Stijn Devolder positive to ride the Tour de France 2012
Stijn Devolder of Team Vacansoleil-DCM is targeting the Tour de France as the biggest goal of his 2012 season.
However, the French team has shown no signs of including the cyclist in its final Tour squad.
Devolder has not picked any victories in the season yet and has to impress the selector in order to earn a Tour spot.
The 32-year-old started his professional career with Team Vlaanderen-T Interim in 2002 and spent a period of two years with the side.
He represented Team US Postal for the 2004-07 seasons and accepted an offer from Team Quick Step in 2008.
Stijn penned a deal with Team Vacansoleil-DCM in 2011 after spending a period of three years with Team Quick Step.
He is ranked amongst the top climbers of the sport but his speciality is the individual time trialling.
Devolder has won the Tour of Belgium and the Tour of Flanders on two occasions and is positive to make it through to the most prestigious race of the year.
He told Cyclingnews earlier in this year, "I don't know where I am compared to (Tom) Boonen and (Fabian) Cancellara.
“Together with (Filippo) Pozzato and (Matti) Breschel they're the great favourites but I'm hoping to make the race with them”.
“"It's going to be a hard enough race but I'll see how my form is. All I know is that I'm ready so I'll just have to see how the other favourites are".
"I did assume that I would be at the Tour does this indicate a lack of confidence? Maybe so. But I've seen worse things. I need to get noticed now. If that provides selection, then great".
Team Vacansoleil-DC definitely has plenty of options for the coming race and Stijn has to work really hard to impress the management for the coming event.
Wout Poels, Ron Ruijgh, Johnny Hoogerland Lieuwe Westra, Marco Marcato and Romain Feillu are most likely to represent the team at the coming edition of the Tour de France 2012.
The 2012 edition of the French Grand Tour is scheduled from June 30 to July 22 and it will be interesting to see if Devolder makes it through to the most important event of the year.
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