This year, the reigning Tour de France winner, the Tour de Suisse stage record winner, the Swiss wearer of last year’s leader’s jersey, an Olympic champion, a Colombian climbing specialist, and his fastest-ever compatriot are all registered to participate.
More information about the teams and their riders can now be found here!
AG2R La Mondiale
The French team around Romain Bardet, who has been on the Tour de France podium twice in recent years, is also home to the two Swiss riders Mathias Frank and Silvan Dillier.
Silvan Dillier showed himself to be aggressive and active in various escape groups at last year’s National Tour in the colours of the Swiss champion.
Mathias Frank was already twice close to finishing the Tour de Suisse as overall winner. In 2014, only the world champion Rui Costa stood in the sun for him.
Can Frank fulfil his boyhood dream this year and win a big tour in front of his home crowd?
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for him in any case.
In addition, since this season the former stage winner Larry Warbasse has also been riding in the French team.
Astana Pro Team
The Kazakh Pro Team Astana has been one of the most active and eye-catching teams in the country tours for several years – not only because of their jerseys in the eye-catching Kazakh national colour light blue.
Last year the Dane Jakob Fuglsang caused a sensation with his strong start in the mountain stage to Arosa and his third place overall.
New for the 2019 season, the Basque brothers Gorka and Ion Izagirre Insausti joined the Kazakh team. The Spanish champion (2014) Ion Izagirre finished the 2016 Tour of Spain in second place. Right behind the new team mate Miguél Angel Lopez. The only 25-year-old Colombian TdS overall winner of 2016 achieved his most important result so far with this success.
The Spaniard Omar Fraile is expected to compete in the Tour de Suisse this year. He won a stage at the Tour de France last season and was successful at the Giro in Italy last year.
Bahrain-Merida Pro Cycling Team
The team around the exceptional Italian player Vincenzo Nibali is financed by the island state of the same name in the Persian Gulf.
Last year, it was above all the powerful sprinter with the name Sonny Colbrelli, which is ready for film, who set the scene in the Swiss National Tour. He defeated Peter Sagan and Fernando Gavira in the sprint in Gansingen.
New for the 2019 season is the current time trial world champion and two-time stage winner 2017 Rohan Dennis for Team Bahrain-Merida. Thanks to the two time trials, the Swiss National Tour is interesting for the Australian – a participation is currently being explored in the team.
The participation of the Italian Domenico Pozzovivo, second two years ago behind Simon Spilak, has not yet been confirmed.
BORA – hansgrown
Thanks to the three-time road world champion, the specialist for cooking systems Bora and Hansgrohe (active in the field of bathrooms and bathroom fittings) is now well known to most Radpsort fans. The team colour is black with white writing and turquoise elements.
Peter Sagan has always won at least one stage of the Tour de Suisse in recent years. He now holds the sole record of TdS stage wins with 16 victories, outperforming the Swiss Fabian Cancellara, Hugo Koblet and Ferdy Kübler.
Also this year there are three stages at the Tour de Suisse which could be Peter Sagan. So will the Slovakian national champion be able to raise his record this year?
Peter Sagan is supported this year again – besides his read out team – by a large fan community, which provides for atmosphere at the roadside.
It is not yet clear, however, whether the 2014 TdF mountain prize winner Rafal Majka will start in the Tour de Suisse. With the arrivals on the Flumserberge, the Gotthardpass and the concluding Alpine Circuit over the Furka, Susten and Grimsel Passes, there would definitely be interesting mountain stages for him.
CCC team
After the team BMC could not find a sponsor replacement, it “merged” with the Polish Continental team CCC-Sprandi. The new formation will start the 2019 season under the name CCC Team.
The Polish shoe sales chain CCC also has a Swiss partner in Vögele Shoes, which can also be found as a sponsor on the orange jersey.
The best known name in the team is the Belgian Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet. Classics specialist Greg van Avermaet is expected to compete in the Tour de Suisse again this year.
The Swiss ex-BMC driver Michael Schär is also in the team.
Dimension Data
Since 2016, the South African team has been racing under the name Dimension Data in the highest race series, the World Tour.
With the South African Louis Meintjes the team has a young rider who has already ridden in the top 10 of the Tour de France (8th place).
And the Briton Ben King won two stages at the Vuelta in Spain last autumn.
Other key riders from Dimension Data include British sprint and track rider Mark Cavendish, Norwegian classics specialist Edvald Boasson Hagen and Austrian Bernhard Eisel as Road Captain.
The young Dane Michael Valgren, who has been a household name since his Amstel Gold Race victory at the latest, is new to the 2019 season.
In addition, the South African team now includes two new Swiss players, Danilo Wyss (formerly BMC) and the young Gino Mäder.
Two Swiss companies are also involved: the Swiss cycle clothing manufacturer Assos and BMC from Grenchen.
Deceuninck – Quick Step
The Belgian wolf pack has made a dreaded name for itself as the dominator of the spring races.
With the former World Champion, Flanders winner and TdS stage winner (2017) Philip Gilbert, the Italian champion and three-time sprint winner at the Vuelta in Spain (2018) Elia Viviani or the double Tour de France stage winner and winner of the mountain classification (2018) Julian Alaphilippe, the Belgian team has very different aces. But also the superficial 2nd guard of Deceuninck – Qucik Step regularly wins races.
With the young Spanish hope Enric Mas, a new driver with ambitions for the overall classification is also growing up. Enric Mas, as the best young professional of the Tour de Suisse, only just missed the overall podium last year (4th place) and was able to shine at the Vuelta in Spain in autumn with second place in the final.
Will Enric Mas make it onto the podium at the Tour de Suisse this June? In any case, we wish the likeable Spaniard all the best.
EF Education First
Since last season, team boss Jonathan Vaughters’ team has been riding under the patronage of EF Education – a global provider of educational and travel services. The cycling team of the Swedish company, based in Lucerne, rides in striking pink/purple. Rapha’s confident design made big waves in the cycling world at the beginning of the season.
Last season, Canadian Michael Woods in particular attracted attention with his stage victory at the Vuelta in Spain and third place at the World Championship in Innsbruck. With his witty and uncomplicated manner – combined with quirky fashion accessories – former U23 Paris-Roubaix winner Taylor Phinney was the most striking feature of the Tour de Suisse.
With the Colombian Rigoberto Uran, who has already twice narrowly missed out on overall victory at the Giro d’Italia and who also waved from the second highest step of the podium in Paris, the team has an experienced leader.
The American Tejay Van Garderen is a new addition to the 2019 season. The American won the 7th stage of the Tour de Suisse to Sölden in 2016.
Groupama – FDJ
France’s national lottery company, La Française des Jeux, has been sponsoring the team around former cyclist Marc Madiot since 1997. Since last year, the team has had a new main sponsor, the insurance company Groupama.
The French national colours royal blue, white and red have remained.
Steve Morabito (since 2015) and Sébastien Reichenbach (2016), both from French-speaking Switzerland, have been joined by the young Welsh climbers Kilian Frankiny and Stefan Küng.
Thus the French team has the strongest Swiss faction at Pro Team level.
Stefan Küng, who last season wore the yellow leader’s jersey of the Tour de Suisse for 4 days after winning the opening team time trial and then also won the final individual time trial, will compete in Langnau this June for the 83rd edition of the Tour de Suisse with great expectations.
Team Jumbo – Visma
The Norwegian software company Visma has joined the Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo as co-sponsor. The team Jumbo – Visma rides in the usual yellow and black.
With Steven Kruijswijk (Top 5 in all major country tours) and Robert Gesink, the Dutch team has two contenders for the podium in each country tour.
Primoz Roglic – former ski jumper – has developed into a veritable overall classification rider in recent years. He won the Tour du Romandie last year and has already won 2 stages of the Tour de France. He only just missed the podium in Paris last year with a 4th place finish.
The latest addition to the team is three-time cyclo-cross world champion Wout van Aert. He already competed in several road races last season and was able to make an exclamation mark with his third place at the Strade Bianche (2017 & 2018).
It is already certain that the young Dutchman Antwan Tolhoek will try to improve his 11th place overall at the Dauphiné in Switzerland in June.
Team Katusha – Alpecin
Since 2017 the Equipe Katusha-Alpecin has been riding with a Swiss licence. With Reto Hollenstein there is also a Swiss in the team.
Katusha- Alpecin provides with Simon Spilak the double overall winner (2015 & 2017) of the Tour de Suisse. The Slovenian, who won the seventh stage to Sölden in an impressive manner, will also be competing in the Tour de Suisse this year.
The Australian Nathan Haas also made a striking appearance last June with a second place (Gommiswald) and a third (Frauenfeld).
But the most famous name of the team is the German sprinter Marcel Kittel, who has already won 14 Tour de France stages.
Soudal lottery
The Belgian team Lotto Soudal rides in a white jersey with red shoulders and black team writing.
With Tiesj Bennot – winner of the 2018 Strade Bianche – and Tim Wellens, the Belgian team has two experienced classic specialists at its disposal.
With Thomas de Gentd, the Belgians also have a real expert for escape groups and daring solo attacks in their ranks. De Gentd has already won a stage on all the major circuits.
Belgian time trial specialist Victor Campenaert (3rd place at the 2018 World Championship) also wants to make a name for himself this spring. He plans to beat Bradly Wiggins’ world hour record.
The Australian Adam Hansen on the other hand is known for his engineering knowledge and passion for tinkering. For years he worked on team jerseys himself until the team supplier involved him in the development. He was one of the first sprinters to wear a skinsuit. In addition, Adam Hansen has been riding a cycling shoe from his own production for several seasons, which was admired last season at the Tour de Suisse.
Mitchelton-SCOTT
The Swiss classic specialist Michael Albasini is the only Swiss in the service of the Australian team Mitchelton-Scott.
Last year, Chris Juul-Jensen’s narrow solo victory in Gstaad caused a great stir.
This year’s route of the Tour de Suisse would be tailor-made for the two 25-year-old British twins Simon and Adam Yates.
Simon Yates won 3 mountain stages in Italy at the Giro last season and won the Vuelta in Spain in autumn.
The Colombian Esteban Chaves, who has already finished on the podium at Giro and Vuelta, would be a welcome guest at the Tour de Suisse with his cheerful nature and striking smile. He already won a mountain arrival at TdS in 2014 at the age of 24.
Mikel Nieve, with two top-ten places in the overall classification, also has fond memories of the country tour.
Movistar team
This season the Spanish showpiece team Movistar has Alejandro Valverde, the wearer of the coveted rainbow jersey of the world champion, in its ranks.
Besides the serial winner from Spain, it is above all the Colombian Nairo Quintana whose name is associated with the Spanish team in blue. The Colombian climber has already won both the Italian and the Spanish National Tour.
Last season he caused a furore and enthusiasm with a brave and long escape from the foot of the climb to Arosa. It would not be surprising if he would be at the start again this year.
The Iberian team has two further aces in the form of Spanish Touring Specialist Mikel Landa and his team-mate from Costa Rica Andrey Amador.
In Marc Soler – winner of Paris – Nice 2018 – the next generation of tour specialists is already growing up. Marc Soler finished the TdS 2017 in the excellent 8th place.
The Tour de Suisse 2019 would have something to offer both climbers in the team and the lively Alejandro Valverde.
Team Sky
With Team Sky, the British provide a team of superlatives. They are the measure of all things in terms of budget, support staff and victories at the Tour de France.
Now they are looking for a successor sponsor for the 2020 season.
The black “knights” from the Atlantic island won the Giro d’Italia with Chris Froome and the Tour de France with Geraint Thomas last season.
The reigning Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas has announced his interest in the Swiss National Tour 2019. At the Tour de Suisse 2015 he missed the overall victory by just 5 seconds. Will he be more successful this summer?
The Sunweb Team
Team Sunweb, which is driving with a German license, could celebrate its great success in 2017 with Tom Dumoulin at the Giro d’Italia. Tom Dumoulin will try to repeat his title in Italy in May. Who knows, maybe he will start at the Tour de Suisse afterwards this year.
In 2015 he won the prologue and the final individual time trial at the Tour de Suisse.
Last season the young Dane Soren Kragh Anderson won the royal stage of the Tour de Suisse.
With the Australian Michael “Bling” Matthews, Team Sunweb also has a sprinter who has already defeated Peter Sagan in this country. This is how he was able to claim the stage win in Bern in 2017.
Starting this season, the young Bernese Marc Hirschi will be joining the ranks of the professionals. He is the reigning U23 World Champion and is gaining his first racing experience at World Tour level.
Trek – Segafredo
The American team with Italian co-sponsor is the new home of reigning Tour de Suisse winner Richie Porte.
With the Dutchman Bauke Mollema, who has already ridden in the top 10 of the Tour de France several times, and the Colombian Jarlinson Pantano, Trek-Segafredo has two more riders who are predestined for the overall classification of the Tour de Suisse.
Bauke Mollema finished the Swiss National Tour in second place as early as 2013. In 2016, Jarlinson Pantano won – still in the colours of IAM – the ascent of the last stage of the Tour de Suisse and finished the national tour in fourth place overall.
Already registered for the 2019 event is the Belgian classic specialist Jasper Stuyven, who drove very aggressively and conspicuously last year.
UAE – Team Emirates
The United Arab Emirates-financed racing team has generously expanded its field of drivers for the new season. With Tom Bohli, a Swiss professional is now also riding in the team. Also new are the two Colombians Sergio Henao and the two-time track world champion in omium, Fernando Gaviria. The 24-year-old Colombian is one of the few who can hold a candle to World Champion Peter Sagan in the sprints.
They will be flanked by former Vuelta winner Fabio Aru, Irish Daniel Martin and Norwegian classic specialist Alexander Kristoff.
The Portuguese driver Rui Costa has also remained loyal to the team. In the years 2012-2014 he won the overall victory at the Tour de Suisse. Whether he will start again at the TdS is still open at the present time. It remains to be seen whether Fabio Aru, who lives in Lugano, will make more than just a flying visit to his colleagues in front of the team bus this year.
Already registered are former Tour of Flanders and Milan-Sanremo winner Alexander Kristoff and last year’s Tour de France double stage winner Fernando Gaviria.
Direct Energy
The French team, which until four years ago started under the name Europcar , is already competing in its 19th season since its foundation in 2000.
As in the last two years, the French pro-continental team will start this year’s Tour de Suisse with a wildcard.
The French team around their leader Lilian Calmejane will try to find a stage for themselves with selected climbers and punchers and will certainly set the tone at the Tour de Suisse this year.
The biggest innovation for the 2019 season is the arrival of the 2017 Tour of Flanders winner Niki Terpstra (formerly Quickstep). The Dutchman will compete in the Tour de Suisse for the last time in 2014.
With compatriot Pim Ligthart and Italian Niccolo Bonifazio, the French team was able to strengthen itself for the new season.
Rally UHC Cycling
The US-American team, run by Circuit Sports, has been on the road since 2007, since last season with Pro Continental status. Sponsor of the team is UnitedHealth Group, the world’s largest provider in the healthcare sector.
Last season Colin Joyce was able to draw attention to himself and Rally UHC Cycling at the Arctic Race of Norway with a stage win and third place in the overall standings. With Brandon McNulty, Junior Time Trial World Champion of 2016, Rally UHC has one of the great American youngsters in its team.
New for the 2019 season, the ambitious Americans also have an experienced road captain in their ranks in Svein Tuft (formerly Mitchelton-Scott). The Canadian already wore the maglia rosaof the Giro d’Italia (2014) and will start in the Tour de Suisse in 2015.
Swiss Cycling
A change in the rules, which the UCI has decided on during the Road World Championships in Innsbruck, makes it possible: A selection of the Swiss national team will start at the Tour de Suisse.
In this way, the Tour of the country becomes a showcase for promising athletes who have not yet gained a foothold in a World Tour team. Opportunities for aspiring riders to gain experience in top league tours are usually only available if they are signed up with a pro-continental team and receive a wild card.
It can be assumed that the Swiss Cycling team will primarily consist of younger elite road cyclists who have not yet been able to secure a place in the Beletage of cycling. Possibly a track and/or mountain bike specialist will also be present. National Road Coach Danilo Hondo is looking forward to the new highlight in the annual calendar: “For us it is extremely valuable that we can offer our young athletes the opportunity to compete at this beautiful race at the highest level”.
