News
3 Rookies Get the Nod for 1st TDF
(June 29, 2007) - The T-Mobile Team has selected its nine-man roster for the Tour de France - with the team’s GC ambitions centered around Michael Rogers. Joining him in London on July 7th will be Marcus Burghardt, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Linus Gerdemann, Giuseppe Guerini, Kim Kirchen, Axel Merckx and Patrik Sinkewitz.
A question mark still hangs over the fitness of Giuseppe Guerini, however. The Italian recently abandoned the Tour de Suisse with stomach problems. He will now use his national championships on Sunday to test his fitness. A final decision will be taken early next week. Germany’s Bert Grabsch is waiting as first replacement should Guerini miss the cut.
Commenting on the overall shape of the team, general manager Bob Stapleton says: “We believe we are sending a very balanced team. We have guys who are strong in the mountains and overall GC riders circled around Rogers. That’s Sinkewitz, Gerdeman and Merckx. We have breakaway specialists and we have sprinters.”
Rogers aiming for Top Five
After taking tenth place overall from a supporting role at last year’s Tour, Rogers is ready to step up to the role of team captain. "The Tour is the hardest race of all in my book. Every stage is raced like a one-day world cup race,” says the 27 year-old Rogers. “I hope it goes well. I have trained my hardest and prepared the best I can. I hope to finish in the top 5.”
In a very fresh and young race roster three rookies will be getting their first taste of Tour action: “We are sending a very capable team with a lot of young guys,” says Stapleton. “The bulk of the team is 26 years or younger, there are a couple of veterans but overall it is quite a young team going to the Tour.”
Head of sports management Rolf Aldag is wary of putting the rookies under too much pressure: “It’s a chance for the younger guys to gain some experience and see what they can do in the world’s biggest race,” says Aldag. “Results are less important. I feel good about the team and I am excited about it. “
While the team retains high GC ambitions, the focus is broader than just the yellow jersey. “We are coming in with a good support cast for Rogers, while the rest of the team is there to do work on the flat stages – getting into breakaways or positioning our sprinters for a good run at the finish, be that Cavendish or Eisel,” says Stapleton. “It is not all for one. It is everything for the team. “
Cavendish Rewarded for Winning Series
Until a few months ago Mark Cavendish was very much a long-shot for a Tour start, but after an impressive string of race wins he forced himself into the selection.
“The team believes in him, he believes in himself, he’s won against other top riders already. The Tour takes all that up another notch though - the speed and the intensity at the finish is going to be something he hasn’t experienced yet,” says Stapleton.
Cavendish "It’s like a dream come true for me to ride the Tour so early in my career. I will give it everything to repay the team management for their faith in me."
The 26-year old Eisel has plenty of experience of the intensity of the Tour’s bunch gallops. “We signed Bernhard with big races like the Tour in mind, and we never made a secret of that. He has great top-end speed, can win stages and he has shown his willingness to work for the team,” said Aldag.
After steady development German rookies Linus Gerdemann and Marcus Burghardt are keen to test themselves against the best. "It is my first Tour start and it will be part of the learning process“, says Linus Gerdemann, “but of course I also want to race well.”
Stapleton sees Burghardt playing a key tactical role as the race develops. “You may see someone like Burghardt working for the sprinters earlier in the race and then going for breakaway in later stages.”
Consistent Kirchen Ready for Tour
The team will also look to Patrik Sinkewitz and Kim Kirchen to show their best form on the ferocious slopes of the Alps and Pyrenees. Kirchen was very impressive on his way to second overall at last week’s Tour de Suisse.
"Kim has been consistently impressive since the start of the season, and he doesn’t shy away from taking on responsibility either," says sporting director Valerio Piva on the Luxembourg rider who has this week signed a two year extension with the T-Mobile Team.
Sporting directors in France are Piva (48) and Brian Holm (44). The 94th edition of „"Le Grand Boucle" starts with a 7.9 Kilometre Prologue in London on July 7th and concludes after 3,550 Kilometres in Paris on July 29th.
T-Mobile's nine starters in brief. For a team biography of the rider, just click on a name:
Marcus Burghardt
Mark Cavendish
Bernhard Eisel
Giuseppe Guerini
Linus Gerdemann
Kim Kirchen
Axel Merckx
Michael Rogers
Patrik Sinkewitz
29 June 2007