Omega Pharma-Quick Step has announced the selection that will participate in Tour de Suisse, a 1,301.4km stage race from June 8th until June 16th.

The 2013 edition features a stage 1, 8.1km TT, and chances for climbers in the mountains for stage 2 (161km) and stage 7 (206km), and a final stage TT of 26.8km, which includes an uphill approach to the finish. There are multiple medium mountain stages, and a sprint finale is most likely on stage 4.

"The race will be hard right from the beginning," Sports Director Wilfried Peeters said. "After the Prologue in fact we will immediately have an uphill finish in Crans-Montana. Then every day the parcour will present a few climbs. The last time trial will be very challenging, with a mountain time trial including a steep final 10 kilometres. For the GC, we can count on Peter Velits, but we will see also day-by-day how to move the team in function of the parcour. The guys are in good shape and we will do our best for a good result."

"In the last four weeks I trained a lot to be ready for the upcoming races," Velits said. "However, I didn't race since Finanzplatz Eschborn - Frankfurt, so I don't know my condition in comparison to my competitors. I like the course of this Tour de Suisse and think it suits me if I have a good feeling. The stage on Sunday with the uphill final at Crans - Montana will be immediately important. Then, every day the race will be exigent, and in the last days of the race we will have the high mountains again. I know these mountains from a training camp I did in this area in the past, but my race rhythm will be decisive for my performance. I am ready to fight with a strong team around me, and we will see day-by-day."

Omega Pharma-Quick Step line-up for Tour de Suisse:

Tom Boonen (BEL)
Kevin De Weert (BEL)
Bert Grabsch (GER)
Serge Pauwels (BEL)
Niki Terpstra (NED)
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL)
Kristof Vandewalle (BEL)
Peter Velits (SVK)