Another rider from the Australian Institute of Sport production line, Michael Rogers is the well-funded T-Mobile team's best shot of "GC" success this year.

A superb time-trialler - he won three world titles in a row from 2003 - Rogers can also climb. And for that reason alone he is a potential Tour winner.

The problem "Dodger" has is that apart from his successes against the clock, he has not enjoyed huge amounts of success. He is also carrying an injured knee.

His best Tour finish is ninth last year, though he was second in Catalunya this year and in Switzerland in 2005.