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12 August 2005

13 August News ...

Sacchi Follows Petacchi

Fabio Sacchi will follow current teammate, Alessandro Petacchi, to Domina Vacanze next year. Sacchi (31) signed a two year deal to race on the squad of Gianluigi Stanga (2006 and 2007). It is a reunion for Stanga, team manager of Domina Vacanze, and the Milano rider. The two worked together back in the days of Team Polti.

Sacchi (currently with Fassa Bortolo) will continue his lead-out services to Ale-Jet, while seeking out wins of his own. This year Sacchi won the prestigious Milano-Torino and gave assistance to Ale-Jet for the Milano-Sanremo win. Still to be determined are the other key teammates to join Petacchi: Alberto Ongarato, Fabio Baldato, and Marco Velo. (read: Petacchi Will Be On Domina Vacanze, 22 July)

Crono Men for Squadra Azzurra

Franco Ballerini has his hands full with selecting the road team for the World Championships in Madrid (25 September). However, the Italian national DS is certain about the two riders for the Time Trial (22 September). Marco Pinotti (Saunier Duval-Prodir) and Marzio Bruseghin (Fassa Bortolo) are the two TT men who will represent Italy. Both men are super-fast against the clock and will provide a real threat for the rainbow jersey. Currently, Pinotti, who writes the Inside Scoop, is the wearer of the Italian national jersey for the TT.

Cunego to Clásica de San Sebastián

Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) will start in Saturday's Clásica de San Sebastián. This marks a return to ProTour Racing for the Piccolo Principe, after struggling with form at the Giro d'Italia in May. The Italian (24) missed weeks of training and racing due to a virus. Now the 2004 Giro winner is back in action, competing in the Due Giorni Marchigiana and looking forward to Saturday's Basque race. Dai Damiano! Joining the Piccolo Principe in Spain will be: Figueras, Mazzoleni, Commesso, Tonti, Stangelj, Spezialetti and Vila.

Luca Paolini Waits

Luca Paolini will be leaving his Quick-Step friend and teammate, Paolo Bettini. Paolini's future team is to be decided in the coming week. Top on the list is the Italian team, Liquigas-Bianchi. But there are also German teams interested in the Italian fast-man: Gerolsteiner and T-Mobile. Stay tuned for more details. (read: Paolini, Noè, and Peron, 9 August)

Karsten Kroon to Team CSC

Team CSC has signed Karsten Kroon for a two year contract. The Dutch rider (currently with Rabobank) will strengthen the team's classics squad. Kroon is a rider with depth, winning a stage in the 2002 Tour de France (8th stage to Plouay) and the 2004 Rund um den Henninger Turm. You also might remember Kroon from this year's Tour. He spent stage 6 in a long break-away and won the climber's jersey, which he wore for stage 7.

"Kroon already has great results and he impressed me during the classics this year, but I think he'll be able to develop even further with us. He has an aggressive racing style, which fits perfectly in with our way of approaching these races. I'd like to give him free hands to ride his own chances in some of the classics," said Bjarne Riis via Team CSC. "At the same time he's got a potential, which doesn't rule out the fact that he'd be a major help in the mountains in the big stage races." (Also read: Kroon and Rabobank Part Ways, 2 August)

Disco Take Martinez

Discovery Channel announced the signing of a new Spanish rider. Egoi Martinez (currently with Euskaltel-Euskadi) will join the team for two years, 2006 and 2007. Johan Bruyneel, head Disco DS, has noted the Spaniard's abilities in the TT and on the climbs. Martinez (27) is a former winner of the Tour de l'Avenir. The Basque rider will add power to the already strong Spanish Armada.

11 August News ...