On Monday, the Trek-Segafredo professional cycling team announced its line-up for the 103rd three-week Tour de France that starts this coming Saturday 2 July 2016, with Luxembourg's Frank Schleck included.
Trek-Segafredo followed their initiative started last year by allowing its worldwide fans to announce the nine-man roster; nine select followers of the team each disclosed the name of one of the nine riders over the past three days via their personal Twitter accounts, using the hashtag #BeOurMessenger. Their tweets were subsequently retweeted by the team and by each specific rider.
Bauke Mollema, seventh overall in 2015, and Fabian Cancellara will headline the nine-man team.
Mollema and Cancellara will be joined by climbers Fränk Schleck, Haimar Zubeldia and Peter Stetina, who will play key support for Mollema in the mountains. Jasper Stuyven and Edward Theuns – each riding in their first Tour – will be strong prospects for breakaways and sprints, and rouleurs Gregory Rast and Markel Irizar complete the nine-rider squad.
Trek-Segafredo will showcase a global team with six nationalities: Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Markel Irizar (SPA), Bauke Mollema (NED), Grégory Rast (SUI), Fränk Schleck (LUX), Peter Stetina (USA), Jasper Stuyven (BEL), Edward Theuns (BEL) and Haimar Zubeldia (SPA).
Photo of Frank Schleck from the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) in 2015