Coach Bobby Julich says the team will focus on the opening stages, Froome will go for GC
Briton's Team Sky has sent a competitive squad for the second-year team's debut in the Amgen Tour of California. Targeting the flat stages will be Ben Swift, Jeremy Hunt and Greg Henderson, while the teams General Classification hopes will rest on Chris Froome. According to coach Bobby Julich, they are focused on the first three stages in particular, and are hopeful that those days will end in bunch sprints.
“We are here as a team to compete and to win stages,” he said in an interview with VeloNation. “We have aspirations to do well in the first three stages, which all look like they could end as sprint finishes. The first stage will be a tricky one for all the riders with a tough climb at Brockway Summit just before the finish, but Greg Henderson and Jeremy Hunt have been training at altitude and will fancy they can get over the climb in a good position and be in the group for the sprint. As well as Greg and Jez we have Ben Swift, who is in great form this season with four wins.“
Swift has had an impressive season so far, notching up wins in the Tour Down Under, Vuelta Castilla y Leon and Tour de Romandie.
Stage 6 will be a 24 km time trial in Solvang, one that could be tailor made for neo pro Alex Dowsett. Julich noted, “Alex is a really talented time trailist. The Tour of California will be a great opportunity for him to test for himself against some world class time trial riders.”
Last year's overall winner Michael Rogers joined Team Sky for the 2011 season, but will be missing the event due to illness that has kept him from training.
“I know Michael is disappointed that he can't be here to defend the title he won last season. He has missed the last few weeks due to a virus, and while fortunately he is back on the bike training and on course to regaining full fitness, the Tour of California has come a just a bit too soon for him.”
The team will be turning their overall hopes to Kenyan born Froome. The 25 year old celebrates his birthday during the race and will be hoping for a birthday gift in the form of a strong ride to the top of the race's general classification. He finished 14th and 15th overall at Vuelta a Castilla y Leon and Romandie respectively earlier this year.
“Chris Froome is a rider who is showing fantastic progression and there’s absolutely no reason why he can't be in the top ten at this race,” Julich explained. “The Tour of California has come at a good time for him after a strong start to the season with great rides at Vuelta a Castilla y Leon and Tour of Romandie. With Michael not being here Chris has an opportunity and its one I'm sure he'll grab.”
However, illness has had a part to play in the young climbers run up to California.
“When I got back from Romandie I had to take about a week off the bike because I got a bit of a chest infection and cough,” Froome said on the Team Sky website.
“That held me back a little bit but I can feel since coming over here that I’m feeling better and better each day so hopefully by the time the race starts on Sunday it will be pretty much clear.”
The Tour of California kicks off tomorrow in South Lake Tahoe and will see the riders finish 191 km’s later on the northern part of the Lake.