Missing Saddle has taken it upon ourselves to provide to all the Pro Cycling fans our take on the teams of the Tour de France.
Garmin-Slipstream
Written by Jaime Naragon
This American team was established as a Pro Tour Team in 2007 under the direction of former-professional cyclist Jonathan Vaughters. Known for their distinctive blue and orange argyle kits, the team is sponsored by Garmin, Slipstream Sports, LLC, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and H30.
Roster
American Christian Vandevelde tops this roster. Fellow Americans Dave Zabriskie, Danny Pate, and Tyler Farrar will be joined by New Zealand’s Julian Dean, Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal, Ireland’s Dan Martin, and the UK’s TT specialists David Millar and Bradley Wiggins.
Jersey Contenders
Vandevelde will be the team’s GC man and will be looking towards yellow. Following a highly successful start to the season, Farrar should be the team’s primary sprinter, but Vaughters may choose to stick with the experience of sprinter Dean.
Drama
The biggest drama that has happened to this team was undoubtedly Vandevelde’s crash on Stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia. This certainly derailed his Tour training, and if his form in the Tour de Suisse is any indication, the podium may be a little hard to reach in Paris.
Most Likely to Happen
Garmin will factor into the TTT. With a strong TT team, they could win the stage. Wiggins, DZ, and Millar could potentially do well in the ITTs, too. Farrar will impress many in his sprints, though he might not be able to win a stage…yet. Keep an eye on Martin, too!
Ice Cream Flavour
What’s more all-American than cotton candy?! And, cotton candy ice cream, like the team, often has a funky appearance. Maybe, however, a little too sweet without much substance?
Agritubel
Written by Kyle Moore
Agritubel makes another appearance in the Tour de France, and the French pro continental squad will look to make another good impression after wearing the yellow jersey last year. This could be an important Tour for Agritubel, a manufacturer of tubular metal products for farming use. They weren’t selected for the Dauphine Libere, in favor of an American continental squad, BMC.
Roster
Maxime Bouet, Sylvain Calzati, Brice Feillu, Romain Feillu, Eduardo Gonzalo, David Le Lay, Geoffrey Lequatre, Christophe Moreau, Nicolas Vogondy
Team Leaders
An aging Moreau will hope to summon some of his old magic to hang with the primary GC men. This is probably his last chance to make a major impression with his current team, and he’ll need to improve on last year, when he dropped out early in the race. Other than Moreau, it’s difficult to say where primary leadership will come from. David Le Lay has been impressive this season, winning Circuit de la Sarthe and finishing 12th at Fleche Wallone. Geoffrey Lequatre could lead the breakaway artists, and Romain Feillu, holder of the maillot jaune for a day last year, will try his luck in the sprints.
Pre-Tour Buzz
It was surprising when the home country of France picked BMC over Agritubel in the Dauphine. With the exception of Moreau, this Tour team is very young. By selecting riders like Brice Feillu (age 23 and a neo-pro), and Bouet (22), and leaving Nicolas Jalabert (36) at home, Agritubel is looking to create some positive buzz with younger guys.
Predictions
You will see Agritubel blue in many breakaways. Not a bold prediction, but that’s how the elder Feillu ended up in yellow last year. Le Lay will finish in the top 30 overall and Moreau will not be a factor. Don’t look for a lot of successful breakaways this year, and certainly don’t expect an Agritubel stage win.
If Agritubel were Ice Cream
They would be Baskin Robbins’ ‘Splish Splash.’ It’s blue raspberry sherbet swirled with blueberry sorbet. Yeah, it’s kind of tasty, but it’s only available in the northwest United States, making it a regional flavor. Even though those folks in Seattle can be kind of fruity, you know even they like their chunky chocolates sometimes. So like Agritubel, Splish Splash is a regional flavor that isn’t even the first choice. But it’s got a little talent, and it’s looking to prove itself.
Caisse d’Epargne
Written by Jaime Naragon
This Spanish-based team can trace its roots back to the 1980 Reynolds team. Eventually, the team evolved into the famous Banesto team of Miguel Indurain. Illes Balears also sponsored the team for several years before the French bank Caisse d’Epargne became the primary sponsor. Eusebio Unzue directs the Pinarello-riding, black and red team.
Roster
Led by Oscar Pereiro Sio (winner of the 2006 Tour de France following the disqualification of Floyd Landis), David Duran Arroyo, Arnaud Coyot, Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa, Jose Ivan Gutierrez Palacios, Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez, Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil, Luis Leon Sanchez Gil, and Rigoberto Uran will all be aiming for at least a stage win.
Jersey Contenders
None. Pereiro was given the 2006 title after a long breakaway that the peloton will not allow to have happen again.
Drama
One name is missing from the roster: Alejandro Valverde. The man who has worn yellow, won stages, and consistently finishes in the top-10 of the Tour will not be in the race. Though he currently lead the CQ Rankings and the UCI World Rankings, the Italian National Olympic Committee reported in February that blood samples taken from Valverde in last year’s Italian rest day link the Spanish rider to Operaction Puerto. This has led Italy to place a two-year ban on him. This year, Stage 16 heads into Italy for a very brief amount of time. He tried to pursue various lawsuits that would have allowed him to start. Rumours even circulated that the team tried to allow him to start just to drop out prior to Italy. But, regardless, the fact is now that Valverde—the team’s best hope for yellow and glory—will be absent.
Most Likely to Happen
Well, any number of riders on the team could win a stage or factor in the mountains classification. Pereiro will probably be the highest-placed finisher for the team, though Rodriguez or Gutierrez could give him a run for the money. No one from the team will be in the top-10.
Ice Cream Flavour
Chocolate peanut butter….with a cherry on the side. Rich and deep with potential to be good. But, sadly, with the cherry/Valverde left off, the best part is missing.
Special thanks to Chaos Cycling Club for providing their own special brand of pro cycling insight!
