The thirteen candidates are: Michael Boogerd, Bram de Groot, Thomas Dekker, Theo Eltink, Juan Antonio Flecha, Oscar Freire, Mathew Hayman, Pedro Horrillo, Denis Menchov, Koos Moerenhout, Grischa Niermann, Michael Rasmussen and Pieter Weening.

In Rabobank’s preselection no less than six riders are former stagewinners in the Tour de France: Boogerd (1996 and 2002), Flecha (2003), Freire (2002 and 2006 – two stages), Menchov (2006), Rasmussen (2005 and 2006) and Weening (2005).

Also two former classification winners are part of Rabobank’s preselection. Denis Menchov won the young rider classification of the Tour de France in 2003. Michael Rasmussen was the 2005 and 2006 winner of the mountains classification on behalf of Rabobank.

Michael Boogerd is by far Rabobank’s most experienced rider in the preselection for the Tour de France. If Boogerd makes is to the final squad of nine riders, he will make his twelfth start on July 7th. So far, Boogerd made it to Paris ten times. Due to a crash In 2000 he just didn’t make it to the French capital. 1998 he came in fifth; his best final result so far. In 2001, Boogerd also finished in the Tour de France top ten. Boogerd started training again yesterday after he had to abandon from the Tour de Catalunya with a knee injury.

Denis Menchov’s best result was his sixth place in the final classification in 2006. Michael Rasmussen was the number seven of the 2005 edition of the Tour de France.

Rabobank’s preselection holds three possible first time starters in the Tour de France: Thomas Dekker, Theo Eltink and Mathew Hayman.

During the National Championships on July 1st Rabobank’s Tour teamleaders Erik Breukink and Erik Dekker will cut back their Tour squad to the final number of nine riders.

"After the ' Four Days of Dunkirk ' I took a break from competing and have trained hard for a month. It will be interesting to see whether this training will bear fruits in the mountainous tour through southern France," the 28-year-old said.

"The Criterium is a race for climbing experts, although our tour specialists are currently preparing for the Tour de France in the Pyrenees," says Sporting Director Allan Peiper who is playing down raised expectations.

But he’s still expecting his cyclists to demonstrate some fighting and aggressive cycling. That’s something which you don’t have to repeat twice to Bert Grabsch. After his second place overall in the Tour of Bavaria he is one of the most experienced riders taking part along with André Korff and Servais Knaven.

With the exception of the Swedish-Belgian Unibet cycling team the Dauphiné organisers invited all 19 ProTour teams for 1,139.9 km race. The favourites are the French, Italian and Spanish teams, who traditionally get their final polish in the Alps for next month’s "big loop".

The 4.2 km prologue in Grenoble on Sunday will finalise the line-up. Afterwards there will be two stages in undulating terrain, before the time trial specialists get their chance to "beat the clock" over 40 km. Grabsch will surely want to make his mark in the battle for the ITT stage win.

The first endurance test for the favourites will be in the fourth stage with the finale in the legendary Mont Ventoux (1,909 m). The next highlight is the "King’s stage" from Gap to Valloire. A total of seven climbs over an 198 km uphill course includes the 2,067 "Tour Ceiling", from the Tour de France pass between the renowned Col de la Croix de Fer. After eight days we’ll know on June 17 at Annecy who’ll succeed last year’s winner --Levi Leipheimer.

T-Mobile for Dauphiné Liberé: Scott Davis (Australia), Bert Grabsch (Germany), André Greipel (Germany), Servais Knaven (Netherlands), Andre Korff (34), Frantisek Rabon (Czech Republic), Stephan Schreck (Germany). Sporting director: Allan Peiper (Australia)

Total: 1,139.9 km