Two days after the Critérium International 2010, Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) published the list of the 22 teams which will participate in the Tour de France 2010. It was quite clear that this list would make some teams happy while others would of course be disappointed, because at least 3 of the teams who requested an invitation would receive a negative answer.

The teams which were sure to participate

Based on the contract signed with the teams and result of the negociations with the UCI in August / September 2008, 16 teams which participated in the Tour de France 2008 already knew they would be invited.

That was the case for the following teams:

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  Germany

  - Team Milram

• Belgium

  - Quick Step
  - Omega Pharma–Lotto

• Denmark

  - Team Saxo Bank

• Spain

  - Caisse d'Epargne
  - Euskaltel–Euskadi
  - Footon–Servetto

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  United States

  - Team HTC-Columbia

• France

  - AG2R La Mondiale
  - Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  - Cofidis, le Crédit en ligne
  - Française des Jeux

• Italy

  - Lampre–Farnese Vini
  - Liquigas-Doimo

• Kazakhstan

  - Astana

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  The Netherlands

  - Rabobank

In this list, Footon-Servetto makes its comeback, after having been refused for participation in the Tour de France 2009.

The 6 invited teams

Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France, announced in November 2009 that the number of teams which would participate in the Tour would go up from 20 to 22, due to the big number of candidates.

This meant there were 6 places left ... for 9 candidates. Finally, the Dutch teams Skil-Shimano and Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team and the French team Saur-Sojasun are not on the list.
The two Dutch teams hoped that the fact that the Tour de France 2010 starts in Rotterdam on 3 July, could help them secure a place in the selection. The Vacansoleil team thought that hiring the Feillu brothers would also help them secure a place in the Tour de France 2010, just like their sponsoring of Paris-Nice 2010. This finally turned out not to be true since the only Dutch team which will be at the start on Dutch soil will be the Rabobank team.

The selection of teams for Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Flèche Wallonne was thus a good indicator for the Tour de France 2010 since these three teams were already missing in this selection.

The 6 teams which were finally selected are:

• United States

  - Garmin-Transitions
  - Team RadioShack
  - BMC Racing Team

• Great-Britain

  - Team Sky

• Russia

  - Katusha Team

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  Switzerland

  - Cervélo TestTeam

4 of those teams are UCI ProTour teams (Garmin-Transitions, Team Radioshack, Team Sky and Katusha Team) and two are Continental Pro teams: BMC Racing Team and Cervélo TestTeam.

When we look at the UCI World Ranking the choice of the two Continental Pro teams seems to be justified since they are respectively on the 7th and 8th spot in this ranking, while Saur-Sojasun is only 27th.
BMC Racing Team furthermore has the current World Champion, Cadel Evans and George Hincapie in the team and Cervélo TestTeam has former Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre and the green jersey of the Tour de France 2009, Thor Hushovd.

From the Tour de France 2011, the 17 first teams in this world ranking at the end of this season, will automatically be selected for participation and the list will than be completed with additional invitations (wildcards).

De reacties van de ploegen

Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team

The Dutch team Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team comments on its website the non-selection for the Tour de France 2010.
Team-manager Daan Luijkx doesn't show his disappointment and says he's looking forward now: It's good to know what we're up to so we can focus on what's coming. The next few weeks we'll participate in some nice classics where we'll once again show what our team is worth. In addition to participating in at least one Grand Tour our goal for 2010 is to be in the top 3 of one of the classics of the World Calendar and also to perform well the whole year long, all goals can still be reached. In September we might participate in the Tour of Spain and we've already shown we're capable of doing so.

We shouldn't forget that early 2009 our goal was to participate in one Grand Tour within three years from then and we've grown quite fast from there. With the wildcard system and the existing agreements we have to be realistic and recognise that getting a place in the Tour was hardly possible this year. ASO must not have had an easy choice either and in 2011 we'll fight for a spot again. The agreement with the 16 teams from 2008 won't be there anymore in 2011. It's unclear now how the invitations for the Grand Tours will be distributed in 2011 but one thing's sure: we'll go for it. I put a lot of faith in our current group of riders and their attractive way of racing. The sponsors, and especially Vacansoleil and Batavus, are very ambitious and grow with the team. In addition to the current group of sponsors we would be interested in an additional shirtsponsor who sees in us an interesting marketing instrument and will allow us to progress.

Directeur sportif Hilaire van der Schueren looks forward to the Tour of Spain 2010 and says: At least one Grand Tour in 2010 was our goal and participating in the classics, the Giro and the Tour would have been too much for our riders. The Tour of Spain however perfectly fits in our programme in September.

Skil-Shimano

The other Dutch team, Skil-Shimano also published team manager Iwan Spekenbrink's comments on its website: We've been informed personally today by Christian Prudhomme. Although we are disappointed we do understand the choice of the organisation. A.S.O. had to respect an agreement from 2008 which automatically selected a certain number of teams. Furthermore, there are several new and very strong teams this year. The number of good candidates was thus exceptionally high.

We want to progress each season and we are confident to be able to participate in such big races again in the upcoming years.

Saur-Sojasun

The French team which has not been invited for the Tour de France 2010 comments via its website and Stéphane Heulot says: It's true that this was a very important goal and we can thus not be satisfied with this decision. The secletion criteria and the rules of the game have never been clearly defined. We can not be a « bad loser », simply because there hasn't been a competition. That's life, it's like this. The old cycling has won from a team with future. We were asked to believe there was a competition, while the decision actually seems to have been taken a few weeks ago already...

We needed this competition to grow. We have a long term project with the team, with young French riders who need important races to show their talent and to bring some fresh air in the international peloton. But if we cannot participate in big races, our riders can not progress. And we'll continue to hear surprised voices saying that French cycling isn't making the progress it should be...

We will of course not abandon or change our philosophy. A cycling season is not only the Tour de France. And we have to be ready in case the door opens again slightly for us. And we are determined to lead our learning project until the end.

Team Sky

The British Team Sky which has been invited, lets its manager Dave Brailsford comment on its website: A place in the Tour has been a dream for so many of us for so long - now it's a reality. I'd like to thank the ASO for showing their confidence in Team Sky; we will do everything we can to help create an exciting race with a group of highly talented and motivated riders who race to win.

We are a rider-centred Team and the riders must take the credit for getting us selected for this year's Tour de France through their fantastic early season performances - I thank each one of them greatly. They are a fantastic bunch of guys and I know they will arrive in Rotterdam ready to give it their very best.

Bradley Wiggins, most probably Team Sky's leader in the Tour de France 2010, added: As a team we are thrilled that we're going to compete in the biggest bike race in the world. I'm hugely proud to be in a British-based team taking on the Tour de France and I'm convinced we'll leave our mark. Team Sky has huge ambitions, not just for the team but for cycling and inspiring the public to get out and ride. The reaction to the team has been amazing and it's been a great start to the season. Now we can continue our preparations knowing we are definitely there on the start line.

Cervélo TestTeam

The Swiss team's manager Joop Alberda said on its website he was happy with this selection: This is fantastic news for our team. We know that the invitation is based in part on our performance last year, with stage victories by Heinrich Haussler (Ger) and Thor Hushovd (Nor), and the green jersey. We are also glad that we have a good relationship with ASO and that they are giving us the opportunity to show ourselves again in 2010. The Tour de France is a major event for our whole organization, so this is great news for our riders, staff members and partners.

BMC Racing Team

The manager of World Champion Cadel Evans's team (BMC Racing Team), Jim Ochowicz, said on its website: I know that none of this comes easily. From our standpoint, it's a team effort to get there – not just one or two individuals. Everyone from the riders, to the staff, to our sponsors has contributed to the effort. It's a great honor to have earned the invitation. Now we have a responsibility to show up at the race and perform.

John Lelangue, directeur sportif at BMC Racing Team, added: For me, it's a big satisfaction for the team and also for Cadel because we know he is one of the possible contenders. I think we have already proven since the beginning of the season, in races like the Tour Down Under, Tirreno-Adriatico and [[Criterium International]], that we have a strong team for stage races.

Cadel Evans also said he was happy with the Tour selection: While I was never sure we would be in the Tour, I did not have much doubt that we would be left out, as I felt our team deserved to be in the Tour de France. I think for everyone at the BMC Racing Team, it is a reward for their good work in building an internationally competitive cycling team.

door Thomas Vergouwen
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