Success Continues for 2011 Santos Tour Down Under Riders

South Australian cycling legend, Stuart O’Grady, headlines a large group of riders who competed in the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under and will take part in this year’s Tour de France, which starts tonight.

The Santos Tour Down Under has been following the rider’s success throughout the season and notes that there are 35 riders competing in the Tour de France who also competed in South Australia.

Race Director, Santos Tour Down Under, Mike Turtur says that it is great to see so many of the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under riders included in the Tour de France roster.

“Having so many 2011 Santos Tour Down Under riders in the Tour de France peloton is a testament to all of the hard work that our team does to attract and retain the top riders in the world to our event,” says Turtur.

“HTC-Highroad is a great example, with five of their seven riders from Santos Tour Down Under competing in the Tour de France including superstar sprinter Mark Cavendish.”

There will be six Australian riders competing in the 2011 Tour de France, they include; Stuart O’Grady, Richie Porte, Simon Gerrans, Matthew Goss, Mark Renshaw and Tour hopeful Cadel Evans.

Below are rider’s who competed in the 2011 Santos Tour Down Under and will ride in the Tour de France.

Stuart O’Grady (AUS) LEOPARD TREK
Richie Porte (AUS) SAXO BANK SUNGARD
Nicki Sörensen (DEN) SAXO BANK SUNGARD
Brian Vandborg (DEN) SAXO BANK SUNGARD
Ruben Perez (ESP) EUSKALTEL EUSKADI
Iván Velasco (ESP) EUSKALTEL EUSKADI
André Greipel (GER) OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO
Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL) OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO
Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO
Marcel Sieberg (GER) OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO
Laurens Ten Dam (NED) RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM
Tyler Farrar (USA) TEAM GARMIN-CERVÉLO
Julian Dean (NZL) TEAM GARMIN-CERVÉLO
Markel Irizar (ESP) TEAM RADIO SHACK

Blel Kadri (FRA) AG2R LA MONDIALE
Andriy Grivko (UKR) PRO TEAM ASTANA
Gerald Ciolek (GER) QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM
Addy Engels (NED) QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM
Geraint Thomas (GBR) SKY PROCYCLING
Simon Gerrans (AUS) SKY PROCYCLING
Ben Swift (GBR) SKY PROCYCLING
Amael Moinard (FRA) BMC RACING TEAM
Matteo Bono (ITA) LAMPRE-ISD
Fabio Sabatini (ITA) LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP) MOVISTAR
Jose Ivan Gutierrez (ESP) MOVISTAR
Francisco Ventoso (ESP) MOVISTAR
Mark Cavendish (GBR) HTC-HIGHROAD
Bernhard Eisel (AUT) HTC-HIGHROAD
Matthew Goss (AUS) HTC-HIGHROAD
Danny Pate (USA) HTC-HIGHROAD
Mark Renshaw (AUS) HTC-HIGHROAD
Denis Galimzyanov (RUS) KATUSHA TEAM
Thomas De Gendt (BEL) VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING
Romain Feillu (FRA) VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING

The 2012 Santos Tour Down Under will be held in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 15-22 January 2012. For more information visit www.tourdownunder.com.au

For more media information on the Santos Tour Down Under, please contact PR Manager, Events, Jessica Hurt on +61 412 784 587 or jessica.hurt@tourism.sa.com .