Team Sky names teams for March races
Porte targets Paris-Nice, Froome confirmed for Tirreno-Adriatico
Team Sky will look to add to its early season win in Australia and Oman wins with a full programme of racing in March. The British team will compete in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium, with almost all of the team's big-name riders in action.
Bradley Wiggins won't defend his title at Paris-Nice (March 3-10), but Vasil Kiryienka, Richie Porte and Kanstantsin Siutsou will try to target success in France. Chris Froome, fresh off the win in the Tour of Oman, will try to take another stage race victory at Tirreno-Adriatico (March 6-12).
The team is sending its Classics riders to Milano-Sanremo after they spend time training at altitude in Tenerife instead of riding Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico. Edvald Boasson Hagen and Geraint Thomas are expected to lead the squad for the first big one-day race of the season on March 17.
Bradley Wiggins continues his build-up for the Giro d'Italia by riding the Volta a Catalunya (March 18-24). Rigoberto Urán will also be in action in Spain, with support from Dario Cataldo, Josh Edmondson, Peter Kennaugh, Christian Knees, David López and Danny Pate.
March ends with the Criterium International (March 23-24) before the focus turns to Belgium and northern France for the cobbled Classics. Froome will lead the team as he studies roads in Corsica for the depart of this year's Tour de France. Young American's Ian Boswell and Joe Dombrowsim and Briton Jonathan Tiernan-Locke will also take part in the two-day race.
The Team Sky Classics squad will be in Belgium on March 20 for Dwars door Vlaanderen and then ride E3 Prijs Vlaanderen (Marc h 22), Gent-Wevelem (March 24) and then the big one: Ronde van Vlaanderen on March 31. In the Team Sky classics squad are: Edvald Boasson Hagen, Bernhard Eisel, Mathew Hayman, Salvatore Puccio, Gabriel Rasch, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton, Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas.
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