The news for Team Astana in regards to the TdF isn't good but if anybody has a fighting spirit, its Levi Leipheimer and Johan Bruyneel, don't count them out yet! Levi, Alberto, Chris, Chechu and Johan will be in Stanford on Sunday looking to send a message to the ASO.
The full start list is on the TOC website and there are glaring omitions for the Rock Racing team...first of all, there are three riders missing from their team, the only team without the full 8 compliment. Names on this team that you would think would be in Cali for this race would be Santiago Botero, Oscar Sevilla and Tyler Hamilton yet none of them are listed, issues?
We all have our opinions about Tyler but regardless, like David Millar, he served his time and if he's in shape, let's give him another chance at proving himself no?
Also missing:
David Rebellin, Robert Forster and Stefan Schumacher from Gerolsteiner,
Only Voekler and Lefevre are here tpo carry the mantle for Bouygues
I am VERY pleasantly surprised to see such strong Quick Step and CSC Teams. No doubt it's attributable to their strong US Sponsoship both in bikes and sponsors. BUt there are some big names that lend TOC some credability, more even then the Tour Down Under, a Pro Tour event. They include:
From Quick Step: Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen
From CSC: Fabian Cancellara, Juan Jose Haedo, Karsten Kroon, Stuart O'Grady and Jens Voight
Joinig Hincapie on High Road are Brit Mark Cavendish, Kim Kirchen, and Aussie Bradley Wiggins. This team needs an international sponsor and hopefully they'll get one by the Giro...anybody have Larry Ellison's phone number?
Only Friere is here to carry the torcj for Rabobank, no real suprise there
Hushovd is a no show fo C.A, so they are left to fend with Patrice Halgand and Christophe Le Mevel...not sure why they even sent a team
Slipsteam looks strong on paper but frankly, anything less of winning this race or at least three stages will be a failure for a team that had overtures of being a ProTour tea, in 2008
