Organizers of the Tour of Turkey have announced a full list of teams to take part in his year’s edition of the race. Eight World Tour level squads are expected to line up at the start of the Turkish event, held this year from March 27th to May 5th, alongside twelve Pro Continental outfits. Despite earlier controversies the Konya Torku team will also participate in 2014 edition of the race.

Natnael Berhane won’t be provided with an opportunity to defend his belatedly granted 2013 Tour of Turkey title as his Europcar team won’t participate in the event this year, but race organizers succeeded to attract eight very best World Tour outfits in the likes of Astana, Belkin, Cannondale, Lampre-Merida, Lotto-Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Orica-GreenEDGE and Katusha, while no less than twelve Pro Continental teams with Team Colombia, Cofidis or MTN-Qhubeka will complete the field.

Despite earlier controversies Turkish Continental outfit Konya Torku Seker Spor will line up in the event, providing that the team have fulfilled the requirements of the organizers connected with biological passports.
 

We have informed in January that the Tour of Turkey organizers decided to rise standards referring to their anti-doping policy in this years edition to avoid further scandals, when 2013 champion of the event has been stripped of the title after testing positive for EPO. Thus, it was announced that only riders having biological passports would be allowed to participate in the event.

Teams for the 2014 Tour of Turkey:

World Tour teams: Astana, Belkin, Cannondale, Lampre-Merida, Lotto-Belisol, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Orica-GreenEDGE and Katusha

Pro Continental Teams: Bardiani-CSF, Caja Rural-RGA, CCC Polsat Polkowice, Cofidis, Colombia, Drapac, MTN-Qhubeka, Team Novo Nordisk, Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, UnitedHealthcare, Wanty-Groupe Gobert and Yellow Fluo-Neri Sotto.

Continental teams: Konya Torku Seker Spor