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CSC-Saxo Bank announce Tour roster

published 23 June 2008

Less than a week after announcing the addition of Saxo Bank as a joint title sponsor, Team CSC has...

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Carlos Sastre will lead the squad (Image credit: Shane Stokes)

Less than a week after announcing the addition of Saxo Bank as a joint title sponsor, Team CSC has revealed the riders it will take to next month's Tour de France. Spaniard Carlos Sastre will lead the Danish team once again as it hunts for a podium finish in the French Grand Tour.

"I think we could have taken two teams to the Tour de France, with so many good riders to choose from," said manager Bjarne Riis on Team-CSC.com. "We have taken the nine sharpest riders and we hope we can meet our ambitions with them."

Luxembourgian brothers Andy and Fränk Schleck have been drafted into the roster as support for Sastre, while Stuart O'Grady will also feature in the roster. O'Grady has fully recovered after suffering from a horrific accident at last year's Tour, which ended the Australian's season.

"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 bringing a top-motivated team and we can look forward to the year's main goal."

Swiss time trial ace Fabian Cancellara will again feature in the team's roster, however the rider doesn't have the benefit of an opening prologue like previous years. German Jens Voigt will also take to the start line while Norwegian Kurt-Asle Arvesen has been rewarded for his strong form with a start in the race which commences from July 5 in Brest.

"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."

Team CSC Saxo Bank Tour de France roster: 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) and Volodimir Gustov (Ukr).