Chris Horner picked up for the Tour de France 2012
Chris Horner was left out of the initial Team RadioShack-Nissan squad announced for the Tour de France but the American has now been included in the final squad.
The team announced its full squad of nine cyclists for the most prestigious cycling race of the season, the Tour de France 2012.
Horner was a big absentee at the Tour de Suisse and the Criterium du Dauphine mainly because of an injury he sustained at the Tour of California.
The cyclist’s physical condition was not certain but he the news have revealed that he is fit to support the team in absence of its star rider Andy Schleck.
"The muscles tightened up on me, and I needed some rest," Horner told Cyclingnews.
"I strained something that happened in the past and it flares up from time to time”.
“I had to take a week to relax and I'm back on the bike so everything's fine, and it certainly isn't affecting my ability to train".
"I've been riding well all year, and I'm on the same program as last year where I went straight from the Tour of California to the Tour de France”.
“So I'm not too worried about it. But it's something for the directors to decide".
Team RadioShack-Nissan was counting on the three time Tour podium finished Andy Schleck to lead the side at the three-week race but his crash has ruined the team’s plans.
Andy has not registered a single victory for his side and his exclusion from the Tour de France has really reduced the team’s chances at the event.
On the other hand, Chris Horner is obliged to mark his sixth appearance at the French Grand Tour.
He also holds two Vuelta a Espana and one Giro d’Italia participations in his belt and the American is more likely to lead the team at the coming race.
Andy’s exclusion opened the GC doors for his brother Frank Schleck but he has also stepped back to captain the side at the Tour de France.
Horner will be accompanied by Fabian Cancellara, Tony Gallopin, Andreas Klöden, Maxime Monfort, Yaroslav Popovych, Fränk Schleck, Jens Voigt and Haimar Zubeldia.
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