In a new run of features, Cyclingnews sits down with some of the sport's well-known personalities as they pick their cycling dream teams. This week, 2004 Olympic Road Race bronze medallist and current Axeon Hagens Berman team director Axel Merckx selects his dream team.
The Rules:
- Each team must feature nine riders, one of which can be the rider selecting the team, in which case they would pick eight riders to join them. The riders chosen need to have been teammates with the person picking the team.
Leader: Paolo Bettini
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Paolo would be the leader for the Ardennes and Milan-San Remo-type races. Anything besides maybe the flatter races like Paris-Roubaix or Tour of Flanders, although he did some good rides in Flanders also. Paolo's results kind of speak for themselves, all the races that he's won. He's always been a leader and he's a great guy. He can win everywhere. He's the kind of guy you want to have on your team because he really can win anywhere, whether it's a big stage race, a one-week stage race, Spring Classics, World Championships, Milan-San Remo. He's one of the most talented riders that I've raced with, especially for one-day races.
Sprinter: Tom Steels
I've known Tom since we were amateurs. We were racing amateurs together, and he developed as the best sprinter of his generation. What was so special to me with Tom was that he could motivate his teammates in a calm and stylish way. It's always a big difference between racing with somebody or for somebody when they are a friend you've grown up with from a young age. He's got a couple dozen titles from great wins at great races and some sprints in the Grand Tours, so that's why I picked him as the top sprinter.
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