Danielson named for debut Tour de France

Tom Danielson will ride the Tour de France for this first time in his career. Garmin-Cervelo team CEO Jonathan Vaughters made the announcement on Monday but has still to confirm the final nine riders that will line-up in the Vendée region for the start of the Tour de France on Saturday July 2.  

“We seem to produce a surprise in the Tour de France every year,” Vaughters said, according to the Denver Post. “I hope this year that's Danielson."

The 33-year-old said: “I honestly don't know what it means to me. I'm a pro. I focused a lot on being at a high level. I just want to continue doing my job and reach the highest level possible."

"On the last day of the Tour, I'll tell you what it means to me."

This season Danielson has finished third overall in the Amgen Tour of California and ninth in the Tour de Suisse that ended on Sunday.

After finishing fifth in the closing time trial at Suisse, which moved him up from eleventh to ninth overall, Danielson seemed to have an idea of what was coming.

"All in all ninth is a nice result, but I am most happy with what my body is telling me in the last days of this race,” he wrote on the team website. “That is I am coming into some nice form with some nice confidence to back it for the next month. I am very excited!!!!!”