Speaking of the 2010 route, Aldag added, "It's true there are fewer flat stages, so when it comes to the green jersey, the question will be which sprinters can get over the climbs at the end of the hillier stages. Mark managed to win his fifth stage in the Tour this year after a really tough final climb."
Aldag says Columbia-HTC's other big objective will be to see what German Tony Martin is capable of achieving in the overall classification, "but without putting him under any pressure. This year he did really well considering it was his first Tour de France. Next July our target is that if he manages to avoid the two bad days he had, we'll be able to see where that gets him. If he finishes somewhere between eighth and twelfth in Paris, we'd be absolutely delighted."
Mark Cavendish vs. Thor Hushovd in the 2010 Tour de France. Who will prevail? Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com to find out! Photo copyright Fotoreporter Sirotti.
As for the route overall, Aldag describes it as "a little different. Those cobbled sections in one early stage and the Ardennes climbs in another will make it special. If it wasn't for those two stages, I'd say the overall contenders should maybe try to ride themselves into top shape for the Pyrenees, where the race will be decided. But with such a tough first week, anything could happen. It'll be an exciting Tour for sure."
