The 2006 Rabobank team met the press on Thursday in Rotterdam, its framework primarily Dutch and young, but bolstered by some old hands.

Dutch veterans Erik Dekker, 35, and Michael Boogerd, 33, are the elder statesmen of the team, which boasts several promising young riders, among them Thomas Dekker, 21; and Pieter Weening, Joost Posthuma and Theo Eltink, all 24.

Back for 2006 are Oscar Freire, the former world champion who suffered a disappointing 2005 season with injuries to the back and recurring saddle sores.

"I really hope that all these problems are now behind me," said Freire, 30. "The next few weeks of training will tell me more about my ability to return to the fore. But I am optimistic."

Freire pronounced himself "delighted" by the arrival of his compatriot Juan Antonio Flecha, formerly Fassa Bortolo, who like Erik Dekker and Boogerd is a classics contender.

"Our team is very strong this year," said Erik Dekker, who will retire at the end of this season and succeed Joop Zoetemelk as one of the team’s assistant sporting directors. He said he felt Rabobank could give Quick Step and world champion Tom Boonen a run for their money.

But the one-day classics will not be Rabobank’s only objective. After a brillliant 2005 Tour, which saw both Weening and Dane Michael Rasmussen win stages and Rasmussen take the climber's jersey, plus a runner-up finish in the Vuelta a España by Russian Denis Menchov, Rabobank has ambitions in the grand tours as well.

"The departure of Lance Armstrong leaves the Tour open to a number of contenders," said Manchov. "Why not me?" In any case, Rabobank should acquit itself well in the mountains, with the Colombian Mauricio Ardila (ninth in the Vuelta), Menchov, Boogerd and of course Rasmussen. -AFP

Rabobank for 2006
Mauricio Ardila (Col)
Michael Boogerd (Ned)
Jan Boven (Ned)
Graeme Brown (Aus)
Bram De Groote (Ned)
Marc De Maar (Ned)
Erik Dekker (Ned)
Thomas Dekker (Ned)
Theo Eltink (Ned)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Sp)
Oscar Freire (Sp)
Matthew Hayman (Aus)
Pedro Horillo (Sp)
Alexander Kolobnev (Rus)
Gerben Lowik (Ned)
Denis Menchov (Rus)
Grischa Niermann (G)
Joost Posthuma (Ned)
Michael Rasmussen (Den)
Niels Scheuneman (Ned)
Roy Sentjens (Ned)
Jukka Vastaranta (Fin)
Thorvald Veneberg (Ned)
Marc Wauters (B)
Pieter Weening (Ned)

General manager: Theo De Rooij (Ned)
Sporting director: Erik Breukink (Ned)
Assistant directors: Frans Maassen (Ned), Joop Zoetemelk (Ned), Adria Van Houwelingen (Ned)

Saunier Duval to chase Tour of California with some wind-tunnel tests
After Saunier Duval-Prodir races the inaugural Tour of California, three of the squad’s riders — Gilberto Simoni, Koldo Gil and José Angel Gómez Marchante — will join newcomer David Millar at the Allied Aerospace wind tunnel in San Diego for a round of aerodynamic testing.

Friday's EuroFile: Rabobank '06 unveiled; Saunier Duval for California, wind tunnel

Scott USA conducted initial aero’ testing of its new time-trial/triathlon frame, the Plasma, at the San Diego wind tunnel. After the test proved successful, the team hired the tunnel for a further checkout of its ProTour gear, according to Scott USA.

Santini will be on hand to analyze its team kit, which employs technology used in skiing and swimming. Other Saunier Duval suppliers testing gear will include Ritchey (time-trial handlebars), MET (helmets) and Selle Italia.