Young Riders Contend for White Jersey
With separate jerseys for the best cyclists in the overall standings, the mountainous climbs and in the sprint finishes, the sport also tends to awards younger riders on a job well done. The white jersey of the Tour de France is worn by the best rider at 25 years of age or younger, and there are a number of contenders for the title this year.
Most expect heavily tipped favourite Andy Schleck to claim the jersey for what would be the third year in a row. It is the 25 year-olds last chance to claim the white jersey, as he will no longer be considered a young rider by next season, but his eyes are more likely to be set on an overall victory than on claiming the white jersey.
In 2009’s Tour, the Team Saxo Bank rider finished 4 minutes and 11 seconds behind overall winner Alberto Contador, and fans expect a tight duel between the pair in this year’s race. Schleck, however, did finish as best young rider, as he did in 2008’s Tour when he claimed 12th place in the overall standings.
Danish national coach Bjarne Riis spotted Schleck’s talent in 2004, and went on to bring him to Danish Team Saxo Bank the following year. Schleck made his professional debut at 19 years of age in the 2005 Volta a Catalunya.
Schleck, whose older brother Fränk will also join this year’s Tour, has also spent the lead-up to this year’s Tour previewing the high-mountain stages and riding the cobbled stages. The latter may cause some disruption for Schleck in Stage 3, as he sustained some hand and leg injuries in June.
"There are some risky elements in the Netherlands and Belgium where we must be careful to not lose unnecessary time,” Schleck told Cyclingnews when discussing this year’s Tour route, adding the he “could have a better chance of winning time in the mountains and losing less in the long time trial."
In May this year, Schleck won the Tour de Suisse, a victory he dedicated to fellow teammate Kim Kirchen, who was then in a heart attack-induced coma. He finished the race ahead of runner-up Lance Armstrong, and will be looking to do the same during the Tour.
Schleck, the likely winner of this year’s white jersey, will be aiming for bigger and better things beyond what he now must see as a trivial title. There are, however, young riders for whom a victory in the category would be a notable achievement.
Team Liquigas-Doimo’s Roman Kreuziger is one of these. The youngest rider to finish in the top 10 of last year’s Tour, then 23 year-old Kreuziger finished 9th in the overall standings. In 2008, he came in 13th place and earlier this year he claimed the white jersey in Paris-Nice, finishing 3rd overall. Kreuziger also won 2010’s Giro di Sardegna.
Along with his Italian teammate Ivan Basso, Kreuziger spent the month of June preparing for his season’s main event by riding up the toughest mountain climbs the pair will face in this year’s race. Basso and Kreuziger are likely to share the leadership of their Italian Team Liquigas-Doimo for the Tour.
At 24 years of age, Dutch rider Robert Gesink is considered one of the greatest prospects in cycling today. He won the 2008 young rider classification in for Team Rabobank the Paris-Nice race. A natural climbing specialist, Gesink will have plenty of opportunities to excel in the mountain stages of this year’s Tour.
Before Schleck laid hands on the white jersey in 2009’s Tour, it was held by German cyclist Tony Martin for 11 stages. Representing Team HTC-Columbia this year, Martin is sure to hold the jersey at some stage of the 2010 Tour.
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