Caisse d'Epargne shifts focus to Pereiro in Valverde's absence

Sanchez will aim to peak for the Tour's third week

Sanchez will aim to peak for the Tour's third week (Image credit: Florian & Susanne Schaaf)

An admittedly battered, but not beaten Caisse d'Epargne outfit showed up at the Tour de France team's presentation on Thursday evening. Rolling up the ramp towards the stage in front of Monaco's glam harbour, one could not help but feel the absence of the team's main leader, Alejandro Valverde, and wonder if the riders of the French-Spanish squad were going to be able to make up for it.