Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) (Image credit: Sirotti)
The Rabobank squad has confirmed its line up for the Tour de France, with Erik Erik Breukink and Frans Maassen taking the following nine riders: Dutchmen Michael Boogerd, Erik Dekker, Thomas Dekker, Joost Posthuma and Pieter Weening, with Juan Antonio Flecha and Oscar Freire (Spain), Denis Menchov (Russia) and Michael Rasmussen (Denmark). Bram de Groot (the Netherlands) and Pedro Horrillo (Spain) will be the team's reserves.
The squad has a total of 35 years of Tour de France experience, with Erik Dekker as the most experienced rider, starting in his 12th Tour. Michael Boogerd will be riding his 11th Tour, while Thomas Dekker will make his debut in the world’s biggest cycling event.
The team also has a total of 10 stage wins in the Tour: Erik Dekker has four, Boogerd has two, and Flecha, Freire, Rasmussen and Weening all have one. Rasmussen also won the polka dot jersey last year, while Denis Menchov won the young rider classification in 2003. Menchov, the on again, off again winner of the 2005 Vuelta a España, will be the team's main GC rider.
