ProTeam teams Saxo Bank-SunGard, Lampre-ISD, Astana, Liquigas-Cannondale, Team RadioShack, Team Movistar and Euskaltel-Euskadi will all be absent from the 2011 edition of Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne, with the septet not appearing on the teams list released today by the race organisers.
The need to blend ProTeam and Pro Continental entries plus the limited space for entries means that there are some notable admissions; aside from those seven ProTeams, Pro Conti absentees will include the likes of Team NetApp, Team Geox, Team Type 1, United Healthcare and others.
Those who have been given a green light are Topsport Vlaanderen, Verandas Willems, Skil-Shimano, Pegasus Sports, Cofidis, FDJ, Europcar, Landbouwkrediet, Acqua e Sapone, Bretagne-Schuller and Saur-Sojasun. One Continental team also gets the nod, namely the An Post – Sean Kelly setup.
Pegasus Racing fans will be relieved to see that the Australian team is listed. That is presumably dependent on it getting a Pro Continental licence, and will be largely due to the presence there of Robbie McEwen and of last year’s race winner Bobbie Traksel.
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Invitations to Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 2011 (1.1, Belgium, Feb 28):
Omega Pharma-Lotto
Quick Step
BMC Racing Team
AG2R La Mondiale
Katusha
Rabobank
Garmin-Cervélo
Vacansoleil
Team Luxembourg
Team Sky
HTC-Highroad
Topsport Vlaanderen
Verandas Willems
Skil-Shimano
Pegasus Sports
Cofidis
FDJ
Europcar
Landbouwkrediet
Acqua e Sapone
Bretagne-Schuller
Saur-Sojasun
An Post – Sean Kelly
Team list : Biciciclismo & VeloChrono