A total of 23 teams will line up at the start of the men’s Tour de Suisse in Vaduz on 9th June 2024. After one year’s absence, the Swiss Cycling National Team will be back along with the 18 UCI WorldTeams plus four additional teams from the UCI ProTeam ranks.
All WorldTeams at the Start
For many decades the Tour de Suisse has been a fixture of the cycling calendar as vital preparation for the Tour de France. “This spot in the calendar makes us very attractive for the big teams and riders,” says Tour Director Olivier Senn. On June 9th, all 18 UCI WorldTeams will once again line up at the start in Vaduz. The starting field also features four promising UCI ProTeams, two of which have received an invitation as prescribed by the regulations. The other two ProTeams are the Swiss teams Tudor Pro Cycling and Q36.5 Pro Cycling, who each received a wildcard entry. The 23rd team to be selected is the Swiss Cycling National Team.
Swiss UCI ProTeams on the ascent
The Tudor Pro Cycling Team made a name for itself on the world stage last year and recently achieved its first UCI Worldtour victory. As a result of these successes, the Swiss team received an invitation not only for its home race, but also for the Giro d’Italia: “For us as a Swiss team, the Tour de Suisse is extremely significant. We want to present ourselves to the Swiss public in the best possible light and help to re-ignite enthusiasm for cycling in Switzerland,” said team principal Fabian Cancellara.
The second wildcard was awarded to the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. This second team, featuring the two home grown talents of Fabio Christen and Matteo Badilatti, also enjoyed considerable success last season. This year, Jannik Steimle rode to the top of the podium at the GP Denain in France a few days ago and secured the first win of the season for the Swiss-licensed team.
The National Team returns to the peloton
Swiss Cycling will be at the start with a young and motivated squad: “The participation of the national team in the Tour de Suisse gives the second guard of our up-and-coming athletes the rare opportunity to test themselves against the world’s best and gain attention for themselves. In recent years, many athletes have been able to use the home race at WorldTour level as a springboard into professional cycling,” says Swiss Cycling’s Head of Sports, Patrick Müller, regarding the upcoming participation in the Tour de Suisse.
“It is an absolute highlight for the fans along the route to see the Swiss Cross in the peloton. We can certainly look forward to witnessing a motivated and competitive National Team,” says ex-professional Mathias Frank, responsible for team selection at the Tour de Suisse.
Information will be provided on the women’s race once all teams are confirmed.
