The evidence suggests this is the case, as the team begins to peak.

Gonzalez de Galdeano won the recent Tour of Germany and has been one of the only riders to beat Lance Armstrong this season in a time trial.

Beloki's challenge is to move from third in the past two years to second.

Anything less, in the absence of perennial runner-up Jan Ullrich, would be relative failure.

With back-up talent in Jose Azevedo, Marcos Antonio Serrano and Jorg Jaksche, ONCE are expected to be capable of pushing Armstrong and his US Postal team.

Saiz's clearout was all along aimed at victory in the Tour de France in 2002.

Last year's event was always going to be too soon for a relatively young team.

But he has announced his intent to capture the only major race to have avoided them since their arrival in the sport.