Haselbacher disappointed

Gerolsteiner's René Haselbacher is disappointed not to have been nominated to ride the Tour de France for the second year in a row. "It went just like last year, but with the little difference that this year I presented myself well," he wrote on his personal website.

"Besides winning the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt, where I also won a stage, I had two placings at the Bayern Rundfahrt and the Vuelta a Catalunya, as well as a third place in the Pfalz. All together I've had thirteen Top Ten finishes from the Tour of Qatar to the Tour de Suisse. That's not really a bad balance."

But 'Hasi' knows that the General Classification is too great a goal for his team this year. "I have shown that I can do it, but the team tactic is totally concentrated on Leipheimer and Totschnig," he continued.

What's next for the Austrian sprinter? First of all, a short rest period before starting the second half of the season. "It's clear to me that I will fully concentrate on the World Championships in Salzburg in the middle of September," Haselbacher added. "And it looks like I will ride the Vuelta as preparation, that worked out well last year."