Today RCS Sport has announced the teams selected to participate in Montepaschi Strade Bianche Toscana, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-Sanremo. Included on the list for Milan-Sanremo is the RadioShack team of seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who is expected to take the start in March.
Once again, the Footon-Servetto-Fuji finds itself overlooked in the team selection, which means the young ProTour squad will be forced to miss key races on the cycling calendar. French teams Cofidis and Saur-Sojasun were also absent from the list, with Bbox Bouygues Telecom only listed for a start in Milan-Sanremo. The Omega Pharma-Lotto team of Philippe Gilbert is the only Belgian team taking part in all three events, with their Belgian rival Quick Step team listed for Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-Sanremo.
The biggest news of the announcement is that Riccardo Ricco's Ceramica Flaminia team has been left off the list. The Italian was expecting to make his return from a doping suspension in the race, but it's likely that the recent positive doping control of his partner Vania Rossi has ended his chances to appear in any significant events.
Dutch team Vacansoleil was also missing from the list despite their early season performances in France by sprinter Borut Bozic in Etoile de Bessèges with two stage wins, and Johnny Hoogerland's second place in the GP Cycliste la Marseillaise. The team is hoping for a start in the Giro d'Italia this May.
Lampre-Farnese Vini not surprisingly made the cut, and will feature captains Alessandro Petacchi and Damiano Cunego. The Italian team was given a provisional ProTour license by the International Cycling Union's (UCI) License Commission last month after their annual registration was rejected citing financial reasons. They have until the end of March to satisfy the UCI, or they risk losing their ProTour license.
Petacchi's presence will bring the highly anticipated clash between the Tuscan, HTC-Columbia's Mark Cavendish and Garmin-Transitions' Tyler Farrar. Cavendish was untouchable in the traditional bunch sprints after Petacchi got the best of him in the Giro d'Italia. Farrar also beat Cavendish last year, closing the year out with strong performances in the Vuelta a Espana and the Circuit Franco-Belge. Both sprinters are highly motivated, and will be looking to knock the Isle of Man sprinter off his throne. Cervelo TestTeam's sprint duo of Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler along with Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and his former teammate Allan Davis (Astana) will also likely factor in the sprints. If Rabobank's two-time Milan-Sanremo winner Oscar Freire can avoid bad luck, his punch to the line is potent enough to give him win number three.
Last year's Tirreno-Adriatico winner Michele Scarponi will be present with his Andron-Giocattoli team, while Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) will work to beat his compatriot in the overall this time around. Astana's Alexandre Vinokourov will also look to be a factor early on to prepare for the Ardennes Classics, and Saxo Bank's Fabian Cancellara will return after a year away to repeat his win in the 2008 edition. Katusha's Filippo Pozatto and Freire have already shown some form this season and could finish well.
Teams announced by RCS Sport:
Montepaschi Strade Bianche Toscana, March 6:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
AG2R-La Mondiale (FRA)
Andron-Giocattoli (ITA)
Astana (KAZ)
BMC Racing (USA)
Cervelo TestTeam (SUI)
Garmin-Transitions (USA)
HTC-Columbia (USA)
ISD-Neri (ITA)
Lampre-Farnese Vini (ITA)
Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)
Team Sky (GBR)
Team Katusha (RUS)
Saxo Bank(DEN)
Tirreno-Adriatico, from March 10 to 16:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
AG2R-La Mondiale (FRA)
Andron-Giocattoli (ITA)
Astana (KAZ)
BMC Racing (USA)
Caisse d'Epargne (ESP)
Cervelo TestTeam (SUI)
Colnago-CSF INOX (IRL)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)
Française des jeux (FRA)
Garmin-Transitions (USA)
HTC-Columbia (USA)
ISD-Neri (ITA)
Lampre-Farnese Vini (ITA)
Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)
Quick Step (BEL)
Rabobank (NED)
Team Sky (GBR)
Team Katusha (RUS)
Team Milram (GER)
Saxo Bank (DEN)
Milan-Sanremo, March 20:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
AG2R-La Mondiale (FRA)
Andron-Giocattoli (ITA)
Astana (KAZ)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
BMC Racing (USA)
Caisse d'Epargne (ESP)
Carmiooro-NGC (GBR), Ventoso
Cervelo TestTeam (SUI)
Colnago-CSF INOX (IRL)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)
Française des jeux (FRA)
Garmin-Transitions (USA)
HTC-Columbia (USA)
ISD-Neri (ITA)
Lampre-Farnese Vini (ITA)
Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)
Quick Step (BEL)
Rabobank (NED)
Team Sky (GBR)
Team Katusha (RUS)
Team Milram (GER)
Team RadioShack (USA)
Saxo Bank (DEN)