Record list of Australians to race in Tour de France
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A record number of Australian cycler were in line to start the annual bicycle race Tour de France in Rotterdam of Netherlands next month, Australia's media reported on Wednesday.
According to Sydney Morning Herald, four Australians on Tuesday has confirmed for the race, with as many as 11 others likely to be confirmed in the coming days.
Luke Roberts, who rides for the German-registered Milram outfit, was the latest confirmed starter.
Roberts's only previous appearance at the three-week classic was five years ago when he rode for Bjarne Riis's team, CSC outfit.
"The 33-year-old is not short of experience, having won Olympic gold as a member of the team pursuit and as a regular on the six-day track circuit, knows how to squeeze through a gap," The Australian reported on Wednesday.
The Australian charge will be led at the Tour by world champion Cadel Evans from BMC Racing, who retains his number-one International Cycling Union's (UCI) ranking despite opting not to race at the Tour of Switzerland which ended on Sunday.
Evans, who has twice finished second, is with a new team and remains upbeat about his chances after winning the Fleche Wallone classic in Belgium and wearing the maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia, the paper wrote.
The previous highest figure for Australian attending Tour de France was 12, which happened last year.
"It's showing that we as a sport are doing something right," Cycling Australia selector Dave Sanders told The Australian earlier this month.
"We saw at the Giro (d'Italia) how much we as a nation have improved with our riders' performances. We won every jersey outside of the general classification and had two riders finish in the top 10," He said.
The remaining members of the Australian contingent include Matt Lloyd (Omega Pharma Lotton), Matt Wilson (Garmin-Transitions), Luke Roberts (Milram), Wesley Sulzberger (Francaise des Jeux) and others.
The 2010 racing Tour will be launched from the south side of Rotterdam, for a prologue time-trial.
Running from July 3 to July 25, the 97th Tour de France will be made up of one prologue and 20 stages, and will cover a total distance of 3,600 kilometers.
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