Tour of Georgia - Phonak Team Profile
Floyd Landis Tour of California and Paris Nice winner; a capable leader leads a
capable Phonak Team.
Phonak Hearing Systems
The Swiss-based Phonak Hearing Systems team, ranked No. 2 overall in 2005
ProTour, features American Floyd Landis as team leader. Landis took 2006 by
storm by winning Paris-Nice and the inaugural Tour of California where he won
the time trial and never relinquished the California "Golden Fleece" of race
leader He finished third overall in the 2005 Tour de Georgia, including a stage
win in the individual time trial.
Once tabbed by none other than Lance Armstrong as the kind of rider who could
win le Tour; Landis has shown this year as a capable team leader and a return
home to the states for the tour of Georgia is one more notch in his program for
a serious assault for another major win and sharpening his form to the cutting
edge for a power performance in France in July.
Floyd in the Time Trial Tour of California
photo c. Scott Schaffrick and www.dailypeloton.com
Roster:
Clerc, Aurélien (SUI)
Gutierrez, Ignacio (ESP)
Hunter, Robert (RSA)
Landis, Floyd (USA)
Oliveira, Luis (ESP)
Stadler, Florian (SUI)
Tschopp, Johann (SUI)
VIitoria, David (SUI)
Paris Nice winner Floyd Landis photo c. Fotoreporter Sirotti
It’s been quite a spring for Floyd Landis.
Stage and overall victory at the Tour of California led to a win in the GC at
Paris-Nice. The American is convinced that he can peak effectively twice in one
year and, in doing so, challenge seriously for the Tour de France. Although one
would perhaps not expect the ex-mountain biker to continue his storming spring
with yet another high overall finish here, he will, at any rate, be looking to
make a good account of himself on home soil and of Phonak in this big event.
Third overall last year, the thirty-year old will be one of the favourites
for the 40km time-trial, especially considering that he won against the clock in
Rome last year. We’ve been surprised this year by Landis already and, despite
his summer ambitions, he will be the Phonak team leader here, and could well
surprise us again, improving on his 3rd place in 2005.
Looking past Landis, there are few other general classification
possibilities:
Johann Tschopp is a talented climber, but it’s likely that he will
provide mountain support for Landis.
Ignacio Gutierrez will also serve as a team domestique, though he did
recently finish just outside the top twenty in the Tour of the Basque Country.
The team also looks very able for the flatter parts of the race, with
Robert Hunter and
Aurelien Clerc both likely to feature at the business end of the
bunch gallops. Hunter won the
first stage
(one of four victories in 2005), from Augusta to Macon, in last year’s race,
ahead of Ben Brooks (Jelly Belly) and Michele Maccanti (Team LPR). On the other
hand, Clerc, tipped as one of the brightest talents in bunch sprinting several
years ago, has not won since 2004 and will be gunning for a return to glory in
Georgia.
Neo-professional David Vitoria is also a
fast finisher, though it’s probable that he’ll work as part of the lead out
train for Hunter or Clerc, continuing to learn the ropes. The Phonak roster is
completed by two more youngsters: first-year pro Luis
Fernandez and Florian Stadler.
2006 Ford Tour of Georgia
Ford Tour de
Georgia 2006--Team Rosters and Profiles
Tour of
Georgia - Saunier Duval/Prodir Team Profile
Teams
Announced for 2006 Ford Tour de Georgia
Ford Tour de
Georgia 2006-Winner's Jerseys
Discovery
Channel Announces Team for California Tour
Ford Tour de
Georgia 2006--A Look at Stage Six
Ford Tour de
Georgia 2006--Stage by Stage Stage 1 & 2
Ford Tour de
Georgia--A Look at the Time Trial
Ford Tour de
Georgia 2006
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