Team Garmin-Slipstream
SPONSOR: Navigational
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Boulder, Colo.
Last year American Christian Vande Velde surprised everyone, including himself, with a top-four overall finish in the Tour de France. Garmin-Slipstream have many talented TT specialists such as Dave Zabriskie, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar and Svein Tuft and should they race in Missouri one is bound to podium. Jonathan Vaughters said he's at Tour of Missouri to "win it all."

Team Columbia-HTC
SPONSOR: Sportswear and Telecommunications Company
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Team Columbia-HTC is lead by 24-year-old Mark Cavendish of Britain, winner of three stages of last year's Tour of Missouri. Also leading Team Columbia-HTC will be 2007 Tour of Missouri Champion George Hincapie and three-time world champion in the time trial Michael Rogers of Australia. This team won four of seven stages last year.

Team Astana
SPONSOR: Kazakhstan
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Luxemburg/ Spain
As demonstrated by the team’s dominated this year’s Tour de France, Astana can contest any major Tour. This year’s Tour of Missouri is expected to be Levi Leipheimer’s first race back from injury after fracturing his wrist at the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong’s team is expected to include the likes of 2007 Tour of Georgia champ Janez Brokjovic, Leipheimer, American veteran Chris Horner, and perhaps Andreas Kloden or Yarslav Popovych.

Team Saxo Bank
SPONSOR: Bank
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Denmark
Bjarne Riis' army may have lost reigning Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre, but the team formerly known as CSC still packs a deep roster. The team could include race favorites Fabian Cancellara and Jens Voigt and Luxembourg brothers Frank and Andy Schleck. The Saxo Team has hosted some of the best riders in the last decade and has won stages at all three grand tours. Saxo has been one of the most consistent teams having won the UCI Protour team ranking from 2005 to 2007.

Team Liquigas
SPONSOR: Natural Gas
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Italy
Italian Ivan Basso, the tour runner-up to Lance Armstrong in 2005, is the team's biggest name, but look to Czech rider Roman Kreuziger, a Tour de France standout and Best Young Rider in the 2008 Tour of Missouri. Italian Vicenzo Nibali is a raising star and top 15 finisher at this year's Tour de France. Other riders include sprinters Daniele Bennati or Francesco Chicchi, winner of the Tour of Missouri's last stage in 2008.

Team Quickstep
SPONSOR: Flooring
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Belgium
Team Quickstep is a Belgian based cycling team that has had much success at the top levels of cycling for over a decade. In 2008 and '09 Team Quickstep won the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and stages in the Tour de France and Vuelta. The team is lead by Tom Boonen and Stjin Dvolder. Also Sylvain Chavanel is a key rider to watch as he won several races in 2008. Aussie Allan Davis may be the guy to watch at Tour of Missouri, however.

Cervelo Test Team
SPONSOR: Bicycle manufacturer
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Switzerland
Team Cervelo is a new team founded this year, and has already seen stage vitories in the 2009 Tour of Qatar, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, the 2009 Volta a Catalunya, the 2009 Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. The team has talented riders such as Dominique Rollin, Heinrich Haussler, Roger Hammond, Thor Hushovd and 2008 Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre.

BMC Racing
SPONSOR: Swiss Bicycle Manufacturer
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Santa Rosa, Calif.
An unusual blend of American and Swiss personalities and technologies, BMC is one of the great up-and-coming programs in the U.S. American stars include perennial threat Jeff Louder, winner of the 2007 Tour of Missouri's King of the Mountains competition, and Scott Nydam, who trains with Levi Leipheimer in their hometown of Santa Rosa, California. On the Swiss side, young sprinter Danilo Wyss will likely figure in the field sprints, while veteran Alex Moos is a consistent contender for the general classification.

Bissell Pro Cycling
SPONSOR: Floor care products
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Grand Rapids, MI
An American program rising in prominence, the Michigan-based Bissell team has ridden the wave of victory on the backs of strong riders such as Ben Jacques-Maynes, runner-up in USA Cycling NRC series last year, and Tom Zirbel, a blonde, 6-foot-4 time trialist who goes by the nickname "Thor."

OUCH presented by Maxxis
SPONSOR: Medical Center
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Oakland, CA
Team OUCH-Maxxis, formally known as Health Net-Maxxis, won five consecutive NRC Overall Team Championships. They also had other 2008 victories such as the 2008 Nature Valley Grand Prix, the 2008 Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, and 2008 Joe Martin Stage Race. Team OUCH-Maxxis is lead by Rory Sutherland and 2006 Tour of California and Tour de Georgia. Other riders include Cameron Evans, Timothy Johnson, Roman Kilun, and Bradley White.

Team Type 1
SPONSOR: Pharmaceutical companies
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Wauwatosa, WI
Team Type 1 was founded in 2004 by two cyclists who had type 1 diabetes, Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge. The team won the Race Across America in both 2006 and 2007 in the 8-rider corporate team division. The team then grew to a 15-man roster in which four of the riders have type 1 diabetes. Strong riders for Team Type 1 are Fabio Calabria, John Anderson, and Mark Thul.

Kelly Benefit Strategies
SPONSOR: Business-to-business benefit plans
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Minneapolis, MN
Kelly Benefit Strategies has been hot this year, and will be in the hunt for stage wins and look to animate the race in breakaways. Sprinters such as Alex Candelario could emerge as winners from a small bunch kick if a breakaway makes it to the line. Climber Andy Bajadali is a proven race winner, but may be out his element in the rolling hills of Missouri.

Colavita/ Sutter Home
SPONSOR: Olive oil importing company
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: Linden, NJ
One of the strongest teams in North America, Colavita carries a strong contingent of South American fast men, including Sebatian Haedo, brother of CSC sprint star J.J. Haedo, as well Argentinean compatriots Alejandro and Anibal Borrajo and Cuban Luis Amaran. North American stars include Kyle Wamsley, overall winner of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic stage race, and climbing specialist Anthony Colby. While an overall podium spot is unlikely, Colavita could surprise in the breakaways and sprint finishes.

Jelly Belly:
SPONSOR: Candy Company
TEAM HEADQUARTERS: San Marcos, CA
With the longest running title sponsor in the US pro peloton, the Jelly Belly Cycling Team celebrates its 10th anniversary on the road this year. In the 2008 Tour of Missouri, Springfield native Brad Huff proved he could outsprint the sport’s best when he garnered three top 5 finishes including a 3rd place finish in Stage 6. In 2009, his teammates will support him again in his quest for the podium in his home state. Young and talented newcomers Kiel Reijnen, Phil Gaimon, Will Routley, and Matt Crane are all eager to contest both the Best Young Rider and Most Aggressive Rider jerseys.

Planet Energy
SPONSOR: Energy Collaborative
HEADQUARTERS: Canada
Led by Canada's most prolific cyclist, Steve Bauer, Planet Energy is the former R.A.C.E. continental team and feature former national champion Keven Lacombe and 2007 8th place overall finisher Andrew Randell. Planet Energy is a first time entrant to the event.