Team Saxo Bank

The world’s number two ranked team return to The Tour, having won almost every prize possible in their previous five visits, including the yellow jersey in 2006.

Another prize they won in a previous visit was the King of the Mountains title, which fell to Andy Schleck in 2006. The younger Schleck brother has since risen to the top of world cycling, and finished a close runner-up to Alberto Contador at the Tour de France.

Being a Danish team, the Saxo Bank line-up is likely to have a strong Scandinavian presence, with eleven Danes currently in Bjarne Riis’ team. From those all-rounder Alex Ramussen, Jonas Aaen Jorgensen and Frank Hoj are all tipped to start, along with Polish Time Trial Champion Jarloslav Marycz and sprinter Lucas Sebastien Haedo, who will follow in the wheel tracks of brother Juan Jose by riding The Tour.

Much of the attention though will be on Jonathan Bellis, who is due to ride The Tour as part of his comeback from the near-fatal scooter accident that left him in a coma last September. The 22-year-old Manxman rode the British National Championships in June, with The Tour being another pedal stroke on his road to recovery.

For more information please visit: www.team-saxobank.com