Seven World Tour and six Professional Continental teams confirmed for the Tour de San Luis 2013
A final list of teams to ride the Tour de San Luis has been confirmed by the race organisers which include seven World Tour teams.
The event is scheduled from January 21-27 with a total number of seven stages and the cyclists will cover a distance of 1,017.5 kilometres across San Luis, Argentina.
The seven World Tour teams include the UCI World Tour winner, Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step along with Team Movistar, Team Lampre-Merida, Team Astana, Team BMC, Tam Katusha and Team Cannondale Pro Cycling.
Three more teams holding the World Tour licence are still to be announced and the race management is looking towards UCI to release a final list 2013 World Tour teams.
Alberto Contador of Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank won two stages in the 2012 edition of the race but the Danish team is still not certain of its World Tour licence which can result in Contador’s elimination from the seven-day race.
The Spaniard was accused of using clenbuterol at the Tour de France 2010 and was banned from professional cycling for a period of two-years.
He returned to professional cycling at the Eneco Tour, and also claimed an overall victory at the Vuelta a Espana 2012, but could not help the team with the required UCI points.
According to UCI law, points earned by any cyclist returning from a doping ban will not accumulate towards the team’s total for two years.
Even two stages that Contador won in 2012 Tour de San Luis were stripped off, along with the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia overall victories after his positive results from the Tour de France 2010.
Similarly, Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step will miss the services of the Tour de San Luis 2012 overall winner, Levi Leipheimer after he confessed doping previously in his career.
"We commend the rider for his open co-operation with USADA and contribution to cleaning up the sport of cycling," the team press release stated.
"However, in the light of the disclosures made by Mr. Leipheimer in his public statement on 10th of October the team has decided to terminate the contract".
"This decision has the full support of the team owner, the board represented by Mr. Bessel Kok and team manager Mr. Patrick Lefevere," it concluded.
Along with the seven World Tour teams, organisers have also finalised six professional continental teams for the race including, Team CSF-INOX, Team Androni-Venezuela, Team Caja Rural, Team Vini Fantini, Team UnitedHealthcare and Team CCC Polkowice.
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