Team Sky has confirmed its lineup for the 2010 Tour de France, with last year’s fourth-place finisher Bradley Wiggins leading a strong nine-man squad. The team will also include the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen, regarded as arguably the most talented young rider in the sport, who highlighted a return to form recently with a dominant Criterium du Dauphiné stage win. He will target stage victories in his first Tour and could also contend for the green jersey.
British fans supporting the first-ever ProTour team from that country will have extra reason to cheer, as the squad will also include Steve Cummings and Geraint Thomas, who also rode exceptionally well in the Dauphiné, leading the points classification for several stages. Thomas is making his second appearance at the Tour following his 2007 ride with the Barloworld team, and will target a strong performance in the prologue.
Also making his debut in the race is the very experienced Michael Barry, who has ridden the Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia, but never done the Tour. He will be joined by classic specialist Juan Antonio Flecha and the strong stage race rider Thomas Löfkvist, Belgian rider Serge Pauwels and the Australian Simon Gerrans.
Gerrans is one of a rare number of riders who has won stages in all three Grand Tours, and will look to add to that tally this year.
"There's a great mix in this line-up for our Tour de France debut,” said team principal Dave Brailsford. “It's great that we have three British riders in there, all on merit. And we have a blend of Tour experience and young talent that will help us to perform this year and continue to develop.
"It's been a tough final decision as you would expect when there are such talented riders, so many in good form, and excitement around our Tour debut, but we are pleased with the outcome.”
The team has made a strong start to its first season, beginning with stage wins in the Tours of Qatar and Oman, taking the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, then going on to stage victories in Tirreno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice and the Giro d'Italia.
Brailsford stopped short of naming specific goals for the Tour, but it is known that the team wants to target a podium place with Wiggins. It has set a long-term goal of winning the race within five years, and preferably wit a British rider.
"The aim is to perform well, make a positive contribution to the Tour and help to get more people enjoying the sport,” he said. “We want to inspire. And these nine riders will help us to do that."