Seven foreign teams will slug it out with 10 battle-tested local squads next month when the International Cycling Federation (UCI)-sanctioned Le Tour de Filipinas holds its four-day race from April 17-20.

Tour head Gary Cayton said during Friday's press conference at the Burger King branch of SM Mall of Asia that Japan's Shimano Racing Team will lead the foreign entries along with OCBC Singapore, Snow Leopard of Mongolia, Vali ASR Kerman of Iran, CKT-CH Mixed Team, Giant Asia Racing Team and Cycling Team CCN of Holland.

These international squads will not only battle against Filipino teams but also have to withstand the scorching summer heat during the short race that will start from Tagaytay City and ends in Subic Bay.

The local teams that will join the event are Tanduay, Smart, Air21, Wow Magic Sing, Batang Tagaytay, Extra Joss, American Vinyl, 7-11, and two Camarines Sur squads in Camsur Dolphins and the Camsur Wheelers.

Cayton added that they are targeting the quota of 20 teams before the start of the race as they are finalizing the potential addition of some local and foreign cyclists.

"We're finalizing the participation of other teams interested but we hope to have 20 teams by the start of the race," said Cayton, who was also glad that the tour gained sanction from the UCI last September.

The Le Tour de Filipinas, or otherwise known as The Tour of the Philippines, will hold its first stage with a 148.9-km race which will start and end in Tagaytay City. On the next day, Roxas Blvd. will host the second stage with a 60-km race before the competitors go through a 142-km journey from the Quezon City Circle to Subic in Stage 3.

The fourth-and-final leg of the tour will be a 119-km race from Subic to Subic where the riders will travel through Bataan province and back to the former US Naval base.