The organization of the Vuelta a España have announced the teams that have been selected to participate in this year’s race, which will take place from 24th August to 15th September and will begin in Vilanova de Arousa, Pontevedra (Rias Baixas).

2013 UCI ProTeams:

AG2R La Mondiale (Fra)

Astana Pro Team (Kaz)

Blanco Pro Cycling (Ned)

BMC Racing Team (USA)

Cannondale Pro Cycling (Ita)

Euskaltel – Euskadi (Esp)

FDJ (Fra)

Garmin – Sharp (USA)

Katusha Team (Rus)

Lampre – Merida (Ita)

Lotto Belisol (Bel)

Movistar Team (Esp)

Omega Pharma – Quickstep Cycling Team(Bel)

Orica Greenedge (Aus)

Radioshack – Leopard (Lux)

Sky Procycling (Gbr)

Team Argos – Shimano (Ned)

Team Saxo-Tinkoff (Den)

Vacansoleil – DCM Pro Cycling Team (Ned)

Besides these, Unipublic has invited other three teams selected from all nominations to participate in the Vuelta a España 2013:

Caja Rural (Esp)

Cofidis (Fra)

Team NetApp-Endura (Ger)

Thus the organizers of the Vuelta a España assigned one of three wildcards to the highest ranked German cycling team.

"We always believed firmly in the fact that we would ride a Grand Tour this season, too. At the Giro we were the only team without Italian roots to receive votes and at the Tour we were on the short-list of candidates. After we came up just short two times before, things finally came together with an invitation to the Vuelta. The whole team is excited and can’t wait to race the Vuelta," said Ralph Denk, Team Manager for Team NetApp, after the announcement.

"The Vuelta is very demanding this year. But I think that is good. We have always made our biggest upsets when the challenges were particularly large. The team's development is simply enormous since the Giro last year. Therefore I am confident that we will justify the invitation to the Vuelta with a great performance," Denk continued.

The three-week Grand Tour will lead the riders over a 3,319 km course. The Vuelta kicks off with a team time trial. On the road to the finale on September 15th in Madrid, the riders will also complete six flat stages, one individual time trial, and no less than thirteen mountain stages.