Participants
The selection was done as follows:.
- US Postal was selected because it included the winner of the previous edition (Lance Armstrong).
- Rabobank was selected because it included the winner of the 2001 UCI Road World Cup (Erik Dekker).
- Alessio, Kelme-Costa Blanca and iBanesto.com were selected because they won the team classifications in respectively the 2001 Giro d'Italia, 2001 Tour de France and 2001 Vuelta a España.
- This was extended to 16 teams based on the UCI ranking in the highest UCI division at the end of 2001, after compensating for transfers. The teams selected in this way were:
- Fassa Bortolo
- Team Telekom
- Mapei-Quick Step
- Lotto-Adecco
- Cofidis
- ONCE-Eroski
- Domo-Farm Frites
- Lampre-Daikin
- CSC-Tiscali
- Euskaltel-Euskadi
- Tacconi Sport
- Five more teams were given wildcards by the organisation:
- Crédit Agricole
- Bonjour
- AG2R Prévoyance
- Française des Jeux
- Saeco Macchine per Caffè-Longoni Sport
After the wildcards were given, it was announced that Saeco's main rider Gilberto Simoni had tested positive for cocaine on two occasions. In response, the wildcard for Saeco was withdrawn and given to Jean Delatour.
In total, 21 teams participated, each with 9 cyclists, for a total of 189 cyclists.
Read more about this topic: 2002 Tour De France
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“A civilization which leaves so large a number of its participants unsatisfied and drives them into revolt neither has nor deserves the prospect of a lasting existence.”
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)