Vacansoleil announces short list for Tour de France

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Four Dutch riders and four Belgians top Vacansoleil-DCM's short list for the Tour de France. Also on the list is Romain Feillu, who has brought in eight of the team's 14 wins this season.

Wout Poels, Rob Ruijgh, Lieuwe Westra and Johnny Hoogerland are the homeland nominees for the Dutch team, with Stijn Devolder, Björn Leukemans, Frederik Veuchelen and Thomas De Gendt representing Belgium.

Others vying for a spot on the team's Tour de France debut are Borut Bozic (Slovenia), Matteo Carrara and Marco Marcato (Italy), Sergey Lagutin (Uzbekistan) and Feillu. The French rider wore the leader's yellow jersey for one stage in the 2008 Tour.

In addition to Feillu, Carrara and Devolder have also previously ridden the Tour.

Westra, Veuchelen and Ruijgh are currently riding the Criterium du Dauphine. De Gendt, Devolder, Bozic, Carrara, Lagutin, Marcato and Poels will ride the Tour de Suisse (June 11-19), while Leukemans, Feillu, Ruijgh and Hoogerland will ride the Ster ZLM Toer from June 15-19.

The team will announce its final Tour line-up on June 23.