It's now less than two weeks until the 2007 Amgen Tour of California begins, and I keep seeing names of major league cyclists who plan to compete in the 8-stage bicycle race.

The latest are Michael Rasmussen of Denmark and Freddie Rodriguez of the US. Add them to a list that already includes Italian Ivan Basso; Americans Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, Tom Danielson (all Discovery), David Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde, and Bobby Julich (all CSC); CSC's Juan Jose Haedo (winner of two stages last year); and world champion Paolo Bettini (QuickStep).

Rasmussen of the Rabobank cycling team is the guy wearing the polka-dot King of the Mountain jersey ....   more »