Daniele Bennati, Matti Breschel, Roman Kreuziger and Nicolas Roche. It is prominent names Bjarne Riis has lured to his team up for the 2013 season.
And the crew is so strong that it will again interfere in the absolute world stop, says the Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly.
"The team has been massively reinforced, and it will in 2013 certainly be in the top third among all pro teams. It is in the top five. Yes, maybe even more, "says Sean Kelly to Ekstra Bladet.
Team Saxo-Tinkoff has also retained the Danish profile Chris Anker Sørensen and Nicki Sørensen, and most importantly of all, Alberto Contador still on the team.
"It is immensely important for Riis to have riders beside Contador, who can score the point in, Contadors points counts first from August 2014. With the reinforcements Riis has presented, there is no doubt that the team will run enough points home, "said Sean Kelly, who now work as an expert for Eurosport.
"When you look at the riders, Riis has available, you see riders who can win races. Not everything rests on Contador's shoulders, so the team will be competitive all season. "
56-year-old Sean Kelly was active in the 1980s, where he won Paris-Roubaix and the green jersey in the Tour de France.