Team Columbia, formerly High Road, have confirmed that Mark Cavendish will take part in the Tour de France this summer.
Hopes are high that Cavendish will build on his current successes that include the Madison world title and seven wins on the road, including two stages in the Tour of Italy.
Cavendish can count on strong support, with Australian time trial champion Adam Hansen, American veteran George Hincapie, Austrian Bernhard Eisel and former Ghent-Wevelgem winner Marcus Burghardt all in the line-up.
German fastman Gerald Ciolek will also be racing. After a slowish start to the season, the 21-year-old Ciolek has since won a couple of stages in the Tour of Bayern and then took part in the Tour of Switzerland.
As both Linus Gerdemann, injured and Michael Rogers who is still recovering from a virus, (although he recently finished 11th at the Dauphiné Libéré) are out for the count, Columbia?s GC options are limited to Luxembourg?s Kim Kirchen.
Seventh in last year?s Tour, the Flèche Wallonne 2008 winner recently took a mountain top stage win and led the Tour of Switzerland before cracking in the final mountain time trial.
With Canadian climber Michael Barry not making the team, Kirchen?s support in the mountains will be based almost 100 percent on Kanstantin Sivstov, the Belorussian who outwitted the local riders in the Tour of Georgia on the Brasstown Bald mountain summit for a strong win.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The team?s road captain will be, predictably, Hincapie. The 34-year-old American has started every Tour since 1996 and only failed to finish one. He was the only rider to make the cut into every one of Lance Armstrong?s Tour winning teams during the Texan?s run of seven straight wins.
Team Columbia for Tour de France: Marcus Burghardt (Ger), Mark Cavendish (GB), Gerald Ciolek (Ger), Bernhard Eisel (Aut), Adam Hansen (Aus), Kim Kirchen (Luxembourg), George Hincapie (USA), Thomas Lovkvist (Sweden), Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belorussia)
RELATED LINK
Cavendish: Four realistic chances for me in first week
Swipe to scroll horizontally
TOUR DE FRANCE 2008: GUIDE
Tour de France 2008 homepage>>
News and features>>
Route & stages>>
Teams and riders>>
About the Tour>>
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
Lionel Messi could be launching a custom bike priced over €10,000 in 2025
'It's actually happening' - Matthew Richardson set for GB debut after nationality swap
