Astana begin Tour de France team announcement - News Shorts
(Cyclingnews.com)

Lutsenko first Astana rider named for 2017 Tour de France Astana has named its first two rider for the 2017 Tour de France, confirming Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko and Dane Michael Valgren for their third appearances in La Grande Boucle. The team will announce one rider per day of its nine-man squad in the lead-in to the Tour. Fabio Aru and Criterium du Dauphine winner Jakob Fuglsang are the two GC leaders for the 2017 Tour. `I am coming to the Tour with concrete goals: to help our two leaders and try and get a personal result. I know what to expect from this race, and I am ready,` said Lutensko Lutsenko debuted at the Tour in 2013, abandoning the race on stage 18. He returned in 2016 and finished in 62nd place overall.ADVERTISEMENT In 2017, the 24-year-old has racked up 37 race days with third place at Dwars Door Vlaanderen and victory in the Asian cycling championships time trial his best results of the season so far. A stage winner at Salon-de-Provence during the 2016 Paris-Nice, Lutsenko will be aiming to replicate his win on stage 19 of the Tour. Valgren told Cyclingnews in January that he is excited to be riding the Tour in support of compatriot Fuglsang and explained in a team announcement he will also aim for a stage win in July. Cink to make `dream` Tour de France debut Martinelli out of Italian national TT after crash Cannondale-Drapac announce Cyrus Monk as first stagiaire for 2017 You can read more at Cyclingnews.com