Ryder Hesjedal of Victoria has been dropped as undisputed Garmin-Sharp lead rider for the 100th Tour de France as the pro cycling team will go with an unorthodox approach by riding in support of whoever鈥檚 hot.
鈥淲e will protect our best General Classification [lead rider] options and see how the race shakes out,鈥� said Garmin-Sharp CEO Jonathan Vaughters, in a statement.
鈥淥ur approach is a little unconventional. But we鈥檝e managed to come up with surprises every year at the Tour and we鈥檙e hoping for the same as we head into Corsica [the venue of Saturday鈥檚 first stage].鈥�
The 32-year-old Colwood-raised Hesjedal, winner of the 2012 Giro d鈥橧talia and sixth in the 2010 Tour de France, still looms large for Garmin-Sharp. But the team clearly feels it has several other prongs it can plug into the Tour socket.
鈥淲e have a deep team with a lot of options as we head into the Centennial Tour de France,鈥� said Vaughters.
鈥淥ur goal is to animate the race. And with an aggressive strategy, we will aim to place high in the General Classification [which is the individual championship category]. We have a few guys capable of achieving that 鈥� Ryder鈥檚 won a Grand Tour and placed in the top-10 of the Tour de France. Andrew [Talansky] is young and while it鈥檚 his first Tour de France, he is coming off a great season. And Dan Martin is having a breakout year with his wins in Catalunya and Liege-Baston-Liege.鈥�
Hesjedal was not made available to the media, but some of the Island cycling experts close to him say Garmin-Sharp鈥檚 approach is certainly unusual, if not controversial.
鈥淩yder has proven himself with a Grand Tour win,鈥� said two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games mountain-biking medallist Seamus McGrath, director of the annual Ryder Hesjedal Tour de Victoria.
鈥淚鈥檓 of the belief that you put eight guys behind a strong lead rider. That鈥檚 what all the other favourite teams are doing. This [Garmin-Sharp approach] is almost a recipe to create dissent in the ranks before the race.鈥�
McGrath said he recently spoke to Hesjedal and that he鈥檚 鈥渇eeling awesome鈥� and not affected by any lingering ailments from the crash that forced him to abandon the Tour de Suisse earlier this month.
鈥淭his guy was born on a bike,鈥� said McGrath.
There will be no shortage of Island fans cheering on Hesjedal in the Tour.
鈥淭he Trek Store cut a big hole in the wall and installed a 70-inch screen 鈥� the espresso will be on 鈥� and that鈥檚 where a lot of the hardcore fans will be watching,鈥� said McGrath.
Hesjedal is the lone Canadian selected for the 21-stage tour on the Colorado-based Garmin-Sharp team among three Americans, an Irishman, Brit, Aussie, Kiwi and Lithuanian.
SPROCKETS: Victoria rider Curtis Deardon鈥檚 victory in the men鈥檚 time trial last week at the Canadian cycling championships in Quebec was celebrated during a reception held in his honour Thursday at Russ Hay鈥檚 bicycle shop
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