Tour de France Davitamon/Lotto Team
Cadel Evans and Robbie McEwen of Australia lead the team. Cadel Evans Confident.

Davitamon/Lotto announced this morning that Cadel Evans (Aus) and Robbie McEwen (Aus) will lead the tour de France team. Cadel Evans lead the team to a victory at the tour de Romandie with Robbie McEwen and Chris Horner collecting stage wins on the way to Cadel's victory on the G.C. in the final time trial.

With this team, we aim at the same splendid results at The Tour as last year. Our first consideration is to win a stage as soon as possible with Robbie, so that the green jersey will be an automatic follow up. Also for the confidence of the whole team, an early stage win will make marvels.

With Cadel Evans, we have a leader for the general classification; he is presently oozing confidence, and, after finishing eighty last year in his first Tour, he is now entitled to run for the Top 5. His recent results at Tour de Suisse show that the base is there and his results at Tour de Romandie have convinced both his supporters and adversaries.

We have selected following seven racers to assist our two leaders:
Aerts, Brandt, Van Summeren, Van Sevenant will repeat with conviction their excellent job of last year for our leaders. Rodriguez will remain once again to the last with Robbie, and Gert Steegmans, after gaining experience over the last year, will fulfill his dream and start for his first Tour to assist McEwen.

Last but not least, Chris Horner, also at his first start with Davitamon-Lotto, but with bags of experience, will be able to help Robbie and especially Evans in the mountain stages.

With this selection, we have a well balanced team, capable to bring such excellent results as last year. The coaches at the Tour will be Hendrik Redant and Herman Frison; sports manager Marc Sergeant will obviously follow the total distance.

Davitamon/Lotto Roster:
Cadel Evans (Aus)
Robbie McEwen (Aus)
Mario Aerts
Christophe Brandt
Christopher Horner (USA)
Fred Rodriguez (USA)
Gert Steegmans
Wim Vansevenant
Johan Vansummeren
D.S. Marc Sergeant