Who Are the Teams in the Tour De France?

Athletes from a few dozen countries compete in the Tour de France each year. And just like NASCAR drivers, they compete for sponsors and not for their respective home countries.

In cycling parlance, the teams are called international trade teams. Each team may have riders from several different countries and several different languages may be spoken among one team.

Since Monday is a rest day for the peloton between the second (eighth) and third (ninth and final) of three mountain stages in the Alps, here's a look at each of the teams in this year's Tour de France.

Listed are the name of the team, its registered country, the business of the sponsor, the team's current sponsor's race tenures, the team's estimated 2007 budget and team's best rider's finish in the 2006 Tour de France.

AG2R Prevoynace, France, Insurance company, 8 years, $9.52 million, Cyril Deesel (France), 7th overall.

Agritubel, France, Dairy machinery manufacturer, 2 years, $5 million, Moises Duenas, Spain, 61st overall.

Astana, Switzerland, Consortium of petrochemical companies, 1st year, $16.32 million, none.

Barloworld, Great Britain, Industrial Brand Management Company, 1st year, $4.7 million, none.

Bouygues Telecom, France, French mobile telephone company, 3 years, $9.52 million, Pierrick Fedrigo, Spain, 29th overall.

Caisse d'Epargne, Spain, French Bank, 18 years, $9.52 million, Oscar Pereiro, Spain, 2nd overall.

Cofidis, France, Phone credit company, 11 years, $13.6 million, Cristian Moreni, Italy, 44th overall.

Credit Agricole, France, French Bank, 9 years, $9.52 million, Christophe Le Mevel, 76th overall.

CSC, Denmark, Computer services company, 7 years, $9.52 million, Carlos Sastre, Spain, 4th.

Discovery Channel, United States, Television Networks, 11 years, $12.25 million, Jose Azevedo, 19th overall.

Euskaltel-Euskadi, Spain, Telecommunications, 7 years, $8.16 million, Hamar Zubeldia, 9th overall.

Francaise Des Jeux, France, French National Lottery, 11 years, $9.52 million, none.

Gerolsteiner Germany, Mineral water manufacturer, 5 years, $9.52 million, Markus Fothen, 15th overall.

Lampre-Fondital, Italy, Lamination manufacturer/Industrial heating, 2 years, $7.9 million, Tadej Valjavec, Slovenia, 17th overall.

Liquigas, Italy, Natural gas distributor, 3 years, $7.9 million, 3 years, Manuel Quinziato, Italy, 80th.

Milram, Italy, Dairy products, 4th year, 4 years, $9.52 million, Bjorn Schroder, Germany, 81st overall.

Predictor-Lotto, Belgium, Pharmaceutical manufacturer/National lottery, 3 years, $7.92 million, Cadel Evans, Australia, 5th overall.

Quick Step-Innergetic, Belgium, Flooring manufacturer/Mattress manufacturer, 5 years, $11.8 million, Bram Tankink, New Zealand, 94th overall.

Rabobank, The Netherlands, Dutch bank, 12 years, $13.2 million, Denis Menchov, Russia, 6th overall.

Saunier Duval-Prodir, Spain, Heating and air conditioning company/Swiss pen manufacturer, 3 years, $6.8 million, Ruben Lobato, Spain, 46th overall.

T-Mobile, Germany, Telecommunications, 16 years, $20.4 million, Patrick Sinkewitz, Germany, 23rd overall