Issy-les-Moulineaux, 2^nd of October 2006

For the last of the big French Classics, the World elite of cycling traditionally prepares the most impressive bunched sprint of the season. The specialists of the last few metres have the habit of performing in some important places where the legend of sprinting is written: the Via Roma for Milan San Remo, the Champs-Elysées for the last stage finish of the Tour de France, the final part of the World Championships and of course the famous avenue de Grammont in Tours. Quite a few of the pack's best sprinters have already failed to impress this year. Tom Boonen, recently dispossessed of his rainbow jersey is seriously counting on the final straight in Tours (where he had already triumphed during the Tour de France in 2005) to finish his season off in style. But title holder Erik Zabel, only just beaten by Bettini in the Salzbourg race, also has the intention of triumphing: a fourth success would put him on top of the multiple winners' hierarchy. Race contenders are fairly numerous for a first win in the Touraine area when they take off next Sunday in Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines: Thor Hushovd, green jersey of the 2005 Tour de France, Oscar Freire two time winner this season on the Tour or Daniele Bennati, will all take off to win. After 254,5 kilometres of riding, one will need to be extra powerful.

Germany Gerolsteiner: Förtser, Schumacher, Lang (ALL) T-Mobile: Sinkewitz, Wesemann, Pollack (ALL) Belgium Chocolade Jacques Topsport: Eeckhout (BEL) Davitamon-Lotto: Horner (USA), Mattan, Steels (BEL) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago: Amorison (BEL) Quick Step - Innergetic: Boonen, Van Impe (BEL), Pozzato (ITA) Denmark Team CSC: Cancellara (SUI), O'Grady (AUS), Michaelsen (DAN) Spain Caisse d'Epargne - Iles Baleares: J-I. Gutierrez, Reynes (ESP) Euskaltel - Euskadi: Isasi, Landaluze (ESP) Saunier-Duval - Prodir: Pagliarini (BRE) France AG2R Prévoyance: Dumoulin, J-P. Nazon (FRA) Agritubel: Baranauskas (LIT), Coutouly (FRA) Bouygues Telecom: Geslin, Voeckler (FRA), Florencio (ESP)

Cofidis crédit par téléphone: Marichal (BEL), Moreni (ITA) Crédit Agricole: Hushovd (NOR), Kirsipuu (EST) Française des Jeux: Gilbert (BEL), Guesdon (FRA) Great Britain Unibet.com: Cooke (AUS), Hunt (GBR) Italy Lampre - Fondital: Bennati, Ballan, Napolitano (ITA) Liquigas: Backstedt (SUE), Paolini, Quinziato (ITA) Team Milram: Zabel (ALL) Netherland Rabobank: Freire, Flecha (ESP), Posthuma (HOL) Skil-Shimano: Tjallingii, Vierhouten (HOL) Switzerland Phonak Hearing Systems: Clerc (SUI), Guidi (ITA) USA Discovery Channel: Devolder, Hoste (BEL)

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Issy-les-Moulineaux, 2^nd of October 2006

This year, in order not to miss a detail of the 100th Paris-Tours, we have setted up a Live session on our website www.letour.fr that can compare to what we do on the Tour de France. The gaps, the groups and every usefull information on the top riders of the day… in one word, all you have to know about one of the last important races of the cycling season.

Paris-Tours: Sunday 8th Octobre
Start at 11.15 am in Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines
Finish avenue de Grammont in Tours around 5.00 pm

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Issy-les-Moulineaux, 11^th of September 2006

The end of season classic Paris-Tours, that will this year be celebrating its hundredth edition on Sunday the 8^th of October will welcome 25 teams. The pack will take off at 11h15 from Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines for a 254,5 kilometre ride all the way to the finish line at the end of the Avenue de Grammont, just in front of the Tours city hall.

The teams selected:

AG2R Prevoyance (FRA) Bouygues Telecom (FRA) Caisse d'Epargne – Illes Balears (ESP) Cofidis – Le crédit par téléphone (FRA) Crédit Agricole (FRA) Davitamon-Lotto (BEL) Discovery Channel Team (USA) Eusklatel-Euskadi (ESP) Française des Jeux (FRA) Gerolsteiner (ALL)

Lampre-Fondital (ITA) Liquigas (ITA) Phonak Hearing Systems (SUI) Quick Step – Innergetic (BEL) Rabobank (HOL) Saunier Duval – Prodir (ESP) T-Mobile Team (ALL) Team CSC (DAN) Team Milram (ITA) Astana (ESP)

Agritubel (FRA) Chocolade Jacques – Topsport (BEL) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago (BEL)

Skil-Shimano (HOL) Unibet.com (BEL)

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