Team Garmin for Tour of Britain 2008

Tour of Britain Welcome Team Garmin–Chipotle

Story posted July 14

Event Press Release (www.tourofbritain.co.uk)

Organisers welcome Team Garmin – Chipotle onto Tour of Britain startlist

American squad become the fifth Tour de France team to sign up for 2008 Tour of Britain. The Tour of Britain is pleased to announce the participation of Team Garmin – Chipotle presented by H30 in the 2008 race, beginning on Sunday 7th September in central London. The American squad, known as Team Slipstream until shortly before the Tour de France, have evolved from a strong US domestic squad into a world-class team who have competed in both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France so far this season.

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Headlining their provisional roster for The Tour of Britain is British favourite David Millar (pictured at the British Road Race Championships), who will be riding his home tour for the first time and current Irish champion Daniel Martin. Also named as starting is former Paris – Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt (a resident of Wales), and New Zealander Julian Dean, who has already enjoyed success in The Tour of Britain, finishing 2nd overall and taking the Points jersey in 2004.

Welcoming Garmin – Chipotle to The Tour of Britain, spokesman Peter Hodges said: “It is excellent news that Team Garmin will be riding this year’s race. They are bringing over a strong team, and with riders more than capable of taking victory on each stage, they are bound to play a part in shaping the overall outcome of the 2008 Tour of Britain. We’ve seen so far this year that the team are a force to be reckoned with in a variety of races, from Martijn Maaskant’s performance in Paris – Rouxbaix to their fantastic victory in the Team Time Trial at the Tour of Italy."

"We’re expecting many fans will also be excited by the opportunity to see David Millar racing, and the route of this year’s Tour of Britain could well suit him, while Martijn Maaskant performed well in last year’s race and Julian Dean will of course be looking to go one better than in 2004.”

Fellow Tour de France teams Agritubel, Barloworld, Team Columbia and Team CSC – Saxo Bank will join Garmin – Chipotle on the London start line, alongside a strong mixture of the top British domestic teams and UCI Pro-Continental and Continental line-ups. Among the riders expected to take part will be double Tour de France stage winner Mark Cavendish and four time Olympic medallist Bradley Wiggins for Team Columbia, a pair of World and Olympic track champions in Bradley McGee and Stuart O’Grady for Team CSC – Saxo Bank, while 2007 Tour of Britain winner Romain Feillu will return to defend his crown, buoyed by having worn the yellow jersey in the opening week of the Tour de France.