Scott team excluded from riding Vuelta

(CNN) -- Scott-American Beef, the new sponsors of the Saunier Duval team, have not been invited to compete in the Vuelta Espana, race organizers Unipublic have revealed.

Saunier Duval decided to pull out of last month's Tour de France after team leader Riccardo Ricco tested positive for EPO during the race -- with the sponsors subsequently also withdrawing their funding of the Spanish squad.

Ricco and fellow-Italian Leonardo Piepoli were both sacked after the Tour -- and team director Joxean Fernandez Matxin has expressed surprise at Unipublic's decision.

"Riccardo Ricco told Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) that his positive test during the Tour had nothing to do with the team," said Matxin.

"Piepoli denied doping himself and in my opinion we have shown exemplary behavior by abandoning the Tour and sacking Ricco and Piepoli in accordance with our code of ethics.

"Moreover, we have started legal action against Ricco for the damages he has caused," added Matxin.

A total of 19 teams will participate in the final Grand Tour of the season, starting on August 30 -- which will include 16 of the 18 ProTour teams, Spanish teams Karpin Galicia and Andalucia-Cajasur, as well as Italian-Russian squad Tinkoff.

Race organizers have decided not to invite any more teams even though the maximum number of teams that can enter is 22.

The Astana squad of Giro winner Alberto Contador, which were not invited to the Tour de France, have been confirmed as one of the 19 competing teams.

Teams competing in Tour of Spain:

AG2R
Andalucia
Astana
Bouygues Telecom
Caisse d'Epargne
Cofidis
Credit Agricole
CSC
Euskaltel
Francaise des Jeux
Gerolsteiner
Karpin
Lampre
Liquigas
Milram
Quick Step
Rabobank
Silence
Tinkoff