Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team has officially announced the squad which will take part in the Tour de l'Ain from August 7th to the 11th. The race is part of the Europe Tour calendar.
"Following tradition it will be a challenging race, especially as far as the last stages go," said Jan Schaffrath, who will be directing the team. "It will start with a fraction suited to sprinters in which we can count on Fenn and Ciolek. The second day will be two semi-stages — one in the morning that again will favour sprinters, and one in the afternoon, a team time trial in which we'll have to do well if we want to stand any chance in the classifications. Instead the last three stages are designed on routes that, as always, have been challenging around these parts. They are stages suited to breakaways, but in which the teams of the classified men will have to work hard to keep the race together. Especially in the last two stages, in the department of the Jura, the race will be decided. There are two uphill arrivals; it will be important to stay ahead and fight to obtain a good result with athletes like Pauwels, Vandewalle and Cataldo, who is racing for the first time since his nice victory in the Italian time trial championship."