For the 80th edition of the Tour de Suisse, the popular wildcards go to Swiss Team Roth (ROT), the Dutch Roompot – Oranje Peloton team (ROP) and the two Polish teams CCC Sprandi Polkowice (CCC) and Verva Activejet Pro Cycling Team (VAT).

The organiser of the Tour de Suisse, InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland AG, has awarded a total of four wildcards to Pro Continental teams for this year’s Swiss national tour. Together with the 18 set teams of the UCI WorldTour, that means that 22 teams of 8 riders each (=176 riders) will be contesting the Tour de Suisse in 2016.

Premiere for Swiss Team Roth

There are nine Swiss nationals among 23 members of Swiss Team Roth, which has had Pro Continental-status since 2016. "We are proud to have earned a starting place in the Tour de Suisse with our good results in the first races of the season," says CEO Stefan Blaser, promising, "We intend to be an attractive addition to the race and make a positive impression on this great platform." For Blaser it is quite clear that he wants to give as many of his Swiss riders as possible a start in their own national tour.

The Tour de Suisse is also delighted to have a second Swiss team competing, along with IAM Cycling. Tour Director Olivier Senn says, "With this wildcard we hope we can give Team Roth an extra perspective and a motivational boost, and we are happy to support Swiss cycling as a whole in this way."

Orange jerseys for Dutch team Roompot – Oranje Peloton

The choice of colour and the name of the Dutch team are not a matter of chance. Orange is the national colour and all the team's riders are of Dutch nationality. And in addition, title sponsor Roompot is a Dutch hotel and travel company. The best-known riders are Pieter Weening, Johnny Hoogerland and the brothers Michel and Raymond Kreder.

Two Polish cycling teams in the competition

The organisers of the Tour de Suisse have a consistently encouraging approach when distributing wildcards and this year they are awarding two starting places to Polish teams. Olivier Senn explains, "InfrontRingier wants to respond to the rapidly increasing level of interest in cycling and the growing TV market in Poland."

Polish team CCC Sprandi Polkowice will be lining up at the start for the second time in a row. The name is made up of three elements: CCC stands for a Polish shoe manufacturer, which is the main sponsor. Co-sponsor Sprandi is a Polish clothing brand. And finally this Polish cycling team is based in the Lower Silesian town of Polkowice. Still on the Polish payroll is the 44-year-old Italian Davide Rebellin. Another important rider is the Pole Maciej Paterski.

The second Polish team is the Verva Activejet Pro Cycling Team. It has 16 riders to call on. The best-known rider is the 33-year-old Pole, Lukasz Bodnar. The team bosses also have high expectations of 25-year-old Pole Kamil Gradek.