Tour Down Under Starts

How about that?  Everyone is watching Cav and Andre and Matt and Mark steal the show.  Those two are pure HP.  Head-to-head I think Cav is "the Man", but still beatable.  The only problem is,  you have to race his whole team, which means you have Renshaw and Goss to deal with before you even get to Cav.  If you think for one min that you can beat Cav, you better ask yourself if you can beat HTC first.

I'm sure you all knew this, but Radio Shack added Robbie Mc to their line up, but did you know they also added the fastman from the RSA Robbie Hunter.  No big deal right?  It is a big deal, this is the first time in Bruyneel's reign that he has not focused strictly on a GC contender team.  This is clearly a team that can go out and stage hunt.

The Shack is not the only team that is bringing a sprint-centered team Down Under.  Omega Pharma Lotto is building its team around Andre Greipel with Gilbert always a threat when the conditions get tough.  We're talking weather, courses, all of the above.  Garmelo has Tyler and Thor that they will be able to throw into the bunch, sprint that is.  Don't forget about Julien Dean in the black white and blue.  Astana is flying the flag with Alan Davis.  Rabo has Graeme Brown and Michael Matthews who will be motivated to win on home soil, plus they are fast.  Mic Rogers is an Ausi on the Sky team fresh from HTC and looking to make a name on his new team, he is accompanied by fellow countrymen Simmon Gerrans, Chris Sutton, and Matt Hayman.

Sorry if I left you off, but there are too many to mention like the Haedo brothers on Saxo, Francesco Chicchi and Ciolek on QuickStep.  Speaking of QuickStep, where it Tom?  All of the horsepower/firepower and no Tom to be found anywhere, or Thor.  I hear they are making their starts in the Middle East.  I'm not a big fan of Boonen, but I would like to see him healthy and in the mix.  He always makes for good bunch sprints when he is in them.  I really like to watch him in the Classics.  A healthy Boonen in the Classics VS Fabian, OH baby give me a pint of something with a kick like a mule and lets watch some cobbled-craziness.

We do have to get through some races before the Classics, but as you can tell...I can't wait.