2011 Spyns Tour de France Travel Packages: 2011 Tour de France Teams Unveiled

www.tdf-tours.com
www.spyns.com

As Spyns clients gear up for our 2011 Tour de France trips, we can now look forward to no fewer than four US-based teams participating in pro cycling's most famous race. It used to be we had to wait until much later in the year to find out which cycling teams were getting invited to the Big Spin in July, but ASO, the sports conglomerate that owns the Tour de France, got it out of the way today. Eighteen teams received slots owing to the elite status conferred on them by the UCI, cycling's international governing body. Four lower-tier Pro Continental teams drew wild cards.



French cycling has been in decline for a quarter-century, but it's still startling to see just one home team in the first 18 -- a percentage remedied by the organizers, who gave all of the wild cards to French squads. Four American teams will start to equal last year's record. There are always odd teams out for various reasons, and this year's Most Disgruntled Award goes to Spain's new Geox-TMC team. Geox's exclusion is due to the fact that the UCI denied the team elite status due to doping episodes during a previous management incarnation sponsored by Saunier-Duval. It also leaves 2008 Tour champion Carlos Sastre out in the cold. Spyns former clients will be disappointed as Sastre was always popular (the "good" Contador I always said).


Wih the beleaguered Lance Armstrong saying he'll watch from the sidelines and triple Tour winner Alberto Contador facing suspension for his positive clenbuterol test (a decision is due within the next week), there may be no former Tour winner in the 2011 field. Clearly a page has turned.


The lineup list by country:

Belgium
Omega Pharma-Lotto
QuickStep Cycling


Denmark
Saxo Bank (go Schlecks!)

France
AG2R La Mondiale
Cofidis (wild card)
Francaise des Jeux (wild card)
Saur-Sojasun (wild card)
Team Europcar (wild card)

Great Britain
Sky Pro Cycling (go Wiggins!)

Italy
Lampre-ISD
Liquigas-Cannondale

Kazakhstan
Astana


Luxembourg
Team Leopard-Trek

Netherlands

Rabobank
Vacansoleil-DCM

Russia
Katusha

Spain
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Movistar

United States
BMC Racing Team
HTC-High Road
Garmin-Cervelo
RadioShack


There will be plenty of opportunities for Spyns clients to see the 2011 Tour de France as we're offering a number of riding and non-riding trips to see the final Tour de France stages. While Lance won't be racing in July, the crowds may be a bit more manageable this year because 2009 and 2010 were out of control.

Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns specializes in 2011 Tour de France packages for both riders and non-riders. We specialize in providing clients with Tour de France bike and non-biking packages with Paris grandstand seats and VIP access. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please go to http://www.tdf-tours.com/ or http://www.spyns.com/. You can also call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.