HTC-Columbia and Garmin-Transitions announce Paris-Roubaix squads

American ProTour teams HTC-Columbia and Garmin-Transitions are sending strong teams to Paris-Roubaix, with both Gent-Wevelgem winner Bernhard Eisel and Scheldeprijs winner Tyler Farrar riding in the “Hell of the North”.

Eisel will be supported by seven Paris-Roubaix veterans, plus race rookie Adam Hansen. Lars Bak, Matt Goss, Hayden Roulston, Vicente Reynes, Marcel Sieberg and Martin Velits round out the HTC-Columbia team. Sieberg was the team's highest finisher last year, coming in 20th.

HTC-Columbia's secret weapon may be directeur sportif Tristan Hoffman, who rode the race three times between 2000 and 2004. He achieved a second placing in 2004, after finishing fourth in 2000 and 2002.

Garmin will have an equally strong team at the start, with Farrar, David Millar and Martijn Maaskant all with good chances. Maaskant finished fourth in the race in 2008, but hasn't shown much this season yet. Farrar, who has had better results so far this year than his Belgian teammate, has said that he will act as a helper in the race.

Garmin will also send Julian Dean, Steven Cozza, Johan Vansummeren, Danny Pate and Ricardo van der Velde.