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| Andy Schleck: "I learned that I could be good for three weeks." (© Cyclingheroes) |
Team CSC Saxo Bank brings a strong and balanced team for the 2008 Tour de France. A run at the top-three podium and a
healthy harvest of stage victories are the team's underlying goals going into the season's most important race. "I
think we could have taken two teams to the Tour de France, with so many good riders to choose from," said Team CSC Saxo Bank
team manager Bjarne Riis on the team website csc.com. "We have taken the nine sharpest riders and we hope we can meet our
ambitions with them." Team CSC Saxo Bank will be hunting for a spot on the top-three podium, led by Spanish climber
and team captain, Carlos Sastre. Sastre, who has finished five times among the Tour's top 10, will bring his climbing
legs to full force in the 21-stage Tour that begins July 5 in Brest in northwest France. "I will arrive at the Tour
in the best possible form and aim for the Tour podium, and why not, maybe we can even win if things go our way," Sastre said
earlier this season. "What's most important is to be in the best strength as I can be, then everything else will fall into
place. I'm not worried about the others." Team CSC Saxo Bank will have a podium alternative with Fränk and Andy Schleck.
The Luxembourg-based brothers will be the second option for Team CSC if Sastre falters. It will be the first Tour start of last years number two of the Giro d'Italia. Andy Schleck fished sixth overall at the Tour de Suisse which ended on Sunday."With Sastre and the two Schleck brothers, we have three riders who can sit among the best in the mountains and it
will be extremely exciting to see how far they can go," Riis said. "I think we have a team that can be a factor in just about
everything. With the results we've shown the past month, I am sure we're bring a top-motivated team and we can look forward
to the year's main goal." Fränk — twice in the top 20 and winner of the Alpe d'Huez stage in 2006 — says
he's not seriously injured despite a dreadful crash in stage 5 at the Tour de Suisse last week when he flipped over a guardrail into a gorge. "After last year's Giro, I learned that I could be good
for three weeks. I take those lessons and will apply them to try to win the Tour someday," Andy said. "Carlos is the captain,
everyone knows that. But everyone also knows that Fränk and I won't be the first ones going back to the team car to fetch
water bottles." Supporting Sastre and the Schleck brothers will be an all-star crew that includes Tour stage-winners
Fabian Cancellara, Jens Voigt and Stuart O'Grady. Unfortunately for Cancellara, there's no opening prologue in this
year's Tour, but he'll take chances with well-timed, last-stage attacks, just like he did to win two stages last week at the
Swiss tour. The ever-popular Voigt will be back to energize the Tour with his infamous attacks while O'Grady, back
at full health after surviving a harrowing spill in last year's Tour, will also be looking to on the attack. Nicki
Sørensen, Kurt-Asle Arvesen and Volodymir Gustov will provide essential support for the team leaders and be ready to take
a chance at a stage victory when the opportunity presents itself. Team CSC Saxo Bank for 2008 Tour de France
Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Carlos Sastre (Spa), Andy Schleck (Lux), Fränk Schleck
(Lux), Nicki Sørensen (Den), Jens Voigt (Ger), Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor), Volodymir
Gustov (Ukr)
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Special Coverage Tour de France 2008
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