Tour de Georgia weblog

2006 TdG start list posted, teams presented

Tour de Georgia 2006 | Riders List

CyclingNews.com | Danielson Ready for Georgia and Giro

CyclingNews talked to Tom Danielson and Freddie Rodriguez at the team presentation Monday afternoon in Augusta. Danielson says he has two goals: defend his Tour de Georgia title this week, then have a dominant Giro d'Italia performance, erasing memories of the knee injury that took him out of last year's Giro.

Rodriguez said the team is focused on the bunch sprints, with he and Henk Vogels looking for stage wins Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday:

"I'm not going to fool myself. Henk and I have three stages out there to make the best of it. The other stages are just way out of our league."

Rodriguez told Mark Zalewski that McEwen is trying to kick a number of injuries and sicknesses, while 2003 TdG winner Chris Horner can't be spared from the team's primary campaign in the Ardennes, where he'll take the start at Flèche Wallone and try to improve on his excellent 20th overall at Amstel Gold.

The final riders' list is up, clearing up the last few inconsistencies between the expected riders list, the initial rider list posted last week, and who will actually be riding.

Only 119 riders are expected to start Tuesday, as Prodir-Saunier Duval brings only 7 riders.

Cyclocross legend Tim Johnson will take the start for HealthNet-Maxxis.

Also:

CyclingNews.com | Tour de Georgia team presentation photos

Tour de Georgia final rosters announced

Tour de Georgia 2006 | Teams

The Tour de Georgia has released the official final start list for the six-stage jaunt around Georgia, kicking off Tuesday in Augusta.

Last year's overall winner, Tom Danielson of Discovery Channel, returns, supported by Yaroslav Popovych, Viatcheslav Ekimov, new Discos Trent Lowe and Egoi Martinez, Michael Barry, Jason McCartney, and Janez Brajkovic.

CSC will be headlined by David Zabriskie, Jakob Piil and Brian Vandborg, who won Stage 4 of last year's TdG.