Former German champion has capabilities to help Wiggins and Cavendish
In the coming weeks, much speculation will surround Sky Procycling and its Tour de France selection process, as the squad has to accommodate both Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins.
How the British team chooses to allocate its nine roster spots will be paramount, to find the right balance of help in the mountains for Wiggins, and help in the lead out for Cavendish. With the recent successes of Cavendish in the Giro d’Italia, and the utter domination by Wiggins in nearly every stage race he has entered, Team Sky has proven that they are more than capable in every discipline.
With that in mind, beyond the selections of Wiggins and Cavendish, Sky may look to build a team around the duo with riders who are capable in multiple disciplines.
It is in this respect that team domestique Christian Knees could thrive, should he be selected for his second Tour de France in his second season raced with Team Sky. The former German national champion was a part of both of his squad’s recent wins, supporting Michael Rogers in his Bayern-Rundfahrt win – whilst finishing seventh himself – as well as Wiggins in the Critérium du Dauphiné.
Also a former Bayern-Rundfahrt champion, Knees knows that it has been his squad’s teamwork and all-around strength that has helped them achieve so much so far.
“We have since picked up right where we left off in Bavaria, working as a team,” Knees told Radsport News.com. “We all pull together, because only then can such success come about. We went to the Dauphiné to win. As it has been seen since the Bayern-Rundfahrt, our team is very strong in terms of our depth.”
Knees credited his team managers, along with a new presence in the squad, that have had the team firing on all cylinders for the majority of the season.
“Our coaches have put together a great workout plan, and our head coach [and performance analyst], Tim Kerrison, comes from a swimming background and only has two years spent working with cyclists. [He has] introduced many new ideas into practice.”
When the Critérium du Dauphiné ended on Sunday, Knees and several of his team-mates stayed in Chatel to take part in a training camp at altitude. While he is not yet sure if he will have a spot on the Team Sky squad in France, Knees is focusing all his energy on his preparation, should he get the call.
“Whether or not I will be in the Tour will be decided in the next few days,” Knees stated. “If I should be nominated for the Tour, I want to prepare myself in the best way. The whole year, Brad has been focused on the Tour, and he is well on schedule. I want to be one hundred percent fit, because Brad’s going to the Tour this year to get the victory. For me, he is one of the big favourites, too.”