Tour de France: Martin, Leipheimer and Velits head Omega Pharma Quick Step shortlist

Boonen confirmed as missing this year’s race

World time trial champion Tony Martin, 2007 podium finisher Levi Leipheimer and 2010 Vuelta a España runner-up Peter Velits are likely to launch a three-pronged attack during this year’s Tour de France, with all three of those being part of the 13 rider shortlist which was announced today by the team.

As expected, this year’s dominant Classics rider Tom Boonen is missing from the selection, with the Belgian recently indicating that he believed missing the Tour would help him be in the best shape possible for the Olympic Games road race.

Also absent are fellow sprinters Francesco Chicchi and Andy Fenn, showing that the team looks to be focussing more on the general classification and breakaways.

Apart from the aforementioned Martin, Leipheimer and Velits, the pre-selection also includes Dario Cataldo, Sylvain Chavanel, Gerald Ciolek, Dries Devenyns, Kevin De Weert, Bert Grabsch, Jerome Pineau, Gert Steegmans, Matteo Trentin and Stijn Vandenbergh.

Nine of these riders will be determined soon, according to directeur sportif Wilfried Peeters. “The athletes will be chosen next week based on the latest indications that will emerge from an important race like the Tour de Suisse,” he said.

The team has had a highly impressive start to the season, clocking up thirty wins. These include Boonen’s Paris-Roubaix, Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent Wevelgem successes, as well as overall classification victories in the Tour de San Luis (Leipheimer), Tour of Qatar (Boonen), Tour of Oman (Velits), Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (Chavanel) and Tour of Belgium (Martin).

Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team Pre-Selection:

D.S.: Davide Bramati, Brian Holm, Wilfried Peeters