Rousing ceremony kicks off South America's biggest race
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Movistar presented to the crowd with Nairo Quintana receiving large cheers(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ag2R-La Mondiale(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Lampre-Merida(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Lotto-Belisol presented to the crowd (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Fabio Duarte gives a wave(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Orica-GreenEdge on show with Ivan Santaromita in his Italian tricoloure(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
BMC (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Garmin-Sharp in their new kit(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
On hand was former Colombian footballer Carlos "El Pibe" Valderrama(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Astana with Vincenzo Nibali(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Colombia team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Cannondale are entering the race with Peter Sagan(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Katusha are also along for the race(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
United Healthcare(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Omega Pharma-Quick Step with Mark Cavendish(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Peter Sagan during the presentation(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The black kit of Trek Factory Racing(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Androni-Venezuela(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nibali waves to the large crowd(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The 24 teams comprising the Tour de San Luis peloton were introduced Sunday evening at the Terrazas del Portezuelo, a collection of eco-friendly buildings home to the San Luis provincial government situated high on a hilltop overlooking the city of San Luis, Argentina.
Following a video retrospective of the last year's Tour de San Luis and a speech from the Governor of San Luis, Claudio Javier Poggi, a pair of emcees took to the microphones to introduce each team amidst a raucous cavalcade of lights, thumping club music and applause from the thousands in attendance.
The 48-minute long series of introductions was kicked off by the national team of Uruguay and concluded with an explosion of confetti, streamers and fireworks for the local Continental team of San Luis Somos Todos, featuring the race's defending champion Daniel Diaz.
As each team stepped off stage they remained in view as a VIP bleacher section adjacent to the stage was gradually filled by each squad participating in the eight edition of the Tour de San Luis.
While an untold number of cameras were wielded by those in the audience, plenty of riders on stage snapped photos of their own as they soaked up the applause.
Former Colombian football star Carlos "El Pibe" Valderrama, possessing perhaps the most famous head of hair ever to set foot on a football pitch, joined the Colombia team on stage while another Colombian, Movistar's Nairo Quintana, stopped the show in his own right as he was the only rider to be interviewed during the presentation.
While the music was turned off for Quintana's interview, once Movistar left the stage Pitbull's "Don't Stop the Party" commenced playing at bone-rattling decibels for the introduction of the evening's final team - the home San Luis Somos Todos squad.
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The seven-day Tour de San Luis commences Monday with an opening, 164km stage from San Luis to Villa Mercedes, expected to end in a field sprint finale.
Click here to see the gallery of the team presentation.
Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.
