Radioshack-Nissan
Radioshack-Nissan formed at the start of 2012 with a merger between 2 of cycling’s super teams- Radioshack and Leopard-Trek. This team managed by Johan Bruyneel is a team that focuses on GC success rather than individual honours. However, for the 2012 Tour De France, the team will be without Andy Schleck through injury and his brother, Frank Schleck, states that he is not going for the GC either- making the team selection even more interesting.
Fabian Cancellara: Fabian Cancellara is one of the most successful cyclists of the modern generation winning many classics, stages in Grand Tours and even the odd week long tour. Cancellara will be going for stage victories in the time trials and act as a domestique to the rest of the team on the flatlands.
Tony Gallopin
Tony Gallopin is a surprise addition into the Radioshack Tour De France team- as Bruyneel tends to avoid taking sprinters to these events. However, he impressed last year finishing 4th on stage 5 and is a big prospect for the future. Expect to see him mixing it up on the later stages when the quality of sprinters may be slightly thinner.
Chris Horner
In the twilight years of his career Chris Horner, still consistently puts in top draw performances. This has been seen in his 2011 victory in the Tour of California and coming 8th there in 2012. However, the Tour of California is not a Grand Tour- with Chris Horner’s only respectable GC position in a Grand Tour being the 9th in the 2010 Tour De France. If Horner is near his best he could contend for a top 10 position. However, I believe him either going for a stage victory and him assisting Andreas Kloden and Frank Schleck is more likely. Saying this, Horner will be happy to be going to the Tour at all, after being left off the long list and been put in at the last minute for, perhaps, his last Tour.
Andreas Kloden
Kloden is undoubtedly a top draw GC rider. He has a proven track record in week long tours and in Grand Tours- with 2 second positions in the Tour de France previously. However, his form this season has been far from outstanding. But, if he performs the way everyone knows he can- it is impossible to rule out a top 10 finish.
Maxime Monfort
With Andy Schleck not at the Tour and Frank ruling himself out of contention for leader- a rider who is usually relegated to helping the Schleck’s will have to step up. The obvious candidates for this will be Chris Horner and Andreas Kloden. However, I would tip Maxime Monfort to be a dark horse to challenge for a top 10 position- if he is given the right support. He is a Wigginsesque rider- meaning he is a very good time triallist who holds his own in the mountains. If he is at anywhere near his best in this time trial heavy Tour- he could be a potential leader of this team.
Yaroslav Popovych
Popovych has never fulfilled the promise of his early career- with his highlights being 3rd in the 2003 Giro D’Italia. He gained 5th the following year and 8th in the 2007 Tour De France; winning the white jersey but has struggled to be a real threat to the leaders since. When Popovych signed for the Discovery Channel Team it saw him pick up the job of a climbing domestique for Contador. He has held this role in each team he has ridden for since- with no real chance for him to shine. I don’t see this changing here but with the Schleck’s not in contention maybe it is time for Popovych to have a resurgence?
Frank Schleck
After brother Andy’s withdrawal from the Tour, everyone expected Frank to become the sole leader of the Radioshack team- due to his pure ability as a climber. However, he has officially ruled himself out of the GC race- focusing on a stage victory and perhaps a different jersey. Schleck has 5 top 10’s in Grand Tours (4 being at the Tour and 2 being podium finishes) meaning he has previous experience of doing well here. Even though he has ruled himself out of the overall- if he finds himself anywhere near the front with a week to go, you can bet your life he will have a go for a podium.
Jens Voigt
Jens Voigt is widely regarded as the best rouleur in the peloton and is also inclined to go it alone on days where the peloton might take a ‘day off’. Like many riders in the Radioshack team, Voigt has got even better with age; getting top individual performances in lesser one week tours and then putting everything on the line to help the Schleck’s. In this years Tour you can expect to see more of the same from this strong man.
Haimar Zubeldia
Zubeldia is another member of Radioshack’s ‘old guard’ and one with sufficient Grand Tour pedigree- finishing in the top 10 of the Tour De France 3 times and in the Vuelta once. Even though he has high positions in past Tours, this was a long time ago and it would take a lot to see him compete for team leader. However, he will work for whoever they decide their leader is and maybe get a stage win if he sniffs his chance.
Overall, Radioshack do have a very strong squad for this Tour despite the loss of Andy Schleck and the non-selection of the Dane Jakob Fuglsang. However, they need to work out who their leader is going to be early in the race if they want any chance of a victory.
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