Dutch, Luxembourg teams announced
With the UCI Road World Championships coming up in three weeks, nations are announcing their teams, one-by-one, for the competition. Today, the Luxembourg Cycling Federation has announced that their three-rider team will be led by Frank Schleck, who is currently one of the leading riders in the Vuelta a Espana.
Only the top 10 teams in the UCI world national rankings are allowed a full, nine-rider team, while the rest are limited to bringing three or four riders to the competition, which is held this year in Geelong and Melbourne, Australia. Schleck will be supported by Laurent Didier, also currently riding with Schleck on Team Saxo Bank, and Ben Gastauer, for AG2R. Schleck’s younger brother, Andy, chose to sit out the competition, and he and his brother will be leaving Saxo Bank at the end of the season for the formation of a new, Luxembourg-based ProTour team.
The Dutch Cycling Federation, as one of the top 10 ranked countries, announced a nine-man team for the championships, led by Koos Moerenhout of Rabobank, who is supported by five of his current Rabobank teammates. Some of the team’s best riders, Pieter Weening and sixth place Tour de France finisher, Robert Gesink, both chose not to be considered for the team. Moerenhout’s teammate Lars Boom, as well as Karsten Kroon and Nike Tepestra of BMC-Racing and Milram will be the leader’s best supporters. Moerenhout and Jos van Emden have been named as the soloists for the time-trial event.
The German Cycling Federation announced their women’s team today, led by Judith Arndt, who’s been riding a spectacular season. Arndt will be supported by two of her current HTC-Columbia teammates, including Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, who has 16 victories so far this season, and three Cervelo TestTeam riders including Charlotte Becker, a leading performer in the Holland Ladies Tour.
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