The Tour Down Under (18 - 23 January 2011) is already promising heaps of spectacle for sprint lovers. Never before have so many 'Captains of Sprint' assembled this early in the season, after it was revealed that Manxman Mark Cavendish will also attend the race for HTC-Highroad.

With the news that the 'Manx Missile' will also be racing, the organisation is assured of the top field in sprinting now the three fastest sprinters (Cavendish, Greipel and Farrar) in the world - on paper - are all competing in their race. The starting line up could even become more beautiful, albeit that Tom Boonen is rumoured to start his season in the Tour of Gabon this year. Nevertheless, it will be the first time that former team mates Greipel and Cavendish will clash head-to-head in the same race.

HTC-Highroad will present an excellent team anyway. Besides Mark Cavendish it is expected that 'homeboys' Matt Goss and Mark Renshaw will also ride. Bert Grabsch, Bernard Eisel, Danny Pate and All Black Hayden Roulston complete their selection. It won't come as much of a surprise that manager Rolf Aldag is aiming for stage wins as well as the GC Down Under: "The Santos Tour Down Under is obviously a very important race in our calendar. As a team we enjoy the chance to prove that the hard work during the winter has paid off. The motivation from early wins at Santos Tour Down Under gives the whole team a big boost for the first part of the season."

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Links: Mark Cavendish, Tour Down Under 2011