The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team will make their Tour of Britain debut this September, with a team led by double Grand Tour stage winner Robert Förster.
The German sprinter will be joined in the six rider line-up by former Junior World Cyclo Cross Champion Boy van Poppel, Australian duo Karl Menzies and Rory Sutherland and Americans Chris Jones and Scott Zwizanski.
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team will replace the Colnago CSF Inox team, after the Italian team had to withdraw their entry to The Tour of Britain.
"We are very pleased to welcome the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team to The Tour of Britain, I am sure that they will have a very successful debut in The Tour," said Race Director Mick Bennett.
"They have a strong all round team that looks well suited to this year's route, while in Robert Förster they have a sprinter who has won stages in both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, and will I'm sure be in contention for both The Prostate Cancer Charity Points Jersey and the new-for-2011 Yodel Sprints jersey."
"We are honored and pleased to have received an invitation to race in the Tour of Britain's 2011 edition," said General Manager and Directeur Sportif, Mike Tamayo. "To have our guys compete in our bike sponsor's backyard is going to be fantastic. Riding Boardman Bikes and working with Chris Boardman has been a great experience this season and it is an obvious fit for us to come to Britain and have an opportunity to showcase these amazing bikes."
Tamayo continued, "The Tour of Britain is a great race that is very well suited for Team UnitedHealthcare. The sprint stages are shorter punchy hills, and that is what this Team is best at doing and where we've been able to make a mark for ourselves this season."
"Rory Sutherland will be coming off of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado with great form and is an ace when it comes to Britain style of racing. And Robert Förster will be chomping at the bit for some more bunch kicks and to have an opportunity to be there at the finish. This is going to be a great race and we are looking forward to competing again against the best in the world in September in Britain," Tamayo concluded.
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team provisional Tour of Britain line-up:
Robert Förster (Ger); Chris Jones (USA); Karl Menzies (Aus); Rory Sutherland (Aus); Boy van Poppel (Ned); Scott Zwizanski (USA)
The Tour of Britain begins in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway on Sunday 11th September, visiting England's Northwest, Stoke-on-Trent and the Staffordshire Moorlands. Two stages in the South West, in Devon and Somerset, are followed by a return to East Anglia, with a stage from Suffolk to Norfolk, before the final day of the race takes place in central London on Sunday 18th September, as the battle for the race leader's IG Markets Gold Jersey reaches its climax with an individual time trial and circuit race on the streets of Whitehall and Westminster.
Daily highlights of The Tour of Britain will once again be screened every evening on ITV4 from the 11th to 18th September.
The Tour of Britain is proud to be partnered with The Prostate Cancer Charity. Don't forget this summer your chance to follow in the wheel tracks of the professionals and ride five stages from The Tour of Britain. Go to www.tourride.co.uk to find out more!
The full list of teams competing is as follows:
- AN Post Sean Kelly Cycling Team (Ireland)
- Endura Racing (Britain)
- Garmin Cervelo (USA)
- Leopard Trek (Luxembourg)
- Motorpoint Pro Cycling (Britain)
- Rabobank (Netherlands)
- Rapha Condor Sharp (Britain)
- Sigma Sport - Specialized (Britain)
- Sky Professional Cycling Team (Britain)
- Team Europcar (France)
- Team HTC - Highroad (USA)
- Team NetApp (German)
- Team Raleigh (Britain)
- Topsport Vlaanderen Mercator (Belgium)
- UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling (USA)
- Vacansoleil DCM (Netherlands)
