The old Los Angeles Rams used to have the Fearsome Foursome. Now the Cannondale-Garmin pro cycling team will have the Torrid Triumvirate going for glory in the 2015 Tour de France.
The team announced Monday that Ryder Hesjedal of Victoria will be part of a trio of featured riders for the Tour, along with 2013 top-10 Tour performer Andrew Talansky from the U.S. and 2013 Tour stage-winner Dan Martin from Ireland.
The Colwood-raised Hesjedal, a three-time Olympian who began riding as a mountain biker on the trails around the Lower Island, was fifth in the 2010 Tour de France before winning the 2012 Giro d鈥橧talia.
鈥淲e are going into the Tour de France with three leaders, all who have very different riding styles, and those styles complement each other,鈥� said Cannondale-Garmin race director Charly Wegelius, in a statement.
鈥淎ndrew, Dan and Ryder have shown they work well together, and that will translate to the roads of the Tour. We have a very talented group of riders and by bringing three top guys: Andrew, Dan and Ryder, we鈥檙e going to make things very interesting. These three, and the team as whole, will work seamlessly and selflessly together to shake things up and create opportunities. You will see a lot of creativity from us at this Tour. Supporting [the top three] is a strong bunch.鈥�
The team also unveiled its racing kit for the 2015 Tour, featuring its familiar blue argyle on a green background with black trim.
The Cannondale-Garmin riders will be officially introduced during a new conference Thursday in Utrecht, Netherlands, where the 102nd Tour begins on Saturday.
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