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Hayden Roulston - Source: Photosport -
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New Zealand cyclist Hayden Roulston has been named as part of the Cervelo TestTeam's starting lineup for next month's Tour de France.
The nine-man Tour team is led by defending champion Carlos Sastre of Spain and Norwegian sprint ace Thor Hushovd.
Roulston and 11 others pre-selected for the tour, which begins in Monaco on July 4, have been spending time near Swiss base testing their new time trial bikes as they eye an all-out attack on the 39km fourth stage team time trial (TTT) in Montpellier on July 7.
Roulston, who has been hampered by a foot injury for some weeks, proved his fitness and enhanced his
chances of selection with a solid finish at last weekend's Ster Elektrotoer five-day race in the Netherlands.
He was Cervelo's top rider in general classification, finishing seventh.
If selected Roulston's major role would be to lead-out Hushovd who has won the tour's green (sprint ace) jersey and help nurse Sastre in the mountain stages.
With Julian Dean due to start his fifth tour with Garmin Slipstream, it would be the first time two riders from New Zealand will be at the start line together.
Dunedin's Greg Henderson has missed out on a tour start for his Columbia-Highroad team.
Cervelo team for the Tour de France: Inigo Cuesta (ESP), Volodymyr Gustov (UKR), Heinrich Haussler (GER), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Andreas Klier (GER), Brett Lancaster (AUS), Jose Angel Gomez Marchante (ESP), Hayden Roulston (NZL), Carlos Sastre (ESP)
