The OVO Energy Tour of Britain is ranked 2.HC on the UCI calendar. The ‘2’ relates to it being a stage race, while the ‘HC’, hors catégorie, confirms its status as one below the top ‘WorldTour’.
WorldTour teams aren’t obliged to enter, with organisers allowing up to 70 percent of the field from the top tier. The rest is made up with Pro Continental, Continental, and a Great Britain national squad.
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- 2019 Tour of Britain route: full route details and stage analysis
Whether a WorldTour team enters depends on several factors, including how relevant the race is to its sponsors and how committed it is t other races at the same time.
While there are Tour of Britain mainstays such as Team Ineos and EF Education First Pro Cycling back for more this year, AG2R-La Mondiale is appearing for the first time in a decade.
Pro Continental outfit Israel Cycling Academy will turn out for the first time, while the British Continental teams gain entry via a season-long competition based on performances in 14 domestic races, including the Tour de Yorkshire.
WorldTour teams
The UCI’s top division has 18 teams in total, with 10 accepting invites to ride this year’s Tour of Britain.
AG2R-La Mondiale
- TOB ridden: 1
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 1992
- Nationality: French
- Bike manufacturer: Eddy Merckx Cycles
- Headline sponsor: Insurance
- Star rider: Romain Bardet (France, stage racer)
- In five words: “Great survivors of French cycling”
Lotto Soudal
- TOB ridden: 1
- TOB stage wins: 1
- Founded: 1985
- Nationality: Belgian
- Bike manufacturer: Ridley
- Headline sponsor: Belgian national lottery
- Star rider: Caleb Ewan (Australia, sprinter)
- In five words: “Underdogs who are often thereabouts”
Movistar Team
- TOB ridden: 6
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 1980
- Nationality: Spanish
- Bike manufacturer: Canyon
- Headline sponsor: Mobile telecommunications
- Star rider: Alejandro Valverde (Spain, stage racer)
- In five words: “Too many cooks spoil broth”
Mitchelton-Scott
- TOB ridden: 1
- TOB stage wins: 7
- Founded: 2012
- Nationality: Australian
- Bike manufacturer: Scott
- Headline sponsor: Australian winery
- Star rider: Simon Yates (England, stage racer)
- In five words: “Highly prolific through all seasons”
Team Dimension Data
- TOB ridden: 6
- TOB stage wins: 2
- Founded: 2007
- Nationality: South African
- Bike manufacturer: BMC
- Headline sponsor: Information technology
- Star rider: Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man, sprinter)
- In five words: “Poor man of the WorldTour’
Team Katusha Alpecin
- TOB ridden: 3
- TOB stage wins: 1
- Founded: 2009
- Nationality: Swiss
- Bike manufacturer: Canyon
- Headline sponsor: Cycle clothing
- Star rider: Ilnur Zakarin (Russia, stage racer)
- In five words: “A team losing its lustre”
EF Education First Pro Cycling
- TOB ridden: 11
- TOB stage wins: 3
- Founded: 2003
- Nationality: American
- Bike manufacturer: Cannondale
- Headline sponsor: Education training
- Star rider: Rigoberto Uran (Colombia, stage racer)
- In five words: “Strong performance belies low budget”
Team Jumbo-Visma
- TOB ridden: 7
- TOB stage wins: 7
- Founded: 1984
- Nationality: Dutch
- Bike manufacturer: Bianchi
- Headline sponsor: Dutch supermarket
- Star rider: Dylan Groenewegen (Holland, sprinter)
- In five words: “Long-term project paying dividends”
Team Ineos
- TOB ridden: 9
- TOB stage wins: 17
- Founded: 2010
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: Pinarello
- Headline sponsor: Chemicals
- Star rider: Geraint Thomas (Wales, stage racer)
- In five words: “Not diminished from sponsor change”
Team Sunweb
- TOB ridden: 3
- TOB stage wins: 2
- Founded: 2005
- Nationality: Germany
- Bike manufacturer: Cervélo
- Headline sponsor: Holiday provider
- Star rider: Tom Dumoulin (Holland, stage racer)
- In five words: “High achievers in a rut”
Pro Continental teams
The second tier of professional cycling teams has no automatic route into the biggest races and instead relies on invites and wildcards.
Corendon-Circus Cycling Team
- TOB ridden: 0
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2009
- Nationality: Belgian
- Bike manufacturer: Canyon
- Headline sponsor: Airline/betting company
- Star rider: Mathieu van der Poel (Dutch, all-rounder)
- In five words: “Home of cycling’s hottest prospect”
Israel Cycling Academy
- TOB ridden: 0
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2015
- Nationality: Israeli
- Bike manufacturer: De Rosa
- Headline sponsor: Israeli cyclist development
- Star rider: Conor Dunne (Ireland, Rouleur)
- In five words: “Building on Giro Grande Partenza”
Sport Vlaanderen Baloise (replaces Total Direct Énergie)
- TOB ridden: 8
- TOB stage wins: 3
- Founded: 1994
- Nationality: Belgium
- Bike manufacturer: Eddy Merckx Cycles
- Headline sponsor: Flemish government sports agency and insurance
- Star rider: Christophe Noppe (Belgium, sprinter)
- In five words: "First race appearance since 2011"
Wanty-Groupe Gobert
- TOB ridden: 3
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2008
- Nationality: Belgian
- Bike manufacturer: Cube
- Headline sponsor: Engineering
- Star rider: Guillaume Martin (France, stage racer)
- In five words: “Look for them in break”
Riwal-Readynez Cycling Team
- TOB ridden: 0
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2009
- Nationality: Danish
- Bike manufacturer: Pinarello
- Headline sponsor: Forklift trucks
- Star rider: Alexander Kamp (Denmark, all-rounder)
- In five words: “2019 Tour de Yorkshire winners”
Continental teams
The third tier of professional racing. All four teams here have earned the right, having qualified via a season-long competition.
Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes
- TOB ridden: 2
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2017
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: Canyon
- Headline sponsor: Clothing/house building
- Star rider: Tom Stewart (England, all-rounder)
- In five words: “First Continental team to qualify”
Madison-Genesis
- TOB ridden: 6
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2013
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: Genesis
- Headline sponsor: Cycling industry distributor
- Star rider: Ian Bibby (England, all-rounder)
- In five words: “Final flourish for British mainstay”
SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
- TOB ridden: 0
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2018
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: SwiftCarbon
- Headline sponsor: Bike manufacturer
- Star rider: James Shaw (England, puncheur)
- In five words: “New kids on the block”
Team Wiggins Le Col
- TOB ridden: 1
- TOB stage wins: 0
- Founded: 2014
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: Pinarello
- Headline sponsor: Clothing manufacturer
- Star rider: Tom Pidcock (England, all-rounder)
- In five words: “Home to hot British talent”
National teams
A Great Britain team, made up of talented youngsters without a ride in the race, is a regular fixture at the Tour of Britain, and has a great track record.
Great Britain
- TOB ridden: 11
- TOB stage wins: 1
- Founded: 1959
- Nationality: British
- Bike manufacturer: Cervélo
- Headline sponsor: N/A
- Star rider: N/A
- In five words: “Burgeoning stars of the future”
