GEORGE HINCAPIE
Born: June 29, 1973, in Queens, N.Y.
Height, weight: 6-3, 170
Team: Columbia

Recent performances: First, Stage 7, Tour of California; first, Stage 3, Dauphine Libere
Key to victory: Why not go with what worked last year? Hincapie will look for a break in an early stage, solidify his lead in the time trial and rely on a strong team to defend his lead.

MICHAEL ROGERS
Born: Dec. 20, 1979, in Barham, New South Wales
Height, weight: 6-1, 170
Team: Columbia
Recent performance: Fifth, Olympic road race
Key to victory: A three-time world time trial champion, he could be Plan B for Columbia, winning Stage 3 and defending his lead to the end.

MARK CAVENDISH
Born: May 21, 1985, on the Isle of Man
Height, weight: 5-9, 150
Team: Columbia
Recent performances: Four stage victories, Tour de France; three stage victories, Tour of Ireland
Key to victory: If the group finishes in a bunch, Cavendish is the odds-on favorite to break away and take the win. With a 10-second time bonus for the stage winner, he could accumulate enough bonus time to offset a less-than-stellar time trial.

CHRISTIAN VANDEVELDE
Born: May 22, 1976, in Lemont, Ill.
Height, weight: 5-11, 150
Team: Garmin-Chipotle
Recent performances: Fifth overall, Tour de France; 17th, Olympic road race
Key to victory: A premier climber, VandeVelde's strong suit here will be the time trial. If VandeVelde wins Stage 3, he has a strong enough team to stay in the lead to St. Louis.

DAVID ZABRISKIE
Born: Jan. 12, 1979, in Salt Lake City
Height, weight: 6-0, 147
Team: Garmin-Chipotle
Recent performance: First, U.S. time trial championships
Key to victory: If he has recovered from a broken spine suffered in May, Zabriskie is good enough to blow away the field in the time trial, then hold on for victory.

ROMAN KREUZIGER
Born: May 6, 1986, in Moravska Trepova, Czech Republic
Height, weight: 6-0, 140
Team: Liquigas
Recent performance: First overall, Tour of Switzerland
Key to victory: He's a good time trialist, but he's better in the mountains than on the relative flats and rollers in Missouri.

VINCENZO NIBALI
Born: Nov. 14, 1984, in Messina, Italy
Height, weight: 5-11, 140
Team: Liquigas
Recent performance: First overall, Giro di Trentino
Key to victory: Nibali could slip into a successful breakaway in an early stage, then put in a good time trial and hold off the field the rest of the way.

RORY SUTHERLAND
Born: Feb. 8, 1982, in Canberra, Australia
Height, weight: 6-2, 170
Team: Health Net-Maxxis
Recent performances: Leader of the U.S. national racing calendar
Key to victory: The Aussie is a solid all-arounder who will look for a breakaway.

DOMINIQUE ROLLIN
Born: Oct. 29, 1982, in Boucherville, Quebec
Height, weight: 6-2, 180
Team: Toyota-United
Recent performance: First, Stage 4, Tour of California
Key to victory: Rollin can steal a stage by getting in a breakaway and outsprinting a small field. If none of the other favorites is in the break, Rollin could build an insurmountable lead.