Danielson to the Dauphiné

Tom Danielson's main objective of the season is getting closer. The American rider, who will be riding the Tour de France for the first time this year, is sharpening his form and will line up for the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré on Sunday.

After the Tour of California, where he rode mainly in support of eventual winner Levi Leipheimer, Danielson expects his next few races to deliver results. "I rode the Tour of Belgium and my next race is the Dauphiné," the Discovery rider told thepaceline.com. "I was down to ride Catalunya, which I was looking forward to, but I got sick." he added, explaining the reason for his late inclusion in Belgium. "I had never raced the Tour of Belgium, but it was perfect preparation for Dauphiné. The tour represented all of my weaknesses as a rider and there is no better way for me to prepare than to ride that race."

Danielson hopes to show that he is capable of mixing it with the big guns during the Dauphiné. "There are many big names riding the Dauphiné, so I hope that I can show that I am at the same level as those guys," he said.

Danielson feels that the next step required before attacking his major goal of the season, the Tour, is another ProTour race, and like many other riders, believes that the Dauphiné offers the best preparation before the start in London on July 7. "I am going to target the Dauphine and try to do well in the overall. I live near the course and I know all of the climbs and the roads pretty well," he concluded.