16 Teams to Compete in the Dodge Tour de Georgia
Six UCI Pro Tour Teams, two other major professional teams, and eight teams from the North American domestic scene will compete in the 2005 Dodge Tour de Georgia beginning April 19 in Augusta, Georgia.
The teams participating in the Tour de Georgia are:
- Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, led by last year’s Dodge Tour de Georgia champion Lance Armstrong
- Credit Agricole
- Team CSC, led by Bobby Julich, winner of the 2005 Paris-Nice and Criterium International
- Saunier Duval–Prodir
- Phonak, led by former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis
- Gerolsteiner, led by American Levi Leipheimer
- Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
- Team LPR
- Jelly Belly–Pool Gel
- Kodak EasyShare Gallery/Sierra Nevada
- Jittery Joes–Kalahari
- Symmetrics Cycling
- Health Net–Maxxis
- Colavita–Sutter Home
- TIAA–CREF
- USA Cycling’s Stars & Stripes (U23 National Team)
Stan Holm, Executive Director of the Tour de Georgia, said:
The caliber of teams matched with Georgia’s beautiful yet challenging terrain ensures the 2005 Dodge Tour de Georgia will be the best yet. While we’re an invitation only event, we had teams from around the world reaching out to us, clamoring for an invitation and looking to make their mark in front of an American audience. The Dodge Tour de Georgia is the most anticipated stage race in the U.S. hands down and one of pro cycling’s most exciting new races anywhere. And, as many are predicting, this just might be the last time fans can see Lance race here in the U.S. All I can say is get ready!
Lance Armstrong has indicated in recent interviews that he plans to make a major announcement at the Tour de Georgia. Some media people have concluded that the announcement will be made at the opening press conference on Monday, April 18. I am planning to be there, so I hope to provide a report if makes an announcement.
Comments
My guess before tonight was that Lance would announce that Tour of Georgia would be his last race ever and that he would retire before TdF (why else would it be sooo important that the european press have to come to Georgia...), but now AP says different:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=547&ncid=755&e=2&u=/ap/20050407/ap_on_sp_ot/cyc_armstrong_future
I'm not sure what I think...at the same time I think he's an amazing cyclist, I'm getting a bit tired with the only-Lance-all-the-time-focus that the cycling world has had for a while. It gets really silly at times as these, when Discovery Channel haven't been doing too well in the spring (ok, they're not T-Mobile bad, but not far from it :-)).
As a swede I'm hoping Magnus Backstedt can defend his Paris-Roubaix title on Saturday. Go Magnus Maximus! :-).
Posted by: Erik Tjernlund | April 7, 2005 5:12 PM