip Deignan; Roger Hammond; Brett Lancaster
Provisional Colnago – CSF Inox line-up for The Tour of Britain:
Manuel Belletti; Federico Canuti; Alberto Contoli; Marco Frapporti; Alan Marangoni; Sacha Modolo;
Reserves: Gianluca Brambilla; Marcello Pavarin; Simone Stortoni; Enrico Zen
Provisional ISD – Neri Giambenini line-up for The Tour of Britain:
Simon Clarke; Pierpaolo De Negri; Elia Favilli; Oscar Gatto; Gianluca Mirenda; Patrik Sinkewitz
Reserves: Diego Caccia; Bartosz Huzarski; Carlo Scognamiglio
Provisional Ireland line-up for The Tour of Britain:
Stephen Barrett, Sam Bennett; Aaron Buggle; Marcus Christie; Sean Downey; Martyn Irvine
Reserve: Thomas Martin
Provisional Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team line-up for The Tour of Britain:
Borut Bozic; Michal Golas; Johnny Hoogerland; Martin Mortensen; Alberto Ongarato; Wout Poels
Reserves: Matteo Carrara; Pim Ligthart; Rob Ruijgh