We take a look at all the Australian riders to support their riders with domestique duties, fighting for stage wins, and the maillot jaune.
The 2010 Tour de France is in it’s 97th edition and will start with an 8 km prologue in Rotterdam on 3 July, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996, and end on the Champs-Elys?es in Paris on 25 July.
The first three stages pass through the Netherlands and Belgium on routes designed to replicate some features of the spring classics, including seven cobblestone sectors totaling 13.2 km, the longest distance of cobblestones in the Tour since 1983, on stage three.
There are six mountain stages, three of them with mountain finishes, and in the 100th anniversary year of their first inclusion on the tour, the emphasis is on the Pyrenees, with two ascents of the Col du Tourmalet. There is just one long time trial, which is restored to its traditional place on the penultimate day.
Australian line-up for the 2010 Tour de France
Cadel Evans (33)
Town: Katherine, Northern Territory
Height: 1.73 m
Weight: 64 kg
Ability: All-rounder
Team: BMC Racing Team
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
Evans has the highest Tour de France finishes for an Australian, coming second in 2007 and 2008.
Simon Gerrans (30)
Town: Melbourne, Victoria
Height: 1.70 m
Weight: 64 kg
Ability: Climber, All-rounder
Team: Team Sky
Twitter | Facebook | Team Website | Team Twitter
Became the first Australian to win a stage of each of the three Grand Tours.
Adam Hansen (29)
Town: Cairns, Queensland
Height: 1.86 m
Weight: 75 kg
Team: Team HTC-Columbia
Ability: Domestique
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
Helped Mick Rogers to victory at the Tour of California
Brett Lancaster (30)
Town: Shepparton, Victoria
Height: 1.88 m
Weight: 78 kg
Current Team: Cerv?lo TestTeam
Ability: Domestique
Blog | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
His greatest successes is the 1st in the 2005 Prologue of the Giro d’Italia, and wearing the maglia rosa.
Matthew lloyd (27)
Town: Melbourne, Victoria
Height: 1.71 m
Weight: 62 kg
Team: Omega Pharma-Lotto
Ability: Climbing specialist
Facebook | Team Website | Team Twitter
Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour.
Robbie McEwen (37)
Town: Brisbane, Queensland
Height: 1.71 m
Weight: 67 kg
Ability: Sprinter
Team: Katusha
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
Wants to win the Green jersey for the fourth year having taken the Points Classification 2002, 2004, 2006
Stuart O’Grady (36)
Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Height: 1.76 m
Weight: 73 kg
Team: Team Saxo Bank
Ability: Sprinter
Website | Team Website | Team Twitter
The first Australian to win a major classic when he crossed the line first in Paris-Roubaix.
Mark Renshaw (27)
Town: Bathurst, New South Wales
Height 1.79 m
Weight 72 kg
Ability: Sprinter/Leadout Specialist
Team: Team HTC-Columbia
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
His primary responsibility in major races is as lead-out rider for sprinter Mark Cavendish. Renshaw’s individual highlight at the Tour de France is his second placed finish on the final stage of the Tour de France, after a lead-out that also gave Cavendish the victory.
Luke Roberts (33)
Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Height 1.81 m
Weight 71 kg
Team: Milram
Ability: Time Trialist
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
Biggest trophies are Commonwealth and Olympic gold medals in the team pursuit.
Michael Rogers (30)
Town: Barham, New South Wales
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 75 kg
Team: Team HTC-Columbia
Ability: Climber/Time Trialist
Website | Twitter | Team Website | Team Twitter
Rogers won the world time-trial championship in 2003, 2004 and 2005. In 2010, as leader of his team, he won the prestigious Tour of California (the first non-American to do so).
Wesley Sulzberger (23)
Town: Launceston, Tasmania
Height 1.82 m
Weight 65 kg
Team: Fran?aise des Jeux
Ability: Domestique
Team Website
5th Overall at the 2009 Tour Down Under
You can follow the 2010 Tour de France on SBS television in Australia with live race coverage and short ‘wrap-ups’ repeated during the day. Other Pay Television / Satellite stations also provide coverage.
The official Tour de France website includes a live ticker up-to-date information on results and classifications.
