27 July, 2011 – There’s an all-star starting line up for the 2011 Tour de Pologne. Among the 22 teams getting ready for the race there are already many important names from the peloton who’ve confirmed their participation in the 68th edition of the Polish stage race scheduled from Sunday, July 31st to Saturday, August 6th.

Irishman Daniel Martin (Garmin-Cervelo) couldn’t miss it, along with his team mates Heinrich Haussler and Christophe le Mevel. However, the king of the 2010 edition will have to defend his yellow jersey from a highly competitive field.

The most well equipped and combative teams definitely include Liquigas Cannondale, led by Vincenzo Nibali, who already won the 2010 Vuelta España and twice made it to the third step on the podium in the Giro d’Italia, in 2010 and 2011. The ”Shark from the Strait ” can count on important men like Slovak Peter Sagan and the two Polish riders, Maciej Bodnar and Maciej Paterski, who also rode in the Tour de France.

As he did in the Giro d’Italia, Nibali’s duel is sure to continue with his close rival, Michele Scarponi, second in the Pink Race in 2011. The captain from Lampre ISD also has a Polish rider among his trusted companions; his name is Przemys?aw Niemiec.

Another team to keep an eye on will be Team Katusha, with their “attack dogs” Filippo Pozzato and Luca Paolini who in turn can count on a welcomed-back Danilo Di Luca.

BMC Racing is also in with some important names, with ex- world champion Alessandro Ballan, who already won the 2009 edition of the Tour de Pologne; he’ll be side by side with his faithful friend Mauro Santanbrogio. Fighting for the sprints there will be the Belgian Tom Boonen (Quick-Step), too.

Other notable riders that stand out as you go down the list include Byelorussian Kanstantsin Sivtsov and Slovak Peter Velits from Htc-Highroad; the Englishmen from Team Sky Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard; Germany’s Fabian Wegmann and Austrian Thomas Rohregger from Team Leopard Trek. Belgian Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick-Step), already the white jersey for best young rider in the Giro d’Italia.
Astana is bringing Croatian Robert Kiserlowski, Italian Enrico Gasparotto and Swede Fredrik Kessiakof, fresh off his win in the Tour of Austria.
Radioshack has Portugal’s Tiago Machado and Manuel Cardoso backed up by prominent up-and-coming Polish rider, Michal Kwiatkowski. Team Movistar with Spain’s Francisco Ventoso and Pablo Lastras, not to mention Italian Marzio Bruseghin. Vacansoleil has Italian Matteo Carrara, Frenchman Romain Feillu and Poland’s Michal Golas. Ag2r with Italian Rinaldo Nocentini, yellow jersey in the 2009 Tour de France and Frenchmen Sebastien Hinault and Christophe Riblon. Then there’s Saxo Bank that has two Polish riders among its ranks, Jaroslaw Marycz and Rafal Majka. Rabobank with Australian Graeme Brown and De Rosa Flaminia with Spaniard Paxi Vila.

In addition to the Polish athletes already mentioned, for the joy of the home crowd, riders from team CCC Polsat Polkowice will be carrying the colours of their national flag, along with Reprezentacja Polska, the national selection made up of some of the best young Polish cyclists.

The Tour de Pologne is always more international and knows no limits; in fact adding to the number of countries represented in the 2011 pack will be a Chinese athlete from Skil Shimano, Ji Cheng; and Marc De Maar from Quick-Step will be representing the Dutch Antilles.

Following and attached is the complete list of the 22 teams:

Teams UCI World Tour
AG2R La Mondiale (Fra), BMC Racing Team (Usa), Euskaltel Euskadi (Spa), Garmin-Cervelo (Usa), Katusha (Rus), Lampre-ISD (Ita), Leopard Trek (Lux), Liquigas Cannondale (Ita), Movistar (Spa), Omega Pharma-Lotto (Bel), Pro Team Astana (Kaz), Quick-Step (Bel), Rabobank (Ned), Sky Pro Cycling (Gbr), Team HTC-Highroad (Usa), Team Radioshack (Usa), Saxo Bank SunGard (Dan), Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team (Ned).

Wild card invitation
CCC Polsat Polkowice (Pol), De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia (Ita), Reprezentacja Polska (Pol), Skil-Shimano (Ned).