Tour of Wellington Start List - 26 Feb, 2008 - bikenz The NZCT Women?s cycle tour in Wellington this week will set a standard that can?t be matched by many other sporting codes in New Zealand. While New Zealand is renowned for its sporting prowess in sports like rugby, netball, cricket and league, none can compare on a world stage like cycling. The NZCT women?s tour that starts on February 27 will be crammed full of current and past Olympic and world champions. In many European countries cycling ranks second only to religion. Millions around the world watch international cycling events and this month?s race will present cycling fans in the greater Wellington area with the opportunity to see the best of the world, free of charge, right in front of them. Teams taking part in this week's NZCT international event; National teams; Australia Japan China South Africa Ukraine New Zealand. UCI professional teams; Team High Road - USA Team Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam - Belgium Webcor Builders Cycling Team ? USA Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung - Germany Team Menikini Selle Italia - Italy TeamVrienden Van Het Platteland -Netherlands MBCycles Women?s Cycling Team ?Australia Compositeteams; TabakTeam International BPTeam MercedesBenz Team TeamHandy Rentals Who?s who? World ranked number three rider and 2004 World Champion, Judith Arndt, will lead the charge for Team High Road. She'll be joined by newly crowned Australian road race Champion Oenone Wood, tenth-ranked Ina Teutenberg and European and Danish champion Linda Villumsen. German Ina-Yoko Teutenberg has won multiple World Cup races and over the years she has won 11 stages of Tour de l'Aude, 6 stages of the women's Tour de France and stage wins in all other major tours around the world, including three in the 2007 Women?s Tour of New Zealand. 1999 World Champion and currently ranked number six in the world, Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung's Edita Pucinskaite of Lithuania, comes into the event on the back of a 2007 season that saw her win the women's Giro d'Italia for the second straight year. Also in her team are 2005 Wellington World Cup winner and 2002 world junior champion Suzanne de Goede from the Netherlands; 2005 World Champion Regina Schleicher from Germany, who has won six stages in the women?s Giro de Italia as well as world cups in France and Spain; the 2004 and 2005 European champion and 2006 German road champion Charlotte Becker. Sweden's Susanne Ljungskog, (Menikini - Selle Italia) is a two-time World Champion (2002 and 2003) who returns to New Zealand for the fourth year running. Ljungskog won last year?s Tour de l'Aude in France. The stellar line up of talent also includes reigning Olympic Champion Sara Carrigan, who will race in the Lotto-Belisol Ladies Team. 2006 time trial World Champion and three times US Champion Kristin Armstrong and 2005 time trial World Champion Karin Thurig, from Switzerland, will line up with New Zealand number one Joanne Kiesanowski for the Cervelo-Lifeforce team. Number one pro team Webcor Builders Team from the United States is sending a champion line up including Canada's reigning road and time trial Champion Gina Grain, 2006 dual Canadian Champion Alex Wrubleski and 2006 World Championship bronze medallist, American Christine Thorburn. Team Vrienden Van Het Platteland from The Netherlands is bringing top American road rider Tina Mayolo Pic, Dutch rider Cacolien Wallaard and top Australian professionals Lorian Graham and Nikki Egyed. Australia will be well represented with their national team made up of 2007 time trial Champion Bridie O'Donnell, 2006 pursuit national champion Peta Mullens and 2004 World Junior Points Race and 2007 Oceania Champion Amanda Spratt. National teams from China, USA, Japan, South Africa and Ukraine as well as Aurelie Halbwachs from Mauritius will spice things in the bunch. For the public, the best day and time to see the race will be; Wednesday 27 February 2008 ? 2.30pm Circuit around Fraser Park ? Avalon / Lower Hutt Thursday 28 February Finish stage two ? Church St ? Masterton. Saturday 1 March Stage four around the Miramar Peninsular. Riders will complete 12 laps of the 12 km circuit. Best advantage points are up Awa Road in Miramar. Saturday 2 March 3.00pm Circuit ? Lambton Quay, Wellington