Rojas for the Tour?

By Antonio J. Salmerón

22 year-old Spaniard José Joaquin Rojas, might become part of the Caisse d'Epargne team for the Tour de France, July 5 to 27. His performances, not to mention his place in the ProTour's top-ten, gives General Manager Eusebio Unzúe confidence that the young and promising sprinter will earn a spot on the squad alongside team-leader Alejandro Valverde in the Tour de France or Vuelta a España.

"We can say that Rojas is among the thirteen selected," Unzúe assured Cyclingnews. "And once he has returned from his participation in the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, we will decide what to do. Then he will take a brief rest before starting to prepare for his participation in Tour."

Unzúe admitted, in football terms, "Rojas was sitting on the bench and he is training." If his debut in the Tour de France is delayed Unzúe has another option. "If he should fail to be in the Tour ... there is also the almost certainly the option to be in the Vuelta a España."

For more read Joaquín Rojas fights tooth and nail in Dunkerque.

(Additional research and assistance provided by Susan Westemeyer).