COLUMBIA UNVEIL NEW JERSEY AT TOUR TEAM PRESENTATION

Mark Cavendish showed off Team Columbia?s new sky blue jersey at the Tour de France team presentation on Thursday evening in Brest.

Team Columbia joined the other 19 teams on the stage in the centre of Brest for the traditional pre-race presentation. Last year thousands packed Trafalgar Square in London, this year a few hundred showed up in a cold and windy Brest in a much lower-profile event.

The teams quietly waited in the nearby town hall, mingling with friends from other teams and checking each others form before Saturday?s start.

David Millar?s Garmin team were the first onto the stage and showed off their new white but still argyle-decorated jersey. They were followed by Saunier Duval, with Riccardo Ricco striking his usual full of attitude pose.

Team Columbia caught everybody?s attention with the new jersey. The blue replaces the white used on the High Road jersey and is paired with traditional all-black shorts.

Mark Cavendish sported a new haircut and got a good cheer from the expert Brittany cycling fans who clearly knew that he has emerged as the fastest sprinter in the peloton in the last few months.

Team CSC Saxo Bank also showed off their new jersey, with Fabian Cancellara jokingly calling it Sexy Bank.

Silence-Lotto were the last team to ride onto the stage, confirming Cadel Evan?s status as race favourite. Evans was relaxed and quiet before the presentation, but seems confident that he can finally win the Tour de France.

RELATED LINKS

Tour de France 2008: Team presentation photo gallery

Mark Cavendish, Team Columbia

Mark Cavendish

David Millar (centre), Garmin-Chipotle

Chris Froome, Barloworld

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