Professional Cycling Teams

Professional Cycling Teams

Professional teams are now arranged into divisions, at the top is Pro Tour Teams, there are twenty of those from different countries, these teams are: -

• Discovery Channel from America


• Rabobank from Holland.


• Quick-Step from Belgium.


• Davitamon-Lotto from Belgium.


• T-Mobile Team from Germany.


• Gerolsteiner from Germany.


• Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team from Spain.


• Saunier Duval-Prodir from Spain.


• Illes Balears from Spain.


• Euskaltel-Euskadi from Spain.


• Bouygues Telecom from France.


• Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone from France.


• Française Des Jeux from France.


• Credit Agricole from France.


• CSC from Denmark.


• Domina Vacanze from Italy.


• Fassa Bortolo from Italy.


• Liquigas-Bianchi from Italy.


• Lampre-Caffita from Italy.


• Phonak Hearing Systems from Switzerland.

These teams must ride all the big races, they are the three big tours, the main classics and some short stage races, and they make up the Pro Tour.

UCI Continental Cycle Teams

The next rung down in the ladder are UCI Continental teams, they are allowed to ride Pro Tour events if they are invited by the organisers otherwise they have to ride lower category events. These teams have good riders, but possibly not as much money as the Pro Tour teams, so they have to aim a little lower and hope they get some breaks and invites to the big races and find some good riders and hope they don't lose them to the bigger teams.

Other Professional Cycle Teams

These cycle teams are usually quite small and don't have a lot of money, but they can be the springboard for a keen young rider to get his career started. These cycle teams cant ride Pro Tour events, but there are many other smaller races for them and the bigger teams do enter these races from time to time, so it is good experience for the new or up and coming Professional.

Development Cycle Teams

Part of the deal with the Pro Tour is that they must have a development cycle team, these are made up of under 23 year old riders, up and coming riders who need looking after, nurturing them and not making them race too much, so that when the time is right they can join the main team to find there feet with the big boys in the big races.